Jack Nicklaus advised Rory McIlroy to get “no double bogeys” earlier than the Northern Irish golfer went on to win his second straight Masters title.
Nicklaus stands alone in {golfing} historical past with 117 particular person event wins, together with 18 main event victories and 6 wins at Augusta, and is extensively considered the best golfer of all time.
The American has lengthy loved an in depth relationship with McIlroy and has make clear the conversations the 2 shared earlier than his current success at a event that had evaded him for a lot of his profession.
“This year, I saw [McIlroy] on the practice tee just before he was teeing off,” Nicklaus stated in a press convention earlier than the Memorial Match at Muirfield Village, which Nicklaus is internet hosting and McIlroy is ready to take part in.
“I used to be on the brink of go to the primary tee to do our opening, and I put my palms on his shoulders, and I stated to him ‘no double bogeys’.
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“The important thing for him was to not make double bogeys. He did find yourself making a pair within the final couple of rounds, however he did not make any the primary two rounds.
“I used to be very comfortable for Rory. I used to be delighted for him. I have been a giant Rory fan.
“Now he’s only got one thing left on his resume that he really needs to have and that’s to win here [at the Memorial Tournament]. You tell him that he’s got to do that.”
McIlroy revealed Masters plan ‘shot for shot’, says Nicklaus
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Jack Nicklaus, Gary Participant and Tom Watson returned to Augusta Nationwide as honorary starters to hit the primary tee photographs of the 2026 Masters event
Nicklaus additionally mirrored on the success McIlroy loved in his first Masters victory, and divulged extra particulars on a meal the 2 shared earlier than the 2025 version of the event.
“We sat down two years ago, the weekend before the Masters, and had lunch,” he stated.
“I stated, ‘okay, Rory, inform me, how are you going to play the golf course’. And he says: ‘You need all of it?’ I stated: ‘Yeah, give it to me shot for shot.’
“And so Rory went through it shot for shot, and he said: ‘What do you think?’ And I said: ‘Well, I wouldn’t change a thing. It’s exactly the way you should play it.’
“He diverse from it one time. He diverse from it on the third gap. He stated if the pin was left, he was not going to drive it, however he would drive it each different time.
“Well, he drove it on Sunday on that and put it right at the base of the hill and made birdie.
“However he gave himself an opportunity to make greater than that.
“But that birdie probably won the tournament for him that first year.”
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