Wood to make professional debut

Chris Wood also secured an invite to play in the Quinn Insurance British Masters at the Belfry in September within hours of signing for International Sports Management and is hoping to play a number of other European Tour events in his inaugural season.

With Chris recent success at Birkdale and all the hype surrounding his professional debut we re obviously thrilled to enter him as a wild card to the SAS Masters. We ve had Graeme McDowell and Lee Westwood winning their first European Tour titles in our tournament and with 100,000 plus in attendance I m sure Chris Wood will get a warm welcome to the tour. says Fredrik Nilsmark, Managing Director of the SAS Masters.

ISM Managing Director Andrew Chubby Chandler added: Chris proved at The Open that he has the talent and temperament to perform at the highest level alongside the world s best players. The Open provided him with invaluable experience in the limelight and I hope he will flourish on his professional debut in Sweden

The 20-year-old from Bristol will try to emulate the success of fellow silver medal winner and ISM stablemate Rory McIlroy and earn enough money on the European Tour Order of Merit to win his card for the 2009 season without a trip to Qualifying School. Under Tour regulations, Wood is allowed seven wild cards to achieve his first professional goal.

Wood became the second silver medal winner in succession behind McIlroy to join ISM after performing with distinction at the world s greatest championship, finishing joint fifth alongside America s Jim Furyk with his father Richard carrying his bag.