Golf-Be patient and the wins will come, Nicklaus tells McIlroy (Reuters)
March 9, 2010
By Simon Evans
MIAMI, March 9 (Reuters) – Jack Nicklaus has told Britain’sRory McIlroy that he needs to add patience to his armoury if heis to continue his climb up golf’s world rankings.
The 20-year-old from Northern Ireland has risen swiftly toninth in the world rankings but has just a solitary win from theEuropean Tour.
McIlroy, who has joined the PGA Tour this year, toldreporters that he had lunch last week with 18-times major winnerNicklaus and received a few tips from the maestro.
“I think one of the biggest things that I took from it waspatience, and just to learn to wait and learn to bide your timeand know that if you believe in yourself that it will happen; itwill happen one of these days so it’s just a matter of waitingand staying patient. That was one of the big things I got fromhim,” McIlroy told reporters after practice for this week’sWGC-CA Championship.
McIlroy is to work with sports psychologist Bob Rotella, whohas worked with a number of leading golfers, in an attempt toimprove his mental approach to the game and the lunch withNicklaus allowed him a chance to tap the ‘Golden Bear’ forsuggestions.
“It was an unbelievable experience. He sort of got in touchwith us and he heard that I was going to work with Bob Rotellajust to sort of work out a mental approach to things.
“He’s (Nicklaus) been the best at winning. One of thereasons why I wanted to go to Bob was to try to finish the joboff a bit more and be a bit more clinical and Jack was probablythe most clinical of them all.
“It was great to sit down and talk to him and see hisapproach to winning and what went through his head whenever hewas in contention and what things he might have done differentlythan other people. You know, it was probably the best 90 minutesI’ve spent in a long time,” he said.
McIlroy said that Nicklaus, who won 73 times on the PGATour, had indicated that a golfer needs to accept that sometimesthe best performance doesn’t always bring the best result.
“I think one of the biggest things he said to me, was thatthe best ever tournament he played, he didn’t win. He said heplayed his best ever at The (British) Open in 1977 at Turnberry,the one Tom Watson won. He played the best he played and hedidn’t win. He said there were other times where he didn’t playhis best but he got the job done,” said McIlroy.
“I felt very privileged to have lunch with him and just pickhis brain. He’s won 18 major championships and just to get someof that knowledge and to just learn from it was justincredible”.
(Editing by Miles Evans; To query or comment on this storyemailsportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)
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