Padraig Harrington forecasted that Rory McIlroy could claim up to 10 more Masters titles after securing back-to-back victories at Augusta National. The fellow Irish golfer shared these thoughts on Tuesday at Concession Golf Club in Florida ahead of the Senior PGA Championship. Harrington highlighted McIlroy's improved short game and mental resilience as keys to his potential longevity.
Padraig Harrington expressed strong confidence in Rory McIlroy's future at the Masters. 'Rory could win 10 of them at this stage, or five of them, anyway,' Harrington said. He noted that McIlroy, who turns 37 next month, might remain competitive there into his 50s, citing his versatile game that now excels in chipping and putting for greater durability at Augusta National. 'He's in a very nice place going forward, particularly at that tournament,' Harrington added, suggesting two or three more wins seem realistic, and now even five after the recent pair. McIlroy ended a decade-long major drought spanning 38 starts by winning his past two Masters in five attempts. In last week's event, he built a six-shot lead after 36 holes but surrendered it during the third round. On Sunday, he shared the lead with Cameron Young, endured a double bogey on the par-3 fourth, then surged with birdies on 12 and 13 to edge Scottie Scheffler by one stroke. Harrington commended McIlroy's character under pressure. 'He showed some real good character there. Psychology-wise he really won that tournament,' he said, emphasizing the mental edge alongside physical prowess and short-game mastery that positions McIlroy as a sustained force. Such predictions draw parallels to past champions who thrived late: Jack Nicklaus won at 46 in 1986, Tiger Woods at 43 in 2019, and Fred Couples made the cut at 63 in 2023.
