What Rory McIlroy said his relationship was with Jack Nicklaus after winning his first major championship

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Rory McIlroy has finally completed the career grand slam, following in the footsteps of the likes of Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods.

Woods is delighted for McIlroy after he achieved the feat upon winning The Masters, with the latter now on five major championship wins.

McIlroy has also joined legendary figures Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan and Gary Player in completing the career grand slam.

Player has congratulated McIlroy following his triumph at Augusta National, which came in the form of a playoff victory.

Having finished his four rounds on 11-under alongside Justin Rose, McIlroy overcame his fellow European after one sudden-death playoff hole.

What Rory McIlroy said his relationship with Jack Nicklaus was like after maiden major win

The victory comes 14 years after his first major championship win, when a 22-year-old McIlroy triumphed at the US Open.

Having talked with Nicklaus in the lead-up to the event, he was asked in his winning press conference if the American’s advice played a part in his success.

READ MORE: Jack Nicklaus has made a big prediction about Rory McIlroy after he wins The Masters for the first time

“Yeah, definitely,” replied McIlroy. “Again, he’s very, very big into not making mistakes. And that was one of my big goals today was to go out there and not to have a blemish on my card, I ended up making two bogeys.

“It’s nice, you sit down with the most successful player that’s ever lived and for him to say that he expects big things from you, that you should embrace the pressure, those are great things to hear from someone like him.

“To be able to come out this week and after what he said to me and put a little bit of that into practice so early is a nice feeling.

“I feel as if I have a good relationship with Jack. His little bit of advice along the way has definitely helped me.”

Rory McIlroy fought off Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods comparisons at 2011 US Open

The positive relationship has clearly continued, with Nicklaus predicting McIlroy to win The Masters this year, which of course he did.

Back at Congressional, however, he was in hugely formidable form, where he clinched a huge eight-shot win over Jason Day.

READ MORE: Jack Nicklaus says what his relationship with Gary Player and Tom Watson is now like after being with them again at The Masters this year

It was a competition that Nicklaus managed to win four times in his stunning career, which involved 18 major titles in total.

The latter figure means he remains at the very top of the pile for men’s major championship wins, three ahead of Tiger Woods in second.

Both legends were mentioned in McIlroy’s 2011 US Open winning press conference, where he was also asked how difficult it was to be mentioned in the same conversation as them.

“I don’t think you can think about it,” responded the Northern Irishman. “It’s only people saying these things.

“It’s not… it’s nice that people say that he could be this or he could be that or he could win 20 major championships, but at the end of the day I’ve won one.

“I obviously want to add to that tally. But you can’t let what other people think of you, influence what you have to do. You have to just go out there, work hard, believe in yourself.

“As long as you believe in yourself and believe that you’re doing the right things, that’s all you can really do.”