Padraig Harrington must stop swinging like a man possessed if he is to end his two-year victory drought.

At least that’s the view of Ryder Cup legend Eamonn Darcy who grabbed 100 top 10 finishes in an incredible 610 European Tour appearances.

Wicklow ace Darcy, 58, is a massive admirer of three-time major winner Harrington. But he’s convinced that he’s spotted the problem that has left the Dubliner winless for more than two years - he’s trying to knock the cover off the ball.

Believing Harrington has gone down the wrong road with his swing since he captured back to back majors in 2008, Darcy said: “He’s a fantastic player and he is definitely good enough to win more majors and I think he will. 

“But from watching him recently I honestly think that he is trying to hit the ball too hard with that short swing.”

Tiger Woods’ former coach Butch Harmon said during the Ryder Cup that Harrington has overdone his quest to find more distance off the tee.

As a result, Harrington’s a lowly 178th for driving accuracy on the European Tour and 163rd in the US.

Darcy watched Harrington’s Ryder Cup performance closely and he’s convinced that the world No 22 - he’s dropped 19 places since his US PGA win - needs to rein back when he gets a driver in his hands. 

Darcy said: “I don’t think he is swinging within himself. I’d like to see him just ease back a little bit.

“It’s just my observation from what I see. When I saw him playing his best, compared to what I see now, it just looks like he is going at it too hard.

“But I think he is too good a player not to get it back together. He is such a clever guy that I believe that he will sort it out.”

Harrington had a chance to end his victory wait in last week’s Alfred Dunhill Links in Scotland but had to settle for a share of 17th behind red-hot Martin Kaymer after some wild shots and erratic putting.

The Irish ace was a brilliant reader of greens for Ross Fisher in the Ryder Cup as they won their fourball and foursomes clashes

But he admitted in Wales that he’s having trouble believing what he sees when he stands over his own putts.

He said: “Ross believed me, it’s great. I don’t believe in myself and he believed me.”

Kaymer’s third tour win in a row at the Alfred Dunhill Links put a major dent in Graeme McDowell’s bid to become European No 1 when he moved almost €1 million clear of the Ryder Cup hero at the top of the Race to Dubai standings.

The German is now the favourite to top the money list with five events to go before the title is decided at next month’s Dubai World Championship

US Open champion McDowell and US PGA winner Kaymer will clash next week when they join Open champion Louis Oosthuizen and Phil Mickelson’s stand-in, Ernie Els, in the PGA Grand Slam of Golf in Bermuda.

The European Tour moves to the Algarve this week for the Portugal Masters with Paul McGinley, Darren Clarke, Shane Lowry, Peter Lawrie, Damien McGrane, Michael Hoey and Gareth Maybin in action.

But Harrington has opted to try and end his victory wait more than 7,000 miles away on the Asian Tour.

The Irish superstar joins Ryder Cup skipper Colin Montgomerie, defending champion KJ Choi and South Africa’s Retief Goosen in the Iskandar Johor Open in Malaysia.