British Open 2011: Will Rory McIlroy Make Jack Nicklaus a Believer?

Rory McIlroy Will Need More than Just One More Major to Convince Jack Nicklaus

Jack Nicklaus feels it is too early to anoint Rory McIlroy the king of golf. After all, McIlroy has only won one major, and people are already pegging him as the guy who will inevitably take down Nicklaus' record of 18 majors.

To break the record, McIlroy would have to win a major every year from 2012-2029. He's got a long road ahead of him. It's doable, given how young he is, but Nicklaus has a point in advising people not to get carried away.

McIlroy is humble and grounded, so any hype he has acquired along the way hasn't been created by him making predictions of any kind. He simply went out and put forth one of the best performances in the history of golf at the US Open and the let his play speak for himself.

He goes into the British Open as the favorite after a stellar performance on his way to his first major win. Even if he is able to repeat, it doesn't seem like it will be enough to convince Nicklaus and the rest of his critics that he has what it takes to take down the record.

McIlroy is going to find himself in the thick of things at a number of majors to come. Nicklaus doesn't even deny that McIlroy has many majors in front of him. In fact, McIlroy and Nicklaus have a good relationship. Nicklaus has taken on somewhat of a mentor role to the golf phenom.

While they have a good relationship, it's fair for Nicklaus to scoff at the notion that McIlroy is well on his way to breaking the record.

Remember when we we all thought Tiger Woods was going to easily pass Nicklaus' record? He was favored in every tournament he entered, took home 14 majors and was heralded as the best golfer in the history of the sport.

Some are calling McIlroy the next Tiger, but Rory will hope to avoid the same fate. Woods' injuries and personal matters have sidelined him and kept him uncompetitive.

Having raw talent at such a young age makes McIlroy dangerous going forward, but neither he nor anyone else knows what is in store for him in the future.

Longevity is just as crucial to obtaining the record as skill is. If McIlroy wants to be more than just a flash in the pan, he's going to need to take it one major at a time.

McIlroy has won one major, but he had a real shot at winning this tournament last year, and it took an epic collapse for him to lose at Augusta. He'll need to add another major if he wants to be recognized as the best golfer in the world, let alone all-time.