GOLF TOUR NEWS:WHEN JACK Nicklaus speaks, the golfing world sits up straight and pays attention. And it turns out Rory McIlroy took in every word of advice he was given by the Golden Bear when they sat down for lunch not far from here 12 months ago.
If you are wondering why McIlroy raised a few eyebrows last week when he insisted the short game is less important that the long game, you can blame Nicklaus.
“I agree with Rory. In fact, it was me who told him so in the first place, when we had lunch last year,” Nicklaus said after a news conference that was dominated by talk of the forthcoming 25th anniversary of his iconic 1986 Masters win at the age of 46.
“I always thought the long game was more important. I’ve always felt that way. I never worried much about my short game and I didn’t practise it.”
McIlroy is sensitive about his short game and putting, which appears decidedly ordinary in comparison with his stellar long game.
“I don’t care what anyone says about the short game being the most important. It’s not,” McIlroy said in Tucson last week.
“The long game puts you in position to have putts to win tournaments. Guys say you have to have a short game to win tournaments and it is not the case. Not at all.”
Nicklaus recalled his own chipping troubles yesterday as he took a stroll down memory lane and explained how he rebuilt his game from scratch early in 1980 following the first winless season of his career.
But his views on the short game haven’t changed and he agrees with McIlroy that it’s consistency from tee to green that defines champions. Nicklaus said: “I told Rory that I never practised my short game because I felt like if I can hit 15 greens a round and hit a couple of par fives in two and if I can make all my putts inside 10 feet, who cares where I chip it? And I didn’t enjoy practising that part of the game, I enjoyed the other part. But that was just me.”
McIlroy is excellent outside 20 feet and inside six feet but knows that he needs to hole more 10-15 footers if he is to become a prolific winner.
Nicklaus added: “Rory’s a pretty good putter, it’s just that sometimes it doesn’t exactly go right where he wants it to. But that happens to us all.”
Nicklaus said last year that Tiger Woods’ quest to beat his record of 18 major victories would be defined by majors at some of his favourite venues – Augusta National, Pebble Beach and St Andrews. But while the great man confessed he was surprised Woods has yet to turn his game around, he still expects him to reach the milestone of 19 major wins.
“I’m surprised that he has not bounced back by now,” Nicklaus said before participating in the Honda Classic pro-am.
“He’s got such a great work ethic. He’s so determined to what he wants to do.
“I’m very surprised that he has not popped back. I still think he’ll break my record.
“But obviously we have not played any majors yet this year. We’ll see. You probably can ask me that same question at the end of this year and we’ll see what the answer is, and it might – it will probably define a lot of what will be the answer.”
Honda Classic
Course:USPGA National, Palm Beach, Florida
Length:7,241 yards. Par: 70.
Prizemoney:€4.1 million (€739,335 for the winner).
Field:156.
Defending champion:Camilo Villegas.
When to bet:By noon today.
On TV:Live on Sky Sport all four days.
Weather:Chance of rain and 20mph winds for first two rounds. Temperatures around 18-19C.
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