Padraig Harrington believes Rory McIlroy could go on to claim 10 Masters titles if he maintains his current form. The Northern Irish golfer secured his second consecutive victory at Augusta National on Sunday, finishing with an overall score of 12 under par and a single stroke ahead of Scottie Scheffler.

In doing so, he became only the fourth man in history to win back-to-back Green Jackets at the prestigious tournament, joining an elite club comprising Jack Nicklaus, Sir Nick Faldo and Tiger Woods. Having completed the Career Grand Slam last year with his dramatic play-off victory over Justin Rose, the 36-year-old appears to have precious little left to prove. That's when you consider his tally of 30 wins on the PGA Tour, six Ryder Cup victories with Team Europe and an impressive haul of major titles - including two PGA Championships, a US Open and an Open Championship.

However, fellow PGA Tour professional Harrington believes McIlroy could go on to win a decade's worth of Masters titles, should he set his mind to it. Speaking to the Irish Examiner, the 54-year-old said: "As regards to the Masters, Rory could win ten of them at this stage or five of them, anyway.

"He probably will still be competitive at 50 years of age around that golf course. For him, it was interesting that he won that one with his short game, which makes him even better a player. Over the years it's physicality to driving and the iron play.

"He's always been a superb chipper, but now it's with the putting and things like that. A very rounded game and a game that looks like it has a lot of longevity in it. So he's in a very nice place going forward, particularly at that tournament that you would think. It's amazing when you win one, that he's now got two, and we're thinking that maybe two or three or five would be realistic around that golf course."

EXPRESS SPORT ON FB!Get all the best sports news and much more on our Facebook page

Harrington also praised McIlroy's mental strength and character, which are just as crucial as technical ability and physical prowess in the modern game. While the Holywood-born star certainly appears to be flourishing at present, it wasn't so long ago that he endured an 11-year major championship drought across the world's most prestigious courses.

While McIlroy secured both the PGA Championship and Open Championship in 2014, his next major title didn't arrive until the 2025 Masters - demonstrating just how mentally tough he has needed to be throughout his career. However, emotions overflowed as he holed the winning putt on Augusta's 18th green 12 months ago, and even more so when he successfully defended his title at the weekend.

Speaking following his victory, he said: "I can't believe I waited 17 years to get one green jacket and I get two in a row. I think all of my perseverance at this golf tournament over the years has really started to pay off. It was a tough weekend. I did the bulk of my work on Thursday and Friday. But just so, so happy to hang in there and get the job done."