When Rory McIlroy described meeting Jack Nicklaus after an average performance: "He’s not afraid to voice his opinion"

Rory McIlroy once weighed in on the nature of his meetings with Jack Nicklaus after an average week on the PGA Tour. Sirius XM PGA Tour Radio released a special on Nicklaus' 85th birthday on January 21, 2025, titled Jack: In Their Own Words. The episode included past testimonies of several big-time golfers on the legend's candid nature, including the Northern Irishman's comments from 2023.

In the episode, McIlroy remarked that the valuable lessons that Nicklaus imparted came with critique. The TGL co-founder jokingly said he braced himself for the 18-time Major championship winner's feedback whenever he ran into him at The Bears Club in Florida.

Here's what McIlroy said about Jack Nicklaus in 2023 (via Sirius XM PGA Tour Radio):

"He’s not afraid to voice his opinion. You know I'll go into the lunch room at The Bears Club sometimes, and if i’m coming off an average week of golf on Tour the week before and I see Jack in the lunch room I’m like, ‘Oh no, what’s he gonna say to me.’"

He added:

"And obviously having the opinion of someone that has been so successful in our game is a great thing for the people that spend a little bit of time around him. But, I think that the guy you all see is the guy that we see as well. He’s a wonderful human being. He does a ton for charity. He’s a very helpful person and hopefully everyone sees that."

McIlroy had a lot to say about the now-85-year-old. He added that he was grateful to have the opportunity to interact with Nicklaus and that the conversations that followed a mediocre week of golf could be enlightening and daunting.

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A comparison of Jack Nicklaus and Rory McIlroy's Majors

Rory McIlroy has four Major championship wins under his belt. The 35-year-old won his first at the 2011 US Open where he defeated Jason Day by eight strokes. The Olympian went on to win the PGA Championship next year.

2014 saw McIlroy win his last two Major titles. He won the Open Championship by two strokes from Rickie Fowler and Sergio Garcia and defeated Phil Mickelson at the PGA Championship to win his fourth title.

Although McIlroy hasn't won a Major title since 2014, Nicklaus recently said in an interview with the Golf Channel that he believes the 35-year-old can still win many more.

Nicklaus said (via Bunkered):

"You get yourself [in a position] where you haven’t won for a while and it’s difficult to get out. I still firmly believe that Rory will win The Masters, he’s just too good a player not to. I love Rory, he’s a great guy, as talented as any player out there and he’s got a lot more majors in him, he’s just got to get them out."

Jack Nicklaus bears a whopping 18 Major championship titles. He won his first in great fashion by beating Arnold Palmer in a playoff at the 1962 US Open. The 85-year-old legend won his last Major tournament at the 1986 Masters by one stroke from Tom Kite and Greg Norman.