Lee Westwood wants Rory McIlroy to be given room to have fun rather than have expectations piled on him.
The Northern Ireland teenager moved up to 16th in the world by winning his first European Tour title in Dubai last weekend.
During the event American Mark O'Meara said McIlroy was ahead of Tiger Woods at the same age, but Westwood, the youngster's stablemate, said today: "I don't think we should be comparing him to Tiger or anybody yet.
"He's only 19 and he should be going out and experiencing different adventures and still having fun.
"It's putting too much pressure on him to set goals really high at this stage. It's a problem we seem to have in this country.
"Last week it was 'Andy Murray's going to win the Australian Open'. Last year it was 'England are going to win the World Cup' when we hadn't even qualified for Euro 2008."
This is not to say that Westwood, who today unveiled a series of three-day academies for youngsters, does not believe McIlroy capable of great things. It is just that he wants to downplay it.
Westwood said: "I first played with Rory when he was 14 or 15. He was invited to the British Masters and Darren (Clarke) and I practised with him. You could see how good he was then."
Westwood also partnered the former European amateur champion at the 2007 Dunhill Links Championship. It was only the second event of McIlroy's professional career and he finished third.
"I'm not surprised to see where he is in the world because he's been very consistent," added Westwood. "He could have won three times by now."
McIlroy lost play-offs in Switzerland and Hong Kong before beating a star-packed field on Sunday. His next start is the Accenture world match play in Tucson later this month - and if he was to win that he could go as high as sixth on the rankings.
Woods is a tough act for anybody to follow, though. He did not turn professional until he was 20, but he had been US Amateur champion three times and after winning two of his first five events in 1996 he swept to a record 12-stroke victory at The Masters the following April.
Westwood also complained about media pressure last July - and on that occasion it was on him.
He had just finished third in the US Open, his best-ever finish in a major, but felt there was too much attention on him going into The Open. He finished 67th.
Padraig Harrington won it for a second year running, of course, and then went on to add the US PGA just three weeks later.
"Different people react in different ways," added Westwood, full of admiration for how his Ryder Cup team-mate has seized his opportunities and handled the limelight.
The 35-year-old Worksop golfer is two years younger than Harrington and hopes his big breakthrough might be just around the corner.
Westwood said: "When somebody you've grown up playing with does what he's done he do sit back and think that if he can do it why can't I?"
The idea of the three-day academies around England for boys and girls aged seven to 16 started last year and follows a similar scheme in cricket which Andrew Flintoff, a member of the same management company, has launched.
"It's great to give something back," added Westwood, who did not take up the game himself until he was 13.
"It's easy to get started on the wrong foot and work in faults, so with proper coaching and everything else that will be on offer at these courses hopefully we can help to find another Rory.
"It's amazing to think that some of the kids who will be involved are going to be only three years younger than him."
McILROY ADDS NAME TO HISTORY BOOKS
TIGER TAG DOESN’T FAZE McILROY
Bucs hire Jagodzinski as offensive coordinator
