You’d be forgiven for considering that Chris Wooden, a Ryder Cup participant as just lately as 2016, was winding down his profession. Final season he teed it up in 13 Problem Tour occasions, made the lower in eight of them however solely made a little bit over €11,000.
On the DP World Tour his recreation seemingly fell off a cliff from 2019 onwards, having been a mainstay of the Tour for the earlier decade, as he struggled to complete inside the highest 200 on the cash checklist. This 12 months he performed in Qatar as a previous winner; earlier than that he was on the Closing Stage at Q Faculty the place he did not make the final two days.
However this week Wooden popped up on the Turkish Airways Open on an invitation and it proved to be an inspiring transfer by the Tour as he offered probably the most inspiring story of the week, a closing 64 giving him a share of seventh spot and a pay cheque of €56,684 – his final high 10 got here on the 2018 KLM Open.
Wooden is without doubt one of the absolute good guys within the recreation, there’s no aspect to him and he’s nonetheless the identical character that he was when he was a stellar novice.
In 2008 he completed fifth at The Open at Royal Birkdale whereas nonetheless within the upaid ranks. The next 12 months he may simply have gained the Claret Jug – had he parred the 72nd gap he would have made the play-off with Tom Watson and Stewart Cink.
In 2016 he gained the lucatrive PGA Championship at Wentworth and performed his means onto Darren Clarke’s Ryder Cup workforce the place he and Justin Rose gained their foursomes earlier than shedding on the final to Dustin Johnson within the singles.
Wooden continues to be solely 37 however, for the previous six years, he’s actually struggled.
“It’s been horrendous to be trustworthy. Since 2019 actually, I simply really feel like I’ve been going by hell. So to place a rating collectively is clearly nice however I’ve wished to really feel like I wish to really feel like I do know my recreation’s there, not simply put a rating on sooner or later, and I genuinely really feel like I’m beginning to try this now,” an emotional Wooden defined.
“I’ve been working so arduous at residence simply quietly and with a fantastic workforce and simply, yeah, it’s been a protracted previous street to be trustworthy, however yeah, by no means misplaced perception in myself. You clearly have days the place it feels tougher than some however the hearth in my stomach has all the time been there.
“I’m counting on invitations this 12 months and my previous supervisor, Cagey (Stuart Cage), rang me final Tuesday night time and mentioned about taking part in this week and I’m prepared. I’m practising so nicely at residence {that a} name final minute isn’t an issue. I performed with Ollie Wilson the primary couple of days and he was asking how I’m doing it, to be match prepared, I suppose. So that they’re my secrets and techniques, I’m not giving them away.”
Wooden has struggled with power nervousness lately however hopefully this might be a giant transfer in the direction of getting the Bristolian participant again on tour.
“My nervousness’s been horrendous so the tour have been good, the medical workforce have actually helped me so hopefully that is like the primary little step ahead and, anybody who needs me to be at their occasion, please decide up the cellphone as a result of I would like just a few begins this 12 months.
“Though I’ve felt like I’ve actually believed I’ve nonetheless had the sport, the massive factor is I’ve seen all of the pictures, I do know I can hit the pictures, I’ve simply not been capable of hit them.”
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