Rory McIlroy has a four-word response to Jack Nicklaus, other veterans backing him to win the Masters

Jack Nicklaus backed Rory McIlroy to win the Masters 2025 ahead of the competition’s start. The legendary golfer’s fellow honorary starters Gary Player and Tom Watson also agreed. However, the World No.2 has now dismissed the ace golfers’ pick by calling them ‘old.’

For the unversed, golf legends Nicklaus, Player and Watson shots off Augusta National's first tee before the 89th Masters began on Thursday. Following this, they announced their support to McIlroy, who is currently on track to compete a career Grand Slam by clinching the Green Jacket. While 18-time major champion Nicklaus said “it's about time that Rory won,” Watson said he is backing the four-time major winner due to “gut feeling.”

However, McIlroy, who has not won a major title since 2014, laughed off the backing in Friday’s post-round press conference.

Replying to a media query on Jack, Gary and Tom picking him as the favorite, Rory McIlroy said, as quoted by ASAP Sports:

“They are getting old.”

The four-word comment was followed up with laughter by the player and the media-persons in the room. It is pertinent to note that he made the comment while sitting T3, two strokes behind leader Justin Rose, in the leaderboard after round 2’s play.

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Jack Nicklaus applauds Rory McIlroy’s Masters chances

Rory McIlroy came into the 89th edition of the Masters as a favorite. The World No.2 sat behind reigning champion and World No.1 Scottie Scheffler on most odds list. Despite this, six-time Masters champion Jack Nicklaus backed the Northern Irishman to win the Green Jacket and complete his career Grand Slam.

The 85-year-old veteran revealed that he had a meeting with McIlroy ahead of the Augusta National contest. The Golden Bear said he was impressed with the 35-year-old’s “shot for shot” plan for the event. Backing the 2024 US Open runner up to end his 10-year majors’ drought, the legendary golfer revealed ‘lack of discipline’ as the former’s only shortcoming.

Opening up about his meeting with Rory McIlroy ahead of the Masters, Jack Nicklaus said in the Honorary Starters’ press conference, as quoted by AFP:

“I said ‘I know you prepared for Augusta, tell me how you’re going to play the golf course’. And when he got done, I didn't open my mouth… I said I wouldn't change a thing. That's exactly the way I would try to play the golf course… I think it’s about time that Rory won and I sat down with him last week…

The discipline to do that is what Rory has lacked in my opinion. 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 go back through his history in the last few years he gets to a place and all of a sudden, a seven or an eight pops up and that keeps him from getting where he needs to go.”

It is pertinent to note that Rory McIlroy revealed that he was focused on his mental game ahead of the Masters. The ace golfer admitted that he arrived at Augusta every year with the “goal of winning.” Interestingly, The Players Championship winner added that he ‘doesn’t feel like he’s ever been in better form’ coming into the Masters weekend.