What did Jack Niklaus mean when he told Rory McIlroy “we have to sit down and chat”

Rory McIlroy cannot seem to catch a break during the 2023 PGA Tour season. Despite being in the lead alongside Scottie Scheffler at one point in the 2023 Memorial Tournament, McIlroy carded a 75 on his last round to wind up in T7 instead.

The tournament, held at the Muirfield Village Golf Club, is also famously known as the Jack Nicklaus course. Needless to say, the legendary golfer too was present at the tournament and congratulated all the players who navigated the course. When he spoke to Rory McIlroy, however, the need for a different competition was felt.

As recorded via the National Golfer Club, Nicklaus said to McIlroy:

“Not your day, I’m sorry. We have to sit down and chat sometime.”

While this might have seemed like a greeting for many, it carried a different meaning for the Northern Irish golfer. Nicklaus and McIlroy have shared quite a close relationship, and the former has felt the need to address the 'drought' the latter is facing in his golf career.

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Jack Nicklaus calls Rory McIlroy's nine years without a major win a 'mystery' ahead of the 2023 Memorial Tournament

According to McIlroy, Nicklaus is not scared to express his opinion on the green. Ahead of the Memorial Tournament, he called Rory McIloy's nine years without a major win a 'mystery'. Despite a top 10 finish this weekend, McIlroy seems to have drawn the short end of the straw this year.

However, the year is not over yet. A chance for redemption does come at the RBC Canadian Open and the U.S. Open. Speaking about his close relationship with Rory McIlroy, Nicklaus spoke about how he had guided the youngster since the beginning.

“I tell the story about Rory McIlroy. Rory came to me when he was 19 years old and he was struggling, he said. A 19-year-old struggling? He hadn’t won for a year, and that had been in Dubai. And he was at the Honda tournament down in Florida, and he came over and had lunch with me, and I told him, you got to just be patient," Nicklaus said.

“Pretty soon you’re going to get to that last round and you’re going to be in contention and instead of shooting 36 or 37, you’re going to shoot 32 or 33 and you’re going to win the golf tournament, and it’s just patience. It’s going to happen. You’re just too good a player for that not to happen," he added.

Perhaps it is time for another chat with Jack Nicklaus, for McIlroy is once again seen to be struggling this year.