It's been a sensational sporting year so far for the Spaniards. Euro 2008 winners at football and the No.1 ranking team on FIFA’s list, plus Rafael Nadal capturing his fourth French Open title in a row and adding the illustrious Wimbledon crown at the third attempt. What’s next on the sporting calendar that the Spaniards could possibly add?

With the Open Golf Championship teeing off on July 17 at Royal Birkdale is there a Spaniard capable of lifting one of the oldest trophies in world sport? Only one Spaniard has won the Open and that is Seve Ballesteros. He did it twice at Royal Lytham and St Annes and once on the Old Course at St Andrews.

Sergio Garcia went agonisingly close last year at Carnoustie as Padraig Harrington defeated him in a four-hole play-off. Indeed, there are only five Spanish golfers currently in the world's top 100; Garcia being one, closely followed by Miguel Angel Jimenez. The wonderful, yet slightly older Jose Maria Olazabal is there, along with the younger Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano.

Garcia has so far failed to deliver on the promise he has shown with no Major victory to his name. We all know how talented the man from Castellon is and he has been in and around the top 10 in the world for years. Second place at the Open and the USPGA, plus a third at the US Open and a fourth at the Masters – the 28-year-old has come agonisingly close on numerous occasions.

He has 17 professional wins under his belt, yet it will take the capturing of a Major for him to be mentioned in the same breath as Ballesteros. There is a saying that good things (and bad) happen in threes, but whoever believes that nonsense needs their head examined.

After last year's failure at the final hurdle of the Open, Garcia will be desperate to make amends. He had shot an arguably faultless four days of golf only to throw it away. He led for the whole tournament and was four shots clear going into the final day. The chasing pack didn't reel him back in, Garcia bogeyed three times and then still missed a putt on the 18th which would have given him the title. He missed by a fraction.

A likeable guy, could it be that Garcia will exorcise the ghosts that have been hampering Spanish sportsmen and woman for years? The football team turned themselves from perennial under-achievers to winners and Nadal finally emerged from the imposing shadow of Roger Federer.

In Garcia, the Spanish have their best chance. The other guys in contention are good and perhaps Jimenez could, just could swing it his way. With no Tiger Woods, the likes of Ernie Els and Phil Mickelson will still be hard to budge, but if there is anyone who could do it it’s Garcia.

He still has the game, he is still only 28 and although I don't believe in fate, I do believe that if you have come that close to winning it, and failed, you come back with an even higher resolve to capture something you could almost touch. We shall see.