04/09/26 09:07:00
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04/09 09:05 CDT Jack Nicklaus says Rory McIlroy has 'very, very good chance to
repeat' as Masters champion
Jack Nicklaus says Rory McIlroy has 'very, very good chance to repeat' as
Masters champion
By STEVE REED
AP Sports Writer
AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) --- Only three players have won the Masters in back-to-back
years.
Jack Nicklaus believes Rory McIlroy has a good shot to become the fourth this
week at Augusta National.
"Rory's got the monkey off his back, and I think he has a very, very good
chance to repeat," Nicklaus said Thursday after serving as the Masters'
honorary starter.
After years of heartbreak and close calls at Augusta National, McIlroy beat
Justin Rose in a playoff last April to complete the career Grand Slam in his
17th Masters start.
Nicklaus was the first to repeat at the Masters, winning in 1965 and 1966. Nick
Faldo (1989--90) and Tiger Woods (2001--02) matched his feat, but nobody has
been able to repeat since.
Nicklaus said it's not easy.
He broke the Masters scoring record with a 17-under 271 in 1965, then returned
the following year to find a course with a much different feel.
Nicklaus finished 17 shots worse at even-par 288, but still won in a playoff.
"You had totally different conditions, and that's what you put up with," said
Nicklaus, who has won a record six Masters. "If you're going to win two years
in a row, you'll find conditions you like and maybe you don't find conditions
you like, but you've got to adjust to both of those. I was fortunate enough to
be able to do that."
The 36-year-old McIlroy, who is set to open his title defense on Thursday when
he tees off at 10:31 a.m., said this week he's more relaxed entering this
year's tournament following the 2025 victory.
"Yeah, it's completely different," McIlroy said. "I feel so much more relaxed.
I know that I'm going to be coming back here for a lot of years, going to enjoy
the perks that the champions get here. It doesn't make me any less motivated to
go out there and play well and try to win the tournament, but yeah, just more
relaxed about it all."
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