Padraig Harrington claims Rory McIlroy has the “physical tools” to continue playing golf at an elite level for another 20 years.
McIlroy, who turned professional in 2007, will begin his 18th full season on the PGA Tour in January. His illustrious career includes triumphs at the US Open in 2011, the PGA Championship in 2012 and 2014, and The Open Championship in 2014, though the 35-year-old Northern Irishman hasn’t won a major in the decade since.
Despite McIlroy’s admission last February that he may already be more than halfway through his career, three-time Major winner Harrington believes otherwise. The Irishman, 53, has been inspired by McIlroy’s level of play this year, describing it as “unbelievable”.
With 21 top-10 finishes in Majors since his fourth win at the 2014 PGA Championship, Harrington sees the Holywood star remaining a formidable force for years to come.
Speaking to the Irish Independent, Harrington said: “He’s driving it as well as he’s ever driven it. He chips the ball unbelievably well. He’s got loads of tools, and he’s getting close to that period where there’s got to be fatigue in the system, burnout and all that goes with it…”
But in a bold 12-word prediction regarding McIlroy’s future, Harrington added: “He has the physical tools to keep playing for another 20 years.
“When he’s in his 50s, he’s not going to be giving up anything in the ball striking. So, yeah, it looks like he could be different. But in saying that, nobody else ever has been. I don’t think he needs a hot streak [to win more Majors].
Padraig Harrington has made his feelings clear on major changes being made by the PGA Tour© Richard Martin-Roberts/Getty Images
“Yeah, other players need a hot streak to get to the top. But his game is so strong in many departments that he really doesn’t need a hot streak. He’s different. He’s held to a different standard.”
In total, McIlroy has 26 PGA Tour victories and, most recently, won the season-ending DP World Tour Championship by holding off Denmark’s Rasmus Hojgaard. Yet, he offered a rough retirement timeline earlier this year after calling off his divorce.
McIlroy told the media at Pinehurst: “I still have a good little bit of time here, hopefully for the next 10 years. I still like to think I’ve got a good run ahead of me. Whatever those numbers are, whatever the totals add up to, I’ll accept that and feel like I’ve done pretty well for a little boy from Northern Ireland who dreamed of playing golf for a living one day.”
Should McIlroy stick to his comments, he will be playing on the PGA Tour until he’s around 45 – not quite as long as Harrington predicts, but still an impressive feat. Regardless, there’s still plenty of time left for him to secure the fifth Major, which has long eluded him.
