Garcia believes he can match Woods

Tiger Woods may be hunting his ninth major title at the Open, but Sergio Garcia has not given up hope of matching the world number one's achievements.

Garcia's memorable duel with Woods in the 1999 USPGA championship seemed to herald the start of a significant rivalry between the pair.

The 19-year-old Spaniard was beaten by just one shot in only his third ever major championship.

Yet while Woods went on to win six more major titles to add to his 1997 US Masters triumph, Garcia failed to build on his early promise.

Since Medinah almost three years ago, Garcia had only enjoyed one other top-10 finish in a major until the start of this season.

But his form this year, which has seen him finish eighth in the Masters and fourth in the US Open, has given him the belief that he can end up with as good a career as Woods.

"I do think there is a chance," the 22-year-old said ahead of Thursday's first round at Muirfield. "I am four years younger than him, four years to become better and better.

"There is no doubt he is unbelievable in what he is doing and while I still think there is that chance, if I get close I will have had a wonderful career."

"There's no doubt there's a lot of good players out there that can win and can beat him," added Garcia, who won the British Amateur at Muirfield in 1998. "He just somehow manages to hang in there and not make many mistakes.

"That probably puts a little extra pressure on the other guys, thinking he's not going to make mistakes so we have to try harder.

"I think it's just a matter of time when somebody comes out and gets rid of it and makes everybody believe."