Norman says McIlroy most likely to reach 19 majors

• By Will Gray
• Dec 12, 2012 9:38 AM ET

The race to eclipse Jack Nicklaus' record of 18 career majors is one that many golf fans have been tracking for several years. According to Greg Norman, though, they may be watching the wrong player.

"I think if anybody can break Nicklaus' record, (McIlroy) could," he told the BBC this week.

Currently the top-ranked player in the world, McIlroy has won two career majors, including this year's PGA Championship. Norman specifically thinks the Ulsterman has a better shot to reach 19 majors than another notable player who also had a pair of major titles at age 23: Tiger Woods.

"I don't think so, no," he explained when asked if Woods, currently with 14 majors to his name, will one day pass Nicklaus. "Every year that passes that he hasn't won a major it just gets that much harder to win a major."

Woods, who will turn 37 later this month, has spent the last four years in search of his 15th major trophy, having last won one at the 2008 U.S. Open. Norman explained that the battle is likely only to get tougher for Woods as the years progress.

"I don't care how many you've won, it just becomes more and more difficult," added Norman, who won the 1993 British Open at age 38. "He might win one or two more, but I don't think he will win the four or five more that he needs to break the record."

Playing in this week's Australian PGA Championship in his native land, the two-time major winner elaborated on why he views McIlroy's future prospects as the most promising.

"He is young, he is ahead of the game, he is ahead of the curve on a lot of things and he has a very balanced life across the board," Norman explained. "I am a big fan of Rory's – he can be as big as he wants to be."