AUGUSTA, Ga. – All three Masters honorary starters picked Rory McIlroy to win on Thursday morning – and Jack Nicklaus might have the most compelling reason why.
Nicklaus revealed he sat down for lunch with McIlroy last week in South Florida, where they went shot-by-shot through how Rory would tackle Augusta National.
“And he got done with the round, and I didn’t open my mouth,” Nicklaus said. “I said, ‘Well, I wouldn’t change a thing. That’s exactly the way I would try to play the golf course.'”
It’s not the first time the six-time Masters champion has counseled McIlroy in his quest to capture the elusive final leg of the career Grand Slam. But this year feels different.
McIlroy has already won twice on the PGA Tour before arriving at Augusta – something he’s never done before. He’s also leading the Tour in strokes gained: total, which essentially means he’s playing better than anyone else in all facets of the game right now.
“The discipline is what Rory has lacked in my opinion,” Nicklaus said. “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 7 pops up, and that keeps you from getting to where he needs to go.”
Jack’s assessment is spot-on. McIlroy has shot 76 or higher in at least one round three of the past four Masters. That’s been the difference. In 2022, he rebounded from a 73-73 start to finish alone in second, showing what’s possible when he avoids those big numbers.
Tom Watson said he had a “gut feeling” that this would be McIlroy’s year.
Gary Player added: “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 right. It’s just the right time for him to win now.”
