Now, with a complete career grand slam, Rory McIlroy has also joined the Jack Nicklaus. Yet, despite being in the same exclusive club as the 18-time Major winner, McIlroy hasoften felt nervous.

It's not surprising that whenever the duo meets, they discuss winning and playing golf at the highest level. Yet, McIlroy's respect for Nicklaus often has him on high alert. 

"The guy that I know is … not afraid to voice his opinion," The DP Tour #1 said. "I’ll go in the lunchroom at the Bear’s Club (Jack’s home course in Florida), and if I’m coming off an average week on tour and I see Jack, I’m like, ‘Oh, no, what’s he going to say to me?’” Rory McIlroy said in 2023, as per The Columbus Dispatch.

“But 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," added the 2025 Green Jacket winner.

Even as McIlroy’s own legacy has grown over the years, confessions like these underline why Nicklaus’s presence still carries weight. For professionals, analysts, and fans, Jack Nicklaus has remained an entity who can beat Tiger Woods in the GOAT debate.

However, the respect between Rory McIlroy and Jack Nicklaus is mutual.

Jack Nicklaus Opened Up on His Feelings About Rory McIlroy

McIlroy missed the Memorial Tournament this year. And Nicklaus didn’t even receive a phone call from the five-time major champion.

“It surprised me,” Nicklaus said. “But guys have got schedules and got things they do. I haven’t talked to him for him to tell me why or why not. It’s just his call. I made a lot of calls that I had to make when I played to play or not play, and sometimes it wasn’t as popular as people thought it was," Nicklaus added.

This decision came after McIlroy had a T47 finish at the PGA Championship. After that, he would focus on then-upcoming RBC Canadian Open and U.S. Open. So Nicklaus understood McIlroy's perspective. 

“I don’t hold anything against Rory for that. He did what he likes to play. I know he likes to play so many in a row. He likes to play the week before a U.S. Open," said the legend with 73 PGA Tour victories.

"It’s very difficult. I’m a big Rory fan, I always have been. I’m sure that I will remain that way," added Jack Nicklaus, showing his admiration for the 36-year-old.

Written by

Krushna Pattnaik

Edited by

Sagnik Bagchi