MUNICH, Germany (PA) -- The rise and rise of Rory McIlroy this year has coincided with the fall and fall of Padraig Harrington -- but the 20-year-old McIlroy doesn't expect his fellow Irishman's slide to continue for much longer.

McIlroy, 10th in his U.S. Open debut on Monday, is now back in Germany for the BMW International Open starting on Thursday.

After four missed cuts in a row and five in his past six starts, Harrington is on a short break before starting the countdown to his British Open defense at next week's French Open.

The field is stacked, however. Sweden's Henrik Stenson, ninth on Monday and the world No. 5, is the highest-ranked player in a field that also includes American John Daly, Retief Goosen, Luke Donald and Colin Montgomerie.

"I think everyone is surprised," said McIlroy when asked about the fact that Harrington -- winner of the last two majors of last season -- has not had a top-10 finish since January. "A three-time major winner in two years and then to have a run of form like he's had, but it would not surprise me if he turned it around for the Open and put in a really good result.

"Obviously he looked at his game at the end of the year and has seen a few things that he wanted to change or improve," McIlroy added. "Obviously he has tried to do that and it has not quite worked.

"I've played a couple of practice rounds with him, but you don't really know from that. Whenever you have a card in your hand it becomes completely different.

"He still hits it well. I was watching him on TV last week when we had a few rain delays and it just seemed that he was not hitting as many fairways as he needed to to give himself chances for birdies," he explained. "That was my impression. His swing looks the same to me as when he won at Carnoustie, Birkdale and Oakland Hills, but it could be a slight fraction of the clubface at impact."

McIlroy, on the other hand, continues to impress in just about everything he does. In Europe, he is eighth in driving distance and, though only 118th in accuracy off the tee, that is not hurting him because he is third in greens in regulation, and his closing 68 at Bethpage Black gave him his first top-10 finish in a major.

"There were no fireworks, but I stayed very patient the whole week with all the weather delays," he said. "It was a really good effort for my U.S. Open debut and the key this year is that I've been very consistent."

The course at Golfclub Munchen Eichenreid also has had a deluge of rain on it this week, but though England's Ross Fisher, fifth at the U.S. Open on Monday, pulled out because he felt the need to rest McIlroy is happy with his decision to play on.

"I never thought of pulling out. Although I missed the cut here last year I think my game's more suited here than to next week's French Open course," he said. "I can't hit my driver much there and find it a little fiddly."

The next major, of course, is the British Open at Turnberry and McIlroy, having already played it once, plans another trip there on Monday week before the Scottish Open at Loch Lomond.

"I loved it when I played there with G Mac (Graeme McDowell) earlier this year. I beat him 5 and 4 and had eight birdies," he said. That was on a benign day -- exactly as the Ulsterman hopes it will be next month.

"Most links courses need a little bit of wind for their protection, but I feel that if it's calm I can shoot a really good score," he added. "And it's good for the fans to see guys making birdies. It gives it a better atmosphere."

For the first time in his career, McIlroy will be playing with Bernhard Langer in the first two rounds this week.

"He obviously still has the game to compete and I think it will be a great experience for me. Hopefully I might pick up something from him," he said.

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