"14", "name" => "Golf", "category" => "The Open", "path" => "/var/www/vhosts/betting.betfair.com/httpdocs/golf/", "url" => "https://betting.betfair.com/golf/", "title" => "Second-placed Spaniard clear favourite for Open : The Open : Golf", "desc" => "Garcia moves ahead of Els with nine days to go to Birkdale tee-off...", "keywords" => "Sergio Garcia, Ernie Els, Phil Mickelson, Padraig Harrington, Lee Westwood, The Open", "robots" => "index,follow" ); $category_sid = "sid=4322"; ?>

Second-placed Spaniard clear favourite for Open

The Open RSS / / 08 July 2008 /

" class="free_bet_btn" rel="external" onclick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/G4/inline-freebet');" target="_blank">

Garcia moves ahead of Els with nine days to go to Birkdale tee-off

Sergio Garcia is the new Open favourite with Betfair customers following his second-place finish at the European Open.

The Spaniard's improved form over recent weeks has seen his price collapse from a high of [46.0] to his current [12.0].

That means the 28-year-old has supplanted Ernie Els as the undisputed favourite less than two weeks ahead of Europe's biggest golf tournament.

Els, winner in 2002 and in the top-five on seven other occasions most recently fourth at Carnoustie, has eased to [15.5] having traded at a low of [8.0].

Without Tiger Woods, the betting is wide open for the major which takes place at Royal Birkdale event this year. Behind Garcia and Els are Phil Mickelson ([18.0]), Padraig Harrington ([18.5]) and Lee Westwood ([19.5]).

After that mini group, 10 more players trade between [27.0] and [50.0].

England's Ross Fisher - the runaway winner of the European Open - is a [65.0] shot for Birkdale glory.

'.$sign_up['title'].'

'; } } ?>