LOCH LOMOND, Scotland (PA) -- The wrist injury that Luke Donald suffered at the U.S. Open has now put him out of the Barclays Scottish Open at Loch Lomond this week.

Fourth in the 2007 Scottish Open and tied for second two years ago, Donald has decided to give his ligament problem another week's rest rather than risk further damage before the British Open, which starts at Royal Birkdale a week from Thursday.

"Luke's been speaking to specialists and is almost ready to resume playing, but as a precautionary measure he's going to give it one more week," said Guy Kinnings, IMG's director of golf in Europe.

Because of his enforced layoff, Donald has slipped to 39th in the European Ryder Cup standings, increasing the chances that he will need a wild card from Captain Nick Faldo at the end of next month.

FISHER FULFILLS HIS POTENTIAL: Padraig Harrington claims nobody should be shocked at the manner in which England's Ross Fisher became European Open champion last weekend.

The 27-year-old Fisher captured only his second European Tour title by a magnificent seven-stroke margin at The London Club, completing the runaway 20-under-par success by holing a bunker shot at the last.

"I don't think anybody out here would be surprised," said Harrington, tied for 17th but a massive 18 strokes behind, of Fisher's performance. "He's well capable of doing this and more regularly."

The $800,000 took Fisher from 21st to 11th in the Ryder Cup race and from 23rd to sixth on the Order of Merit. His world ranking is up as well, of course, nearly 50 places from his previous 104th.

However fatigued he felt -- leading from wire to wire is especially hard work -- he headed north for the Scottish Open. Then it is on to Royal Birkdale -- he did not even have a place in the British Open until he tied for third in last Monday's international qualifier at Sunningdale.

"This is a massive achievement for myself," he added. "Most of the guys say that the first win is hard, but the second is even harder. "It was a strange week really. No practice round, a course record, four rounds under 70 in very testing conditions -- a phenomenal victory."

FAVORITE'S TAG FOR GARCIA: Sergio Garcia could not quite make it a Spanish sporting double on Sunday night, but he has now been made favorite for the British Open.

Most bookmakers have promoted the 28-year-old to just ahead of Ernie Els in the betting for Royal Birkdale after the way he finished the European Open. Garcia was runner-up to England's Ross Fisher, albeit seven strokes behind, after a best-of-the-day 66 containing a mere 21 putts.

Given the wind and rain, he called it one of the top five rounds of his career and "definitely the best putting round I've ever had. "Now I know what Tiger feels 90 percent of the time on the greens -- it's a great feeling."

Beaten in a playoff at the Open by Padraig Harrington at Carnoustie last July, Garcia will be back next week on the course where he finished 28th as an amateur 10 years ago.

Putting, of course, has been by far the weakest part of his game in recent seasons, but earlier this year he began working with American Stan Utley and he is delighted at the improvement.

He is still ranked only 178th on the greens on the PGA Tour and 72nd in Europe, but Garcia feels his confidence coming back and days like Sunday are a massive boost.

"I'm looking forward to the Open," he added before flying home. "There are still things I need to keep improving, but there are good positive things and overall I'm very happy. I don't expect to putt like this every single round. I would love to -- it would be a very easy game -- but the only thing you can do is believe in what you do."

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