Padraig Harrington predicts that Rory McIlroy's best bet of winning a Masters to complete golf's grand slam will come when his chances are written off.
Harrington believes the pressure and hype on McIlroy coming into the last major he hasn't won is such that it is blocking his chances - as it did once again a fortnight ago at Augusta when he missed the cut and rival Jon Rahm claimed victory.
"Rory's in a place — and it’s a terrible place — that he just has to be patient," said the Dubliner.
READ MORE: Rory McIlroy's 2023 prize money earnings dwarfed by Jon Rahm and Scottie Scheffler
"What a horrible thing. No golfer ever wants to hear that, 'just be patient, wait for it to happen'.
"Golfers hate that. It's obviously happening for the weeks that he doesn’t want it. But it will turn around."
McIlroy hasn't won a major title since 2014 and Harrington reckons that breaking that run will lift some of the burden for future Masters bids.
"As much as people get frustrated he didn’t win the Masters, or didn’t win the last major, he still has the game that when he turns up and it falls into place, he can win any given week," argued Harrington.
"But there are new kids on the block and that makes it hard.
"Jon Rahm is turning up at every event and he's walking out there fully believing nobody can beat him - that’s the Rory of 2011 and 2013.
"DJ was that man. Like, four or five years ago, nobody thought they could touch him. Jordan Spieth was that man. Brooks Koepka was that man.
"So it does move on. But Rory still has enough game where if he turns up and it’s his week, he could definitely win any tournament.
"I don’t think it's scar tissue or experience. I just think there's a lot of hype going into it. A lot of pressure.
"He has tried a few different ways of going about it and I think he'll win it when we least expect.
"When we have all got our backs turned, he will come out and win it. I think winning another major might be a nice way of dissipating some of that extra pressure."
McIlroy went into this year's Masters on the back of strong form and made him a hot favourite to make history.
But Harrington said: "Sometimes going in without as much expectation could be a good thing.
"But that's not often for Rory because there are so many people that are rooting for him. After his Match Play performance, even I put him as the favourite going into the Masters.
"Everything looked good. Driving and putting looked really good. I thought he was going to be up there.
"Jon Rahm hadn’t been so good the previous couple of weeks but Jon Rahm at the moment just believes he is the best player. It’s a nice place to be.
"It’s a mental challenge for us all - and no more so than for Rory.
"The great thing for Rory is he could win one any time. It could happen tomorrow."
Harrington was speaking at the opening of the Marlay Putting Green at Marlay Park, Rathfarnham, Dublin.
The project took three years to come to fruition. It was funded by the Padraig Harrington Charitable Foundation, a golf development grant from the R&A, and a grant from Golf Ireland.
"The before-and-after pictures of this one was a wasteland, a lot of rubble and dirt. We came in here and cleared it out," he explained.
"We put in a full-spec green. Atlantic Golf and Turf Grass have put in a huge amount of effort and time, pulled in a lot of favours. It’s a premium green here.
“Other parks will do this. To be honest, you don’t have to go to this level but a little putt-putt anywhere, at any facility, in a public facility… even a little putt-putt in a hotel out on the grass. It could be three, nine or 18 holes. It doesn’t have to go to this level.
"I don’t think my foundation will do another one but maybe if someone else sponsors it we probably will go in and do other ones in parks around the country.
"There was putting greens in a lot of parks over the years. I did a putting green in St Luke’s when my dad was convalescing there with his cancer and they loved it. It’s still there.
"It’s just a very pleasant thing to do, putting. It’s nice and calm and a bit of fun.
"Mind you, this green isn’t so calm but it is a very enjoyable pastime that doesn’t take a lot of effort. So everybody can do it.
"I’m looking forward to people coming and trying it but what would really please me is people coming back. The repeat use will be success to me. There is no constraint on ability.
"You can come and enjoy it and there is no judgement.”
READ NEXT:
Everyone says same thing about Roy Keane after Man United's latest embarrassing result
Kildare's Kevin Feely has 'never looked back' on what might have been in soccer
Stuart Byrne column: Jack Byrne was right to consider MLS offer
Conor McGregor fans worried as he appears to pose with joint and says 'smoke the back box off it'
Get the latest sports headlines straight to your inbox by signing up for free email alerts
