The Masters greatest champions were asked who’s winning this week – they all had the same answer
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When Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player and Tom Watson talk, we listen. And there were some fascinating details about who they believe will be pulling on the Green Jacket on Sunday…
Jack Nicklaus leans back in his chair. He’s heard enough from Gary Player and Tom Watson.
“OK, move on,” he jokes.
The legendary trio are in the grand interview room of the Press Building here at Augusta National, as they are every year in the moments immediately following the conduction of their honorary starter duties, chewing the fat over many topics.
Slow play comes up, of course. As does the divide ravaging the top end of the men’s game. Player even manages to get his traditional mention of his age and how much he still loves life. (“I’ve got a young girlfriend. How about that, at 90, finding a girlfriend?”)
They don’t necessarily agree on everything. As they keep telling us: “That’s part of the game.”
But there’s one question that leaves all three with very little doubt.
“I think Rory McIlroy will win the Masters this year,” Player exclaims. “And I hope he does because it would give golf a great boost to have another winner of the Grand Slam.
“He has the best swing in golf without a question. He’s the fittest golfer. He went to Jack for advice on how to play this golf course. Nobody knows better than Jack. And I think timing in life, he’s had his adversities, his opportunities to win majors and let them slip. I think his time is right.
“There’s no golf course that suits a man better than it does for Rory.”
Watson prefers to rely on instinct. “I just have a gut feeling that Rory is the guy that’s going to win this week,” he whispers into his microphone. “That’s the bottom line.”
The moderator attempts to move onto another question before Nicklaus light-heartedly scolds him for not letting him have his turn. The pair have a jovial back and forth before the 18-time major champion simply says: “Well, ditto.”
There’s a big laugh in the room, but it’s sliced in half by the desire for more from, as Player puts it, a man that knows this tournament, and this golf course, better than anyone.
It’s worth the wait.
“I think it’s about time that Rory won,” Nicklaus says. “I sat down with him last week and we had lunch, and I said, ‘Rory, I know you prepared for Augusta. Tell me how you’re going to play the golf course.’ We went through it shot for shot. And he got done with the round, and I didn’t open my mouth.
“I said, ‘Well, I wouldn’t change a thing. That’s exactly the way I would try to play the golf course.’ 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 and see his history over the last few years, he gets to a place a lot of times and an 8 or a 7 pops up, and that keeps you from getting to where he needs to go. I’m a big fan of Rory’s, and I like Rory a lot, so that’s what I think.”
The main barrier between McIlroy and that Green Jacket, though? It’s not just the six inches between his ears, according to Nicklaus.
“Obviously Scottie Scheffler is just coming back in again,” he explains. “He’s a defending champion, there’s nobody playing any better in the game than Scottie.”
Not only that, Nicklaus believes the World No.1 can dominate the game in the way he did for so many years.
“To dominate the game, you’ve got to have a history of winning and knowing you can win,” he explains. “Winning and success breeds winning and success.”
Watson adds: “I strongly believe that in the future of the game of golf, you’ll have people dominate the sport. Some person is going to come in here that hits the ball 475 yards and can putt.”
He gestures to his fellow multiple major champions either side of him.
“The bottom line is that we all could putt. We broke a lot of people’s hearts with our putter, me in particular when I…”
Nicklaus interjects.
“Yes you did.”
Another big laugh.
“That’s part of the game,” Watson replies.
“That’s part of the game,” Nicklaus agrees.
Which will be precisely their response should McIlroy never get the job done here.
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Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson and Gary Player believe Rory McIlroy will win the Masters.
