Jack Nicklaus hands Rory McIlroy Masters warning just moments before tee off
The Masters is the one major Rory McIlroy is missing to complete his set and the Grand Slam – and Golden Bear Jack Nicklaus has added some pressure going into the 2024 tournament
Jack Nicklaus has spoken about Team USA’s Ryder Cup team
Jack Nicklaus has spoken about Team USA’s Ryder Cup team(Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
By Neil McLeman
Jack Nicklaus has warned Rory McIlroy that completing his career Grand Slam will only get “tougher” as he gets older. And the Golden Bear cited Tom Watson and Arnold Palmer as examples of great players who never made the exclusive club.
Only five men have won all four Majors with three of them – Gene Sarazen (1935), Ben Hogan (1953) and Tiger Woods – achieving the feat at the first attempt after winning their third. Woods did it at the 2000 Open aged just 24. Nicklaus (1966) and Gary Player (1965) both won at their third attempt.
World No.2 McIlroy is making his 10th bid to claim the Masters – the only Major he has never won – a month before his 35th birthday. Woods stated on Tuesday that it is just a matter of time before the Ulsterman wins a Green Jacket.
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Speaking at a press conference for the honorary starters, Nicklaus was asked the same question. “The answer to that I think is yes,” said the Golden Bear, now 84, before adding: “I closed the deal when I was 26 years old. And Tiger closed it when he was probably younger than I, and Gary, who was 29. As he gets older, he gets tougher because all of a sudden it’s a conversation, the talk.”
Eight-time Major winner Watson, who was also in the press conference, never won the US PGA despite holding a five-shot lead at Oakmont in 1978 before losing a playoff to John Mahaffey. Watson said: “Is it something that I regret? No, not really. If I were destined to win the tournament, I would have won it.”
The late, great Palmer won seven Majors but finished runner-up three times in the US PGA. Eighteen-time Major winner Nicklaus added: “Is Tom Watson good enough to win the Grand Slam? Absolutely. Was Arnold Palmer good enough to win the Grand Slam? Absolutely.
Do you think Rory McIlroy will win the Masters? Let us know in the comments section.
Rory McIlroy is making his 10th attempt to complete his career Grand Slam at the Masters this week(Getty Images)
“Is Rory McIlroy good enough to win the Grand Slam? Absolutely, but they have got to do it, and they all know that, and do I think Rory will win here? Yeah. He could win this year. He could win next year. He’s just too talented not to. But then again, they were too talented not to win those, too. You just never know.”
