McIlroy has Norman's backing

Last updated: 12th December 2012

Australia's former world number Greg Norman one believes Rory McIlroy has a better chance to break Jack Nicklaus' record of 18 major championships than Tiger Woods.

Woods is currently on 14 major titles but has not won one since his dramatic 19-hole play-off with Rocco Mediate at the 2008 US Open and has been out of sorts since the sex scandal that led to his divorce were first published.

While McIlroy currently only has two majors behind his name, Norman believes the Ulsterman is the favourite to beat Nicklaus' long-standing record.

"I don't think so, no," Norman answered when asked if he believed Woods was capable of winning the five majors he needs to eclipse the 18 the "Golden Bear" won.

"Every year that passes by that he hasn't won a major it just gets that much harder to win a major.

"I don't care how many you have won, it just becomes more and more difficult He might win one or two more but I don't think he will win the four or five more that he needs to win to break the record."

McIlroy claimed his first major at the 2011 US Open and added the PGA Championship to that this year, and Norman believes the sky is the limit for the 23-year-old.

"I think if anybody can break Nicklaus' record I think he could, because 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 said.

"So I will keep my fingers crossed for him because I would love to see that happen. Somebody will do it one day and it could be Rory.

"I am a big fan of Rory's, he can be as big as he wants to be."