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LONDON. — World number two Rory McIlroy has the talent but he must work harder to dominate golf, 18-times major title winner Jack Nicklaus has said. McIlroy is only behind Australian Jason Day in the world rankings and has won four majors in his career so far, the last of which came in 2014.

Nicklaus believes the 27-year-old from Northern Ireland now has to decide whether he wants to try to become the sport’s greatest player. Speaking to BBC Sport, the 18-time major champion was also optimistic about golf’s future but renewed his call for a cut in the distance the ball travels.

In recent years Nicklaus has developed a strong friendship with McIlroy, who often practises at the 76-year-old American’s Bears Club in Jupiter, Florida.

“Rory is one of those young men who has got a tremendous amount of talent,” Nicklaus said.

“He has won and played on his talent to this point. If he wishes to dominate and go forward then he’s got to improve.”

Nicklaus warned that standing still at the top of the game means only one thing — quickly being passed. And he believes the UK’s leading player is now approaching the prime of his career.

“He has to work hard, he’s got to focus on what he is trying to do and it is up to him. Certainly he has all the tools to be able to do it — it is just whether he has the desire and the willingness to give up some other things.

“And that’s his call. I mean, whatever Rory does, he has established himself as one of the great players that has ever played the game.

“Whether he wants to be the greatest player to have played the game, that’s his determination and it’s his decision whether he wants to make that effort to try to do that.”

The 2017 season is likely to be a pivotal year in McIlroy’s life with his wedding to fiancee Erica Stoll rumoured to be scheduled for the weeks following April’s Masters.

Nicklaus famously combined a successful family life, bringing up five children, with collecting a record number of majors and an astonishing 118 tournament victories worldwide.

“It’s just management of time,” Nicklaus said. “When you are young and single and just one dimensional you pretty much can do things at your leisure.

“Once you start getting married, having a family, other business interests, then you’ve got to learn how to manage your time and use it efficiently. He’ll learn that.”

McIlroy has won two US PGA Championships as well as the 2011 US Open and 2014 Open. Next April he will arrive at Augusta seeking, for the third time, to complete a career grand slam.

“I think he will win the Masters (some day),” said the man who donned the famous Green Jacket on a record six occasions.

“He certainly has the type of game that would do well at Augusta and he has done well before — he just hasn’t finished it.”

And Nicklaus says McIlroy should not be put off by the hype that will accompany his continued attempts to land the one major to have eluded him.

“The media are going to focus on this because he hasn’t won it,” Nicklaus added. “He’ll win it. He’s a good player.”

Although Nicklaus says he feels McIlroy needs to improve, the American veteran refuses to be drawn on specifics.

“I always felt like I was climbing a mountain and trying to get to the top of it,” he said.

“And once I got to the top I was probably close to my mid-forties. And then I thought, maybe it’s time to take a slide down the other side. But as you’re playing and working at it you have to keep climbing and trying to get better.”

One could apply this analysis to his views on the game in general. For decades he has been heavily involved in the business side with his course design company. Nicklaus also hosts his memorial event on the PGA Tour.

“I think tournament golf is very healthy,” Nicklaus said. — BBC Sport.