Rory McIlroy’s latest Masters victory has naturally led to talk of history, with the question now shifting from whether he can win at Augusta National to whether he can win it three times in a row. McIlroy won the Masters two years ago and then repeated the feat in April, becoming only the fourth player ever to win back-to-back green jackets. No one has completed a three-peat at Augusta National, but Jack Nicklaus believes McIlroy has the talent to do it.
Nicklaus, whose Muirfield Village Golf Club hosts the Memorial Tournament this week, discussed McIlroy during a CBS broadcast appearance Saturday as McIlroy sat tied for 12th midway through the suspended third round. Asked about McIlroy’s most recent Masters win, Nicklaus called it “pretty darn good” and then focused on the part of McIlroy’s game that can create trouble: the tendency to make double bogeys or worse when he gets out of position.
According to Nicklaus, McIlroy has enough power to shape his strategy more conservatively when needed. He said McIlroy has plenty of places to drive the ball and suggested that, in certain situations, he should choose the safer option — such as a cut shot or a 3-wood — to keep the ball in play. In Nicklaus’ view, McIlroy’s distance means he does not always need to take on unnecessary risk, especially when a simpler play can avoid big numbers on the scorecard.
Trevor Immelman, a fellow Masters winner working as an analyst, asked whether McIlroy sometimes plays too aggressively because of his elite driving ability. Nicklaus praised McIlroy’s swing as one of the best and most reliable in golf, but used Muirfield Village as an example of a course where judgment matters as much as power. Some holes invite a player to attack, he said, while others are designed for smarter positioning and lower risk. The key, he noted, is to create birdie chances without opening the door to disaster.
Jim Nantz then brought up the possibility of McIlroy winning a third Masters in a row. Nicklaus said McIlroy has “every opportunity in the world” to do it, but again returned to the issue of discipline. He pointed to shots McIlroy has already shown he can make under pressure, including several memorable shots from his recent Masters victory. Nicklaus’ view was not that McIlroy lacks the tools, but that he needs to choose when to use them.
In Nicklaus’ assessment, if McIlroy plays smart, stays disciplined and avoids the high scores that can derail a round, he has a strong chance to make more Masters history.
