Jack Nicklaus lifts lid on intriguing Rory McIlroy Masters chat as legendary trio agree

Golf legend Jack Nicklaus revealed that he had an in-depth conversation with just before the . The American is a six-time winner at Augusta, with his first and last victories coming 23 years apart, while McIlroy is aiming to end this weekend with his first green jacket.

No golfer can boast a better record in Georgia than Nicklaus. His six victories are unmatched, with following with five, Arnold Palmer has four and five players tasted victory on three occasions. McIlroy got the opportunity to pick Nicklaus' brain and their conversation prompted him to tip the Northern Irishman for Masters glory.

At the Honorary Starters Press Conference, Gary Player and Tom Watson both backed McIlroy to break his duck and the question was then put to Nicklaus.

"Well, ditto," the 85-year-old said with a smile on his face. "I think the same as you two guys. I think it's about time that Rory won."

Nicklaus then lifted the lid on an in-depth conversation he had last week with McIlroy, when the pair discussed how the course wold be tackled.

He detailed: "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.

"We went through it shot for shot. And he got done with the round, and I didn't open my mouth. And I said, well, I wouldn't change a thing. That's exactly the way I would try to play the golf course."

Nicklaus believes that McIlroy can oust reigning champion , especially if he curbs one element of his game.

"The discipline to do that is what Rory has lacked in my opinion," Nicklaus added. "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 and an eight or a seven pops up (on his scorecard), 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.

"Obviously Scottie Scheffler is just coming back in again, he's a defending champion, there's nobody playing any better in the game than Scottie. Between the two of them, I think you're going to find your winner."

Player believes that "there's no golf course that suits a man better than it does for Rory" , while Watson attributes his reason for backing McIlroy as solely a "gut feeling".