Harrington: Pressure no problem for McIlroy

PÁDRAIG HARRINGTON believes Rory McIlroy should feel no extra pressure as the 22-year-old US Open champion heads into this week’s British Open as red-hot favourite.

With that eight-stroke victory at Congressional Country Club last month still fresh in everybody’s minds, the installation of McIlroy at the head of the betting market for the third major of the year, starting this Thursday at Royal St George’s in Kent, could be seen as piling unwanted additional pressure on the Holywood golfer.

Yet three-time major winner Harrington, who won back-to-back majors himself in 2008 when he added the US PGA Championship at Oakland Hills to his successful defence of the Auld Claret Jug at Royal Birkdale three years ago this week, believes McIlroy is at the stage where he will be impervious to the extra weight of expectation.