Rory McIlroy tipped to win Masters 2018 and complete his career Grand Slam

Nicklaus says McIlroy is "swinging the best I have ever seen him swing it" [Photo: Courtesy]

Jack Nicklaus has backed Roy Mcllroy to join the all-time greats and complete his career Grand Slam at the Masters this weekend, writes Neil McLeman at Augusta .

The Golden Bear, one of only five men to ever win all four Majors, has been giving the Ulsterman advice in the build-up to Augusta.

The man from Northern Ireland is in form for the "easiest" Major to win [Photo: Courtesy]

And the six-time Masters champion said McIlroy has the form and the game to be wearing a Green Jacket of his own this Sunday night.

“I think there is too much hype around the Grand Slam - he is here to win the Masters,” said Nicklaus. “What does he have to do? He has to play his golf.

“I saw him before Bay Hill [the March event where McIlroy ended his 18-month wait for a title]. We talked a bit. I talked to him last weekend. We spoke about a few different things. He is swinging really well.

McIlroy has been waiting since his 2014 Open triumph to complete the Grand Slam [Photo: Courtesy]

“He is swinging the best I have ever seen him swing. He is going to be tough to beat this week. If I had to pick anyone, he would be my No.1 because he is playing better than anyone else.”

Only Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Tiger Woods and Nicklaus have the full set of Majors – and only Sarazen, in 1935, won the Masters last.

But Nicklaus claimed: “The Masters is the easiest one to win. It is the one [Majors] golf course you play every year. You can prepare for it. Once you know the greens, you know them.

 “If you are a long, high ball hitter, you have an advantage. And there are only 87 players rather than the usual 156 and you can eliminate half the field before the start. There is no tournament that is easy to win, but I think Rory has got a great chance.”

McIlroy, 28, recorded his first victory since September 2016 at last month’s Arnold Palmer Invitational.

Nicklaus knows what's needed for victory at Augusta having achieved it SIX times [Photo: Courtesy]

Ryder Cup captain Thomas Bjorn said: “Rory showed he can putt on Sundays, that’s all he needed to get going again.

“A lot is made of what he’s trying to achieve and it is tough when it’s a list with only five names on it.

 “But this is the one I thought he’d win first – it’s the perfect golf course for him – and I’m surprised it’s the one he’s missing and that’s a good thing, because he will win it eventually.