Minus Woods, it’s a wide Open battle

Because Tiger Woods is absent from one of golf’s four Majors for the first time since the 1996 PGA Championship, speculation abounds about the impact his absence will have on the 137th British Open that starts on Thursday.

Someone else has to be favoured, and the betting public has, according to Ladbrokes, installed Sergio Garcia of Spain as the 11-1 favorite. The groundswell for García, the runner-up at last year’s Open at Carnoustie, is believed to be tied to popular support for the continuation of a Spanish sports summer. Phil Mickelson is the top choice so far. Although Mickelson’s record in the British Open is far from stellar, he is fancied by wagerers ahead of Jim Furyk.

2002 champion Ernie Els said the winner would have to deal with an unusual question: “The best player of this generation is not there,” Els said, “and whoever wins next week is going to have to answer questions of, ‘Do you think you would have beaten Tiger if he was here?’ ”

Meanwhile, Padraig Harrington’s title defence was in doubt with the Irishman battling to shrug off a wrist injury.