When you’re on the rise, everyone wants a piece of the action. But when you’re stuck in a rut, only your true supporters stick around. And it would not be wrong to say that it is the same when talking about Rory McIlroy and Jack Nicklaus.

Nicklaus, an 18-time major winner, has consistently rooted for McIlroy but also isn’t afraid to offer constructive criticism. And guess what? It happened again when Nicklaus appeared on the popular 5 Club podcast, sharing his insights on McIlroy’s major drought, or why he is yet to complete a major grand slam.

Nicklaus dove deeper, analyzing McIlroy’s disappointing performance at last year’s US Open. He said, “Last year at Pinehurst, you know he had a little short putt at 16 that he wouldn’t miss one in a thousand times. But he did it. And then missed another one at 18.” At the 2024 US Open, McIlroy missed a 3-feet putt that would have forced a play-off with the winner, Bryson DeChambeau. The Irish golfer came so close, yet so far.

According to the Golden Bear, it’s the ‘psychological’ hurdle in McIlroy’s game. And the criticism from the media adds more to it. McIlroy is no stranger to the criticism. The entire US Open fiasco took a toll on him, and he had to take a break from golf. Nicklaus also added, “You know, if you get yourself where you haven’t won for a while, it’s difficult to get out of that.” And one cannot doubt it given his experience.

We’ve all seen McIlroy’s inconsistent performances. He’ll have three amazing rounds, and then one that just falls apart. Or, he’ll be cruising along, and then suddenly hit a wall. Last year’s Masters was a prime example. McIlroy struggled to a birdie-free second round of 77 and ended up 10 shots behind Scottie Scheffler.

The 4x major winner comes close but something is holding him back. Jack Nicklaus thinks it’s just a matter of McIlroy believing in himself. “I still firmly believe that Rory will win the Masters; he’s just too good not to,” Nicklaus said. But he added, “You just gotta get him out of himself. You know that’s the problem.”

It is not that the elderly man is bashing McIlroy. They are good friends, and Nicklaus even said, “I love Rory McIlroy. I think he’s a great person, a great guy. He’s a talented player who’s out there, and he’s got a lot more majors in him.”

He continued sharing with Williams that he might not know how long it’s going to take for McIlroy to win, but “one of these days he might.” The 73-time PGA Tour winner added, “He won those four pretty fast,” referring to Rory McIlroy’s impressive wins at the 2011 US Open, 2012 PGA Championship, 2014 Open Championship, and 2014 PGA Championship. “All of a sudden he might break that and win three or four continuously,” he added.

He ended by saying, “You know, I’m rooting for him.” With the season’s first major, starting on April 10, the Northern Irishman should try to resolve this! This is a stance we have heard the Golden Bear take before as well.

Jack Nicklaus rooted for McIlroy last year too

This isn’t the first time Nicklaus has expressed his support for McIlroy. He has been rooting for the Irishman for some time now. Take last year, for instance, when Nicaulaus said the same line. But no surprise, his criticism, too, was on the spot!

“I only have one criticism of Rory. You have to concentrate 100% of the time.” He pointed out that McIlroy often has a lapse in focus, which can lead to costly mistakes. “For some reason, Rory always has a little bit of a lapse somewhere around the tournament. He’ll find a double bogey or triple bogey that sneaks in there. I don’t know how he does it or why, but it happens.”

McIlroy is expected to make his 17th start at The Masters in just 80 days away from now. It will be his 11th attempt at the career Grand Slam. But will he be able to hold on to Nicklaus’s advice? What do you think? Let us know in the debate section below!