Chris Wood has turned professional, just over a week after finishing as the highest placed amateur at the British Open.

The 20-year-old Wood tied for fifth with Jim Furyk at Royal Birkdale, seven shots behind winner Padraig Harrington. Wood signed with the International Sports Management group and will receive invitations to European Tour events.

"Royal Birkdale was the best week of my life and now I am looking forward to an equally exciting and successful future in the professional ranks," Wood said. "I played with Darren Clarke yesterday and I've spoken to another two professionals, and they've all said that I'll be a better player after a year on the Tour."

Wood, who had his father Richard carrying his bag at the British Open, has already been invited to play at the British Masters at The Belfry.

NORMAN TO COMPETE IN PERTH: Greg Norman will feature in the Johnnie Walker Classic in Perth, Australia, next February.

The former world No. 1, who dominated the leaderboard for most of the British Open at Royal Birkdale earlier this month before falling to a third-placed finish, will line up at the Vines Resort and Country Club.

The event, which takes place from Feb. 19-22, is expected to attract further big names as it is tri-sanctioned by the European, Asian and Australasian Tours.

The 53-year-old Norman is the only golfer to be No. 1 on both sides of the Atlantic, winning the European Tour Order of Merit in 1982 and topping the PGA Tour Money List in 1986, 1990 and 1995,

He has won more than 80 tournaments worldwide including two British Opens, in 1986 and 1993, and spent a total of 331 weeks at the top of the official world rankings.

DONALD TO MISS FINAL MAJOR: Luke Donald will, as feared, miss next week's PGA Championship as well as this week's WGC-Bridgestone Invitational.

Donald, a huge doubt for September's Ryder Cup, has been out of action with a wrist injury since withdrawing from the U.S. Open during his final round on June 15.

A statement on July 11 talked of him having "at least the next three to four weeks" off, and now comes the confirmation that the 30-year-old is not ready for a return at the final major of the year.

"He would need a very quick recovery to get to the USPGA, but you can't come back from a wrist injury too early because it will flare up again," European Ryder Cup Captain Nick Faldo said last week.

Qualifying for the team ends on Aug. 31. Donald is in 11th place on Europe's world points list, but only five players are selected off that and he is down in 43rd spot on the separate table based on Order of Merit earnings. Five more are chosen from there.

Faldo also has two wild cards to hand out at the end of next month, but admits: "To pick a man who is injured would be a major story."

Donald has been a member of the last two victorious sides, losing only once in seven matches and winning all his four games in partnership with Sergio Garcia.

British Open runner-up Ian Poulter, Colin Montgomerie, Paul Casey and Darren Clarke are also in need of a wild card as things currently stand, although with five events left a lot can change yet.

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