Rory McIlroy Needs His Absolute 'A' Game To Win Majors - Harrington

Padraig Harrington knows better than most what it takes to win multiple Majors and he believes that Rory McIlroy's all-round game has to be on song if he is to turn around his Major slump.

McIlroy's last Major win came here at Valhalla in 2014 and his putter has let him down this week – for the record, going into Sunday, leader Brian Harman had picked up over nine shots on the field  while McIlroy had given up 1.5 shots.

"He's easily good enough. We all know that. He could win at any stage but it's a little bit more complicated than just being good enough. The standard is very deep, plenty of guys who are competing and playing. Rory has to bring his 'A' game," explained Harrington.

"That's just it. I see he's pretty much down where I am putting this week, and I can tell you that's pretty miserable. He's not going to win tournaments putting like that this week. Not saying he's putting badly but the fact is he's probably given up 13 shots to Brian Harman, 12 in putts. I only had given up 14. 

"There's too many good players for you to go out there and not have all of your game at a decent level and some of your game at a really good level. That's the reality of it, and you only get four of those a year. But as I said, he's got four goals a year for another 20 years."

We all know McIlroy's ceiling is sky high and but it remains one of the game's biggest oddities that he hasn't won since 2014 – and also that he still hasn't got his hands on a Green Jacket. 

"It would be hard to see anybody who wouldn't want to be in his shoes. Maybe there's somebody, but it would be an interesting one, wouldn't it? If you were told you were starting in Rory's shoes next year at the Majors, I think you'd be pretty stoked.

"Everybody is under their own personal pressure. They feel it themselves, and there's a saturation point to that anyway. There's a certain level and that's it. It doesn't get any more. I can guarantee you Tommy Fleetwood is feeling it this week, home crowd, and it's probably tougher on him that he shot such a good first round. Puts a lot of stress on the week. I know you want to shoot a good first round, but fair bit of pressure on him."

The former Ryder Cup captain closed with a 74 for an eight-over aggregate and he will now head to Royal Porthcawl for The Senior Open.