Chris Wood feared injury would end his career: 'I couldn't even pick my little ones up'
CHRIS WOOD feared a neck injury could force him to quit after being in so much pain he couldn't even pick up his newborn daughter.
English ace Wood tees it up at The Open today after returning this month to the tour at the Irish and Scottish Opens.
They were his first starts since April after walking off the course mid-round for the first time in his life to quit the Morocco Open.
It prompted a nightmare spell on the sidelines as a bulging disk in his neck left Wood in agony.
The dad to two-year-old Jonah and five-month old Lottie admits he couldn't even pick his new arrival up.
The Ryder Cup star, 31, who played for Europe in 2016, said: “Retirement crosses your mind.
“I have had some difficult conversations with my wife. It is horrible.
“I couldn't sleep on a pillow for a while, which I have never experienced, I tried all sort of pillows.
“But I couldn't touch a pillow because any sort of pressure was agony.
“And I couldn't even pick my little ones up - it is not very nice.
“I had a few weeks where I haven't been able to pick my daughter up. It is on your mind and you don't want to risk anything.
“It is frustrating being off and you are watching the golf on the TV trying to get back as soon as possible. I am hitting less balls now and doing loads of rehab exercises.
“Being on tour 11 years takes it toll on the body but mentally there is so much in there so you keep fighting.
“Whenever I stop I won't have any regrets because I have worked my nuts off since I was 12 to be a professional golfer and that has not stopped.
“If I stopped tomorrow I could be completely satisfied with everything I have put into it but I have had a few hurdles along the way.”
Wood has missed the cut on both his tournaments back so far with rounds of 70 and 76 at Lahinch and 71 and 69 in Scotland.
But he has a decent Open record after coming tied fifth on his debut in 2008 as an amateur and tied third at Turnberry a year later in his first year as pro.
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Now the Bristolian is hoping being back in his favourite tournament can inspire him once more.
Wood, who gets physio back home from one of Bristol City's staff, added: “I have been been hitting it better than the scores suggest.
“I have had some mental rust but it is not too far off. I certainly get inspired when I come to the Open. I am enjoying it because I wasn't sure whether I was going to be able to play.
“To potentially have a Claret Jug on the dining table back home, I would probably cry everytime I came down in the morning and saw it.
“Nothing else matters in the game for me – this is the one.”