Favorite Garcia aims to go one better at Birkdale

By Tony Jimenez

SOUTHPORT (Reuters) - Title favorite Sergio Garcia will try to make amends for last year's playoff defeat by Padraig Harrington when the 137th British Open gets underway later on Thursday.

Buoyed by his victory in the Players Championship in Florida in May and with world number one Tiger Woods sidelined by injury, Garcia fancies his chances of picking up the first major of his career.

"I feel like my game is probably as good as it has ever been," the 28-year-old Spaniard told reporters at Royal Birkdale. "I obviously feel good with my game and feel good with myself.

"I feel like I am getting better as a player every tournament. I am learning more things about myself," added Garcia, who tees off at 1331 GMT alongside Japan's Ryuji Imada and American Sean O'Hair.

While Garcia appears to exude confidence, champion Harrington was fighting to overcome an injury to his right wrist. "I'm 75 percent hopeful of playing," said the Irishman.

(Editing by Mark Lamport-Stokes)