Jack Nicklaus tells Rory McIlroy he can’t be ‘too relaxed’ if he wants to win the Masters next month, with the golf legend calling for the star to embrace the pressure to end his major drought
- Rory McIlroy is aiming to end his wait to claim a fifth major championship title
- Victory at the Masters would see McIlroy complete the career Grand Slam
- Jack Nicklaus believes McIlroy may need to alter his relaxed approach to triumph
Jack Nicklaus has claimed Rory McIlroy needs to be less relaxed on the course if he is to end his drought at the majors and triumph at The Masters.
McIlroy has won four majors during his career but has been unable to add to the tally since triumphing at the PGA Championships back in 2014.
Nicklaus, a record 18-time major champion, told Sir Nick Faldo’s Round Table Chats podcast that McIlroy may need to adjust his approach on the course.
The Golden Bear identified the tee shot on the second at Augusta as being among six that require specific attention, along with the shots on the 11th, 12th, 13th and 15th.
Nicklaus suggested McIlroy’s relaxed approach may have proved costly in the past in his pursuit of further major success.
Rory McIlroy will be looking to claim an elusive first Masters title at Augusta next month
Jack Nicklaus believes McIlroy could benefit from being less relaxed on the golf course
McIlroy’s last win at one of the majors came at the PGA Championships back in 2014
‘Rory sometimes, I think he just plays golf,’ Nicklaus said. ‘And sometimes, you really can’t just play golf.’
‘I look at Augusta, everybody knows Augusta pretty much.
‘There’s about six shots at Augusta that you better pay attention to. Those six shots, if you’ve played those shots smart, play them intelligently and put them in the conservative side of the ledger, the rest of the golf course is not very hard.
‘And so Rory, sometimes, gets caught up in just playing golf and all of a sudden “Where did that eight come from?”
‘He’s too good for that, he’s too good of a player. Maybe he tries to keep himself too relaxed. I was never relaxed.
‘I always wanted to be on point, every shot.
‘You can’t get relaxed and feel good and sort of enjoy, you can’t enjoy the round. You’ve got to play the round, and when you play the round well, that’s your enjoyment.’
Nicklaus added that McIlroy was in the prime of his career and suggested embracing the pressure of a major could be the edge needed for him to triumph.
The world number three delivered his best finish at the Masters last year, with the Northern Irish star ending as the runner-up.
McIlroy finished three shots behind the United States’ Scottie Scheffler.
The Northern Ireland star would complete the career Grand Slam should he win the Masters
McIlroy finished as the runner-up at last year’s Masters to the United States’ Scottie Scheffler
The first major of the season will take place between April 6 to 9 at Augusta National.
Having twice won the PGA Championships and triumphed at the US Open and Open Championships, victory at the Masters would see McIlroy complete the career grand slam.
Nicklaus is one of only five players to achieve the career grand slam, along with Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, and Tiger Woods.
McIlroy has enjoyed a strong start to the season by winning the Dubai Desert Classic, before finishing as the runner-up at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.
