Jack Nicklaus revealed that Rory McILroy had asked him for advice on how to win in Augusta National, after the couple sat for a lunch place last week before the Masters.
Thursday morning, the champion of the Masters six times alongside the other legends Gary Jouleuse and Tom Watson while the 89th edition of the illustrious tournament began.
But all eyes are on the North Irishman this week, with the quadruple major winner entering a brilliant vein of shape, winning two PGA Tour events already this season, in front of the Masters.
This tournament has escaped McILroy for so long and it is desperate to finally break his 11 -year -old duck to win a major, win the big career chelem and finally put on the coveted green jacket.
His best finish around this track occurred in 2022, where he was beaten with the green jacket by Scottie Scheffler, finishing T2 in the ranking.
Eager to finally finish his Augusta hoodooMcILroy asked for advice last week from someone who knows how to win in Augusta.
Sitting in the press, the player said that McILroy had sat with Nicklaus during lunch last week. The couple explained how the Northern Irishman planned to play the tournament.
The golden bear is alone as having won the most come the most come (six), Tiger Woods dragging it by one and the player said it brilliantly.
“No one knows better than Jack,” he said, adding: “He (Mcilroy) went to Jack to get advice on how to play this golf course.”
Nicklaus then opened at their meeting, but revealed in an interesting way that he was unable to find the fault of McILroy’s strategy, after listening to the 35 -year march through the way he intends to play Augusta, shot by blow.
“I think it’s time that Rory won,” said Nicklaus, who won 18 majors in his career.
“I sat with Rory last week and we had lunch, and we were talking, and I said, Rory, I know that you have prepared for Augusta; Tell me how you are going to play on the golf course.
“We crossed it for a shot. And he finished with the Tour, and I didn’t open his mouth. And I said, well, I wouldn’t change anything. This is exactly how I would try to play on the golf course.
Nicklaus, player and Watson were unanimous on whom was going to win this year – McILroy.
But Nicklaus raised the lid on the only thing that the Irishman for the North has failed in the past, which has prevented him from winning the green jacket.
“The discipline of doing so – the discipline is what Rory has failed in my opinion. He has all the shots. He has the whole game. He is certainly as talented as anyone in the game, ” said Nicklaus.
“But if you look, go back and see his story in recent years, he goes to an 8 or 7 often appears, and that prevents you from going where he has to go. I am a big Rory fan and I really like Rory, so that’s what I think.
“But I think that, obviously, Scottie Scheffler returns again, he is a reigning champion, and there is nobody who plays better in the game than Scottie. Between the two, I think you will find your winner.
Nicklaus has also commented on what the future for Woods, which is not present in Augusta, looks like he recovers in an injury out of Achilles.
“I think Tiger will recover and Tiger will be back and will play-Tiger will have 50 years next year,” he said.
“I think he will probably play the senior tour and I think he will probably dominate the senior tour. Tiger is too much a competitor not to play.
“I don’t think he won’t play. I think he will play. I don’t think Tiger will play for money. He doesn’t need money. Tiger will play for competition. He likes competition, and he is very good in this area, of course.
He added: “Tiger had his problems, and he overcome them every time he had them. I expect him to do it again.
The player added that he could not believe how badly Woods is with injuries over the years.
“Well, I think Tiger was very unlucky to have these injuries. I mean, he started to play again, and you get an Achilles tendon and it has back problems, and golf is conducive to giving you a back problem, ” said the South African.
“I think that almost all those who play golf have long long have a new hip or a spine operation, and some of their bodies are different from others. Everyone is different, because your fingerprints are all different. So he was unlucky.
