It was inevitable that when Chris Wood, a 20-year-old English amateur from Bristol, chipped in for a birdie at the 18th hole at Royal Birkdale yesterday, his glorious shot would be dubbed a “Justin Rose moment”.

Ten years ago, Rose famously pitched in at the last hole of the final round to finish joint fourth, a day before turning professional at the tender age of 17. It was a shot that has since entered Royal Birkdale folklore and, while Wood would not put his own effort in the same category, he was nonetheless able to milk the applause of the packed stands.

Wood, an England player and a member of the Long Ashton Golf Club in Bristol, followed up his first round of 75 with one of 70 for a five-over-par total of 145 that guaranteed his participation in the championship at the weekend. He went out in 34, with two birdies and two bogeys, and came home in 36, with a bogey at the 16th and that birdie at the last.

Wood, who came through qualifying, is playing in his first Open Championship. He has his father, Richard, carrying his bag, while his mother, an aunt and members of his club are following his progress from outside the ropes. He has certainly given them something to cheer.

“To finish like that was something special, particularly with all my friends and people from my club there,” Wood said last night. “There are about 50 or 60 of them in all. Half came up yesterday and half left Bristol at five in the morning, which just sums up my club really, a great club full of great people.”

One member of his family who has a vague interest in his progress is his sister, Abi. “She's travelling somewhere in Europe, so she can't be here,” Wood said. “She sent a text the other day saying, 'Are you at that Open thingy yet?' ”

Wood's target is to follow in some illustrious footsteps and win the silver medal - first presented in 1949 and the same size and design as the winner's medal - as leading amateur.