Lee Westwood's time will come, says Padraig Harrington

PADRAIG Harrington has tipped Lee Westwood to end his career as a multiple major winner but believes the Englishman's wait for the first one won't end this weekend.

While Harrington says his Ryder Cup team-mate is a "fearless" player in the mould of Jack Nicklaus and Ben Hogan, he's not sure Sandwich is the course for him to join the major club.

"Probably one per cent of golfers are fearless, usually kids coming into the game. They have no scars, no mental damage," observed the three-time major winner.

"Unfortunately for that one per cent, when the can of worms is opened, they will always struggle to get the lid back on it because they played with freedom, naivety, the game was easy, and all of a sudden, there's complications.

"If you've looked at (some] careers that have gone completely off the wall, that's actually what's happened. There was no fear and, all of a sudden, there's fear. They are trying to keep their thoughts together, they are trying to manage it all - the good, the bad - trying to manage their swing, technique, everything.

"It's only point zero zero zero one per cent of golfers who have figured out how to control their fear. You've got to think (Jack] Nicklaus, you've got to think (Ben] Hogan got there. They understood the challenges, the technical side, the mental side, how to prepare for tournaments, how to shut it down, how to get it doing."

Harrington said it was too early to say if new US Open champion Rory McIlroy was in that small percentage of players but believes Westwood, who has the best record of any player in majors over the past couple of years without being able to make the breakthrough, is a serious contender.

"Rory's too young," he added. "He's had a few hard lessons that will help him get there, and to be honest, it does take some hard lessons, I think, to get to that situation.

"I tell you who could, who is not far away from it, Lee Westwood. He's had the hard lessons. There's got to be a lot of pain and hardship to get to that stage that you understand how to play this game and what makes you tick. He will be close, there's no doubt about it.

"Lee is a prolific winner and could be a prolific winner of majors. Of all the players out here who has a good understanding of their game, he's right in there. And he would be a perfect example, I believe, who is in the one per cent of fearless golfers."

But, while Westwood is among the favourites with the bookmakers for the third major of the season, Harrington believes the world No 2 will have a better chance of claiming the Claret Jug at Muirfield, the venue in two years' time.

"I think he has a chance of winning at Sandwich but (he] wouldn't be my favourite. I don't think it's his golf course. I would pick a venue like Congressional, a big, tough challenge, as a golf course for Lee to win on. Not a tricky golf course.

"It's not, it's a big hitter's course. Yes, you want to be a straight hitter, but it's tricky enough, I think, that it doesn't necessarily suit his game. It doesn't mean he can't win there, but I won't be picking him out. Lee would be more competitive on Muirfield, real solid, strong, links golf course."