Tiger Woods will never match Jack Nicklaus’ record for victories in major championships.
That’s one of the lessons to be learned from Rory McIlroy’s dominating U.S. Open victory last weekend.
At one time, Woods seemed destined to pass Nicklaus’ mark of 18 major victories. Even if Woods can somehow return to his former greatness, he now has a worthy competitor in McIlroy. At just 22, McIlroy is drawing comparisons to Woods, and McIlroy’s future seems limitless.
“If you are going to talk about someone challenging Jack’s record there’s your man,” three-time major champion Padraig Harrington told reporters.
GOLF legend Jack Nicklaus has taken a fatherly interest in Rory McIlroy's career ever since first meeting him as a teenager.
We all make mistakes. The pair discussed Tom Watson overcoming early miscues and learning how to win consistently. New Zealand's Charles went on to win his only major over Rodgers, destined to never win one.
"I have kicked myself for almost 50 years for blowing that tournament," admitted Nicklaus. You've got to go out there and expect to play well and put pressure on yourself to play well."
Nicklaus went on: "Pressure is what you live for. The pair also met last year during the Honda Classic when Nicklaus predicted an imminent win on the US tour for McIlroy.
Two months and five events later, McIlroy won the Wells Fargo tournament - closing with a 62 at Quail Hollow.
When Nicklaus won the 1963 Masters, Jones famously remarked: "He plays a game with which I'm not familiar."
Rory McIlroy was last night aiming to become the youngest player to win the US Open since Jones in 1923.
Nicklaus enjoys meeting young players like McIlroy and Schwartzel, who said the advice he got from the Golden Bear about how to play Augusta National was important in his Masters victory this year.
"They evidently think there is value in advice from an old man," Nicklaus said.
Nicklaus marvelled at McIlroy's eight-stroke win at Congressional Country Club, where he set a U.S. Open record-low total of 16-under 268 in a wire-to-wire romp.
McIlroy is four months younger than Nicklaus when Nicklaus won his first major. "He's ahead of my pace," Nicklaus said. Ireland's Padraig Harrington likes the Northern Irish boy wonder's chances of passing Nicklaus in major wins: "When you are winning majors at 22, with his talent, and he's got 20-something more years to play majors, and another 100 majors in him, I would give him a great chance to catch Jack."
Schwartzel won.
No comments:
Post a Comment