Harmon: Rory won’t rule like Tiger did
Legendary coach Butch Harmon’s Ryder Cup plan
“McIlroy is the obvious choice for the Masters”
Rory McIlroy is the man to beat at the Masters next week, but t he Northern Irishman will not be able to dominate golf in the way Tiger Woods once did.
That is the view of Butch Harmon, who coached Woods to eight majors.
Harmon also says it is impossible for Jordan Spieth to keep up the standard of putting that helped him to two majors last year but believes England’s Danny Willett could win his first major this year.
Speaking to Sportsmail at his renowned golf school above las Vegas, Harmon says McIlroy is ‘the obvious choice’ to win the Green Jacket and complete the career Grand Slam of all four majors, despite slipping behind rivals Jason Day and Spieth i n the world rankings.
‘rory was the one I thought would run off and leave everybody but they have kinda reeled him back in,’ says Harmon. ‘rory looked like the way Tiger looked and then all of a sudden these others jumped up there and won.
‘I give rory and Jason a little bit of an edge over Jordan because of the length factor (off the tee). If those two play to the best of their abilities, I think they would fight it out every week.
‘But I don’t think we will see anybody dominate the way Tiger did or (Jack) Nicklaus did, because the competition is tougher. There are so many players today that can win. There is no fear of anybody.’
There were more cautionary words for Spieth, the reigning Masters and US open champion. ‘The majority of last season from 20-25 feet he was making 30 per cent of his putts. That is impossible. The next guy was eight per cent or something. It was ridiculous. That can’t go on forever.’
Harmon’s current crop of stars includes rickie Fowler, Dustin Johnson, Brandt Snedeker and Jimmy Walker, all ryder Cup players and major winners in waiting.
Fowler ‘is ready, confidence-wise and in his golf swing’ to win a major and turn the Big Three into a Big Four, he says.
But Harmon said little to encourage Johnson, who he believes ‘should be the best player in the world’. The legendary coach said: ‘I don’t think he is as mentally strong as the other guys who are up there.’
By contrast, Harmon reserved special praise for the fighting spirit of Willett, who he regards as the brightest talent emerging from Britain: ‘I like his game, I like his golf swing, and there’s a brashness that I like. I think in one of the majors we’re going to have a Danny Willett type of player come through and win.’
Harmon, with his distinctive drawl, is also a member of Sky Sports’ commentary team.
‘It will be my 10th or 11th ryder Cup and we have only won two of them so you can imagine the s*** I have to take,’ he jokes. ‘It’s funny because the media is trying to make a big deal about golf in the olympics but the players are like, “yeah, whatever”.
‘But the ryder Cup is special. I think to keep it as special as it is, the Americans need to win.’
He also revealed an unusual motivational tool for his pupils: Ian Poulter. ‘In all honesty, Poulter isn’t that good,’ he says. ‘But one of the things I love about Poults is that he thinks he is good and that is what makes him good. I tell my young players all the time: “look at this guy. you are better than him yet he kicks your butt. Why? Because he believes in himself”.’ Sky Sports is showing all four majors — including The Open for the first time — and the Ryder Cup in 2016, starting with the Masters from April 7-11. ÷ Read more about Sportsmail’s day with the world’s most famous — and expensive — golf coach at www.dailymail.co.uk/sport