The Japan Times - Nicklaus, Player and Watson pick McIlroy to win Masters

The legends hit ceremonial shots off Augusta National's first tee before the 89th Masters began.

All like the chances of McIlroy, a four-time major winner from Northern Ireland, completing a career Grand Slam by capturing the Masters on Sunday for his first major title since 2014.

"I just have a gut feeling that Rory is the guy that's going to win this week," eight-time major winner Watson said.

McIlroy is trying to join career Grand Slam winners Nicklaus, Player, Tiger Woods, Ben Hogan and Gene Sarazen.

"I think Rory McIlroy will win the Masters this year and I hope he does because it would give golf a great boost to have another winner of the Grand Slam," Player said.

"He has the best swing in golf without a question. He's the fittest golfer. He does a dead lift of 400 pounds... and I think timing in life. He has had his adversities, his opportunities to win majors, and let them slip. It's just the right time for him to win now."

Nicklaus, whose record 18 major titles include a record six Masters wins, made it unanimous.

"I think the same as you two guys," Nicklaus said. "I think it's about time that Rory won."

The 85-year-old icon went over every hole at Augusta National with 35-year-old McIlroy at lunch last week.

"I said, 'Rory, I know you prepared for Augusta. Tell me how you're going to play the golf course,'" Nicklaus said.

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

Nicklaus says McIlroy has developed the discipline in his game to avoid a stray bad hole that has undone his 10 prior attempts to complete the career Slam at Augusta National.

"The discipline to do that is what Rory has lacked," Nicklaus said. "He has got all the shots. He has got all the game. He certainly is as talented as anybody... I'm a big fan of Rory's and I like Rory a lot."

- Watson: no PGA-LIV deal -

Golf's elder statesmen also agreed they want to see stars from the PGA Tour and Saudi-backed LIV Golf reunited in one series for the sport to thrive. For now, they only compete together at majors.

"I don't see a real working mechanism for the two tours to get back together. I think that's one of the reasons you haven't seen an agreement," Watson, 75, said.

"Scottie Scheffler, in his speech at the Champions Dinner on Tuesday night, said, 'I'm glad we're all together again.' So the players would like to get together.

"But it's really up to the powers that be to see if there's a framework in which the two tours can cooperate. I don't see that framework happening. Maybe they're smarter people than I am."

Player, 89, hopes conflicts can cool between players over the issue.

"Confrontation is a terrible thing. Confrontation and forgiveness is very important," he said. "It would be wonderful if they could get together."

Nicklaus predicted that 15-time major-winner Woods, absent with a ruptured Achilles tendon, will join the 50-and-over Champions Tour when he turns 50 in December.

"Tiger will get well and Tiger will be back," Nicklaus said. "I believe he'll probably play the senior tour and I believe he'll probably dominate the senior tour. Tiger is too much of a competitor to not play."

Y.Hara--JT