DARREN CLARKE has watched Rory McIlroy develop from a child prodigy into a Major champion in just 13 years ...

and reckons his fellow-Northern Irishman is perfectly suited to complete the career Grand Slam next month.

Clarke, speaking at Heathrow yesterday in his first official duty as European Ryder Cup skipper, brought McIlroy into his own foundation for developing young talent when the current world No.1 was 12.

Since then, McIlroy, 25, has lived up to his billing as a golfing superstar by winning The Open, the US PGA Championship and the US Open over the past four years.

He is just a Masters victory away from achieving the quartet of the game's Majors and Clarke is confident about his countryman completing the job at Augusta National.

Clarke said: "Kids like Rory don't come along too often. He came through the foundation and then supported me for the Ryder Cup captaincy; he's a very special young man.

"Rory had that something special about him when he first came to my foundation as a boy. He was different.

"If he doesn't win at Augusta this year, he'll win next year. If he doesn't win next year, he'll win the year after.

"He's going to win there. His game is perfect for there. It's only a question of when.

"It's suited perfectly for him, that high draw is just perfect around there.

"He's got the shots, the touch, he's got those soaring, high long irons that Tiger Woods hit in his prime."

While the Masters is only 16 days away, Clarke is now counting down the 553 days until he departs from Heathrow on a flight to Hazeltine for the Ryder Cup clash with the USA.

As a stalwart of the European Tour and a veteran of five Ryder Cup campaigns as a player down the years, Clarke believes one of his biggest strengths as skipper will be the fact that he is close to the players.

But the 46-year-old, who won his first Major in The Open of 2011 at St George's, insisted there won't be any old pal acts when it comes to making the big calls.

Clarke added: "I'll be very player friendly, but I won't shirk my responsibilities of making tough decisions. I will not shirk at all and I will do what I have to, when I have to."