McIlroy reveals backing from ‘Golden Bear’

Rory McIlroy has taken a leaf out of Charl Schwartzel’s book in heeding the advice of Jack Nicklaus as he seeks his first win in a major.

South African Schwartzel revealed at Augusta, where he won in April, that advice from the record 18-time major champion had been a key element leading up to his triumph.

And after firing a scintillating six-under 65 to take a three-stroke lead in the first round of the US Open on Thursday, McIlroy said that he also had been helped by some words of wisdom from the “Golden Bear”.

“He is all about the majors,” said the 22-year-old Ulsterman, who led by four strokes going into the last round at Augusta only to collapse with a nightmare 80.

“I did the clinic at the Memorial, and that was the first time I’d saw him after Augusta.

“We just had a laugh and a joke about it, and it was all good fun.

“He said to me, ‘I’m expecting big things from you’. It’s a nice pressure to have knowing that the greatest player ever thinks that you’re going to do pretty good.

“He has given me a little bit of advice. I’ve spent a bit of time with him over the past couple of years.

“He emphasized so much to me about not making mistakes. That was his big thing. He said people lost a lot more majors and gave them to him than he actually won. It was a good piece of advice to have.”

It has been such bouts of inconsistency that have dogged the ultra-talented McIlroy to date in his young career when trying to close in on a win in the majors.

Last year at the British Open in St Andrews, he equalled the lowest score ever in a major with a 63, only to balloon to an 80 the following day when the wind got up. Then came the Masters drama in April.