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Golf Monthly
Golf Monthly
Sport
Matt Cradock

'His Game Is Futureproof' - Padraig Harrington Predicts Talk Of Rory McIlroy Winning '10 To 15 Majors'

Padraig Harrington and Rory McIlroy chat on the green.

Padraig Harrington is one of the most insightful players in world golf and, following Rory McIlroy's Masters victory, the 53-year-old believes there are yet more Majors to come for him.

Speaking to the Golf Channel, Harrington discussed various topics, with the three-time Major winner praising McIlroy before claiming that the 35-year-old's game is "futureproof."

"The Masters was a distinctly different tournament for Rory. Now he is over that... He asked in his press conference 'what are we going to talk about next year?' Well, we're going to talk about this year and whether he can make the yearly Grand Slam," stated Harrington.

"We are going to talk about whether he can beat Nick Faldo at six Majors, or whether he can get to 10 Majors. We're going to talk about whether he can get to 15 Majors and whether he can get to 18 Majors.

"The beauty for Rory is his game is futureproof. He's not a guy who gets injured, he's extremely powerful. It doesn't matter that all these kids coming out of college are hitting it miles. It doesn't matter to Rory.

"He is already the longest and nobody is going to have an advantage over him. They might eat in to his advantage, but his game is futureproof."

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Many from the world of golf agree with Harrington's sentiment, with Dr Bob Rotella, one of the most prominent psychologists in the world of sport that also helped McIlroy throughout the week at Augusta National, claiming that the five-time Major winner will push on following his Green Jacket victory.

Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Rotella stated that completing the career Grand Slam will "free him (McIlroy) up" for more wins throughout the season, while also claiming The Masters win will take the "burden off his back".

Along with McIlroy's strong psyche, Harrington believes another aspect that puts his fellow Major winner in good stead is the effort and work he puts in away from the course.

"Mentally he still wants it and, another good thing for Rory, is that he puts a lot of effort in to the gym as a way of practicing his golf.

"His gym time is a way for him to improve and get better, and he likes the gym. That takes away from him having to hit as many golf balls. He stays healthy because of it.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

"I envisage Rory going on for a good few years. He made that comment about not playing the Champions Tour and that's a protectionist thing.

"Rory has been playing competitive golf for close to 25 years, since he was about 10-years-old. If you told him he has to keep playing for another 20 years, that would burn him out right now on the spot.

"When he says he doesn't see himself playing in 15 years time, the reality is that 15 years will come quick, but it's also a protection method to say 'hang on a second, this isn't going to last forever. I have an out, but the out will never come'.

"Rory loves his golf. He's a bit of a golf nerd. He's never going to give it up and he's going to keep playing. In his head, he has to say there is an end, but before that end we could talk about 10 to 15 Majors. Crazy stuff now that he has the last of the Grand Slam."

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