Sergio Garcia today dismissed concerns that the absence of Tiger Woods has devalued the Open Championship at Royal Birkdale by insisting the game is bigger than any golfer.

Woods, the world No1, had major knee surgery following his play-off win in the US Open last month. As a consequence, the American is missing his first Open since making his debut in the tournament as an amateur back in 1995.

"But it doesn't matter," said Garcia, last year's runner-up who, with Woods out of the running, is now installed as favourite to claim a maiden major title.

He added: "With all due respect, the Open is bigger than any of us, even Tiger Woods. If I happen to never play golf again, or Tiger happens to never play golf again, the Open will still be played and that's the most important thing.

"If I manage to win this week I'm not going to say, 'Oh, I won the British Open but Tiger wasn't there'. I'll still have the Claret Jug."

The 28-year-old Spaniard, Europe's leading player in the world rankings at No7, claimed he remained unaffected by the trauma of last summer's Open at Carnoustie where he lost a play-off to Ryder Cup team-mate Padraig Harrington.

A failed attempt to par the last hole effectively cost him the title, but Garcia said the disappointment of such a cruel defeat was short-lived.

"It was really not that big a deal," he said. "There's a lot worse things than losing an Open in a play-off. The Sunday night and Monday afterwards were a little tough. But there were a lot more positives coming out of that week than negatives."

Now Garcia is looking forward to another great week in his favourite tournament. "I love this major," he said. "I love everything about it.

"It's the only major we play in Europe, so that makes it more exciting for a European player. I also love the links golf courses. We don't get to play on these kind of courses too often, so we have to enjoy the moment as much as possible."

Garcia's natural exuberance makes him a favourite with Open galleries and he believes he has the form to excite them again this week.

Having already won the Players' Championship, golf's unofficial fifth major, this season, he said: "I feel my game is probably as good as it's ever been. I feel like I'm getting better as a player every tournament I go into.

"There's a lot of great players that are going to have a chance of winning this week.

"I've just got to make sure that I keep doing the right things, that I keep believing in myself, and that I have a chance."