Nicklaus, Watson and Player tip McIlroy but Golden Bear warns: “The discipline is what Rory has lacked in my opinion”
Masters champions and honorary starters Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson and Gary Player at Augusta National Golf Club, Thursday, April 11, 2024
Jack Nicklaus echoed the thoughts of Tom Watson and Gary Player and tipped Rory McIlroy to win the Masters but he also expressed his concern about the Co Down man’s “discipline”.
With 11 green jackets between them, the current “Big Three” returned from hitting their ceremonial opening tee shots and unanimously backed the Co Down man to win in his 17th Masters appearance this week.
“I think Rory McIlroy will win the Masters this year, and I hope he does because it would give golf a great boost to have another winner of the Grand Slam,” said the South African (89), who is one of just five players alongside Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Nicklaus and Tiger Woods to win all four Majors.
“He has the best swing in golf without a question. He's the fittest golfer. He does a dead lift of 400 pounds. I don't know if you're aware of what a dead lift is. 400 pounds. If you do 100 pounds, it's exceptional.
“He went to Jack for advice on how to play this golf course. Nobody knows better than Jack. And I think timing in life, he's had his adversities, his opportunities to win majors and let them slip. I think his time is righ.t
“I think it's just the right time for him to win now. The golf course -- there's no golf course that suits a man better than it does for Rory.”
Eleven-time Major winner Watson (75), who only failed to win the PGA Championship, agreed that McIlroy is the man to beat this year
“I just have a gut feeling that Rory is the guy that's going to win this week,” Watson said. “That's the bottom line. That's my gut feeling.”
McIlroy has sought Nicklaus’ advice on playing Augusta National several time and most recently sat down with the Golden Bear last week.
“I think the same as you two guys,” said Nicklaus (85), who won his sixth Masters title in 1986.
“I think it's about time that Rory won. “I sat down with Rory last week and we had lunch, and we were talking, and I said, Rory, I know you prepared for Augusta; tell me how you're going to play the golf course.
‘We went through it shot for shot. And he got done with the round, and I didn't open my mouth. And I said, well, I wouldn't change a thing. That's exactly the way I would try to play the golf course.
“The discipline to do that is -- the discipline is what Rory has lacked in my opinion. He's got all the shots. He's got all the game. He certainly is as talented as anybody in the game
“But if you look, go back and see his history the last few years, he gets to a place a lot of times an 8 or a 7 pops up, and that keeps you from getting to where he needs to go
“I'm a big fan of Rory's and I like Rory a lot, so that's what I think.
“But I think obviously Scottie Scheffler is just coming back in again, he's a defending champion, there's nobody playing any better in the game than Scottie.
“Between the two of them, I think you're going to find your winner.”
