Jack Nicklaus Predicts Winner of the 2025 Masters Without Hesitation

As the 89th Masters Tournament begins at Augusta National, anticipation is building to see which golfer will emerge as the champion by Sunday, when all the pressure mounts. Ahead of the tournament, golf legend and six-time green jacket winner Jack Nicklaus weighed in on the conversation and even gave a prediction.

In a discussion with fellow golf greats Gary Player and Tom Watson, both of whom believe this is the year Rory McIlroy will finally win the Masters and complete the Grand Slam by capturing all four major titles, Nicklaus didn’t hesitate to throw his support behind McIlroy as well. 

When asked about McIlroy’s chances, Nicklaus quickly joined Player and Watson in predicting that this will be the year for the Irishman to secure his first Masters victory. 

“Well, ditto. Ok, move on,” Nicklaus jokingly said. “I think the same as you two guys. I think it's about time that Rory won. I sat down with Rory last week and we had lunch, and we were talking, and I said, Rory, I know you prepared for Augusta; tell me how you're going to play the golf course.

“The discipline to do that is – the discipline is what Rory has lacked, in my opinion. He's got all the shots. He's got all the game. He certainly is as talented as anybody in the game. But if you look, go back and see his history the last few years, he gets to a place a lot of times, an 8 or a 7 pops up, and that keeps you from getting to where he needs to go. I'm a big fan of Rory's and I like Rory a lot, so that's what I think."