European can win Open - Wakefield

Wakefield finished 19th in the 2008 Open Championship at Turnberry

Staffordshire golfer Simon Wakefield hopes a European player to win the 2009 Open Championship at Turnberry.

But Wakefield, who has not qualified for this year's competition, told BBC Radio Stoke that world number one Tiger Woods remains the man to beat.

"Your money has to be on Tiger [Woods], but Lee Westwood and Rory McIlroy are both playing well," said Wakefield.

"It would be nice to see one of the young Europeans, maybe Ian Poulter or Graeme McDowell, go on and win it."

Irishman Padraig Harrington will be aiming to win the tournament for the third successive year when the 138th Open Championship begins on Thursday.

Wakefield, 35, led the Open for a short time during the final round at Royal Birkdale in 2008, but a triple-bogey eight on the 17th hole ended his title challenge and he ended up finishing 19th.

He believes the disappointment from that day has been the main reason for his drop in form during the following 12 months.

"From that tournament, it's not gone as well as I'd hoped. From finishing second in Austria, and then having a great Open, I dwelt on that throughout last season.

"I've been practising twice as hard as I would normally, but I'm just not getting the results."

Wakefield, who plays at Wychwood Park in Staffordshire, is in danger of not retaining his card for the 2010 European Tour.