McDowell: Rory McIlroy can dominate for next 5 years

When golfers dominate the sport, they have a window. For Padraig Harrington, it was 14 months in which he won three majors. For Tiger Woods to date, it was a 12-year span in which he took down 14 majors.

It’s clear Rory McIlroy, with four major titles, is in his window. How long that window will last is anyone’s guess, but Graeme McDowell probably can make the most educated prediction of anyone short of the world No. 1 himself. In his season-wrap column for the BBC, the 2010 U.S. Open champion said he sees McIlroy’s window lasting until the end of the decade.

“I think we are witnessing at least a five-year spell as world number one,” McDowell wrote. “I think he is going to dominate in the fashion of Tiger Woods.”

Coming off a two-major season, McIlroy is looking for his fifth at the Masters in April, which would complete the career grand slam and leave him a second U.S. Open title at Chambers Bay away from holding all four major championships simultaneously.

No matter if McIlroy dons the green jacket at Augusta National next year or not, McDowell believes his countryman will become the fourth player in history to win double-digit majors.

“Of course, a lot can happen in the next five years, but, looking at Rory, he could win three, four or maybe five more majors in that time,” McDowell said. “He could then be close to the 10 in total and whether he wants to go beyond that is entirely up to him.”

Ryan Ballengee is a Yahoo Sports contributor. Find him on Facebook and Twitter.

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