Woods not favourite in British Open

For the first time since he won the US Masters in 1997, Tiger Woods will not start a major championship as the favourite when the 133rd British Open gets under way on Thursday.

Woods has now gone eight majors without a win, the longest barren streak since he played 10 events without a victory after his maiden triumph at Augusta.

The world number one won seven of the 11 majors from the 1999 USPGA championship up to the 2002 US Open – which included the famous ‘Tiger Slam’ when he held all four titles at once – but has yet to win a strokeplay tournament in 2004 and is a cumulative 12 over par for the US Masters and US Open.

In contrast Ernie Els was only denied a first green jacket by an inspired Phil Mickelson in April, and was in the last group in the final round at the US Open last month before fading to a share of ninth place as compatriot Retief Goosen claimed his second title.

World number two Els is favourite to claim a second Claret Jug following his 2002 triumph at Muirfield, the South African available at around 7/1.

Woods is as high as 8/1, the kind of price he was once quoted for winning all four in 2002 after he had claimed the Masters and US Open.

Goosen and Mickelson are next in line at around 14/1 with Sergio Garcia the shortest-priced European at 16/1 and Ireland’s Padraig Harrington a 25/1 shot.

But for a real outsider, how about 1973 Troon winner Tom Weiskopf at a tempting 1,000-1?