Jack Nicklaus turns down the speculation of Rory McIlroy as the next golf idol
While Rory McIlroy has managed to inspire all the much needed hype for the third major of the season, the Open Championship at Royal St. George’s, the undisputed giant of the sport, Jack Nicklaus has termed all the hype as an exaggeration. The “Golden Bear”
of the sport was talking to the reporters at the venue of the Open this week where McIlroy will be coming in for some practice rounds.
“Rory has won one major,” said the 71-year-old who has won a staggering 18 majors in his stellar career. “When he starts to win two, three or four, then you can say he's the guy we've got to watch, period. But until that time comes, he's one of a group of
talented players that have got an opportunity to win.”
The comments might have come at the wrong time for the 22-year-old Irishman, who is keen to take over the sport as the next Tiger Woods, but it does not go without mentioning that Nicklaus has been one important factor of McIlroy’s surge in the US Open after
his final round disaster at the Masters. It was Nicklaus who suggested McIlroy to learn from his demise at Augusta, rather than lamenting the loss forever.
Whatever might be the odds, McIlroy’s magic is surely sweeping in as the ticket sales at the Open Championship are all set to break new records. People thronged the designated venue in anticipation that the young Irishman will provide stunning golf to the
audience which they have missed at the US Open last month.
Peter Dawson, the Royal and Ancient's chief executive, admitted that the championship has been facing economic crisis after Woods lackluster form for the last few years but McIlroy’s recent victory at Congressional Country Club has given a new impetus to
the sales.
“Rory is attracting that kind of following – ticket sales took off over the US Open,” said Dawson. “With Tiger sadly not here, it is having less impact than it otherwise would, given what is happening in British and European golf. I hope a star was born
at Congressional.”
Open Championship is scheduled to start from July 14 this week and is one of the oldest and most revered events of the sport. McIlroy will be teeing-off for the first time, coming out of a long break from the sport after his victory at US Open.
While many of the players criticized his decision to stay put between the two majors, McIlroy has vociferously defended his decision of doing so. He will be facing some stiff challenges from his countrymen Luke Donald and Lee Westwood, who have been reining
the top two ranks on the Official World Golf Rankings (OWGR) for several months.
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