• European Tour

'Life as McIlroy knew it has ended' - Jacklin

The major tests standing in the way of a glittering career for Rory McIlroy are primarily away from the golf course, according to 1970 US Open winner Tony Jacklin.

McIlroy's dominant triumph at Congressional made him the second European in as many years to win the US Open, after Graeme McDowell's victory in 2010. However, prior to the successes of the Northern Irish duo, Jacklin's win in 1970 was Europe's last in the competition.

Jacklin could not help but admire the standard of McIlroy's game during his eight-shot victory, and such was the quality of the 22-year-old's performance that experts are already suggesting he could rival Tiger Woods' tally of 14 majors.

Jacklin prefers to remain calm over the youngster's future, insisting he will need to stay grounded if he is to fulfil his obvious potential.

"Life as he knew it has ended," said Jacklin. "Whether he will break records depends on how he organises his life quite frankly.

"That's going to be the hardest thing - there's so much more media coverage than there was in my time. Stability of your family life is so important. That's where Jack [Nicklaus] was so fortunate - he managed to juggle things because he had such a wonderful wife and course design work gave him balance.

"Rory is clearly good enough to win many more, but you can't do it without a plan. How do you get away from the attention when you don't want? Everybody needs down time and it's harder living in the UK or Ireland.

"In my case there were no examples in Britain of how to handle the situation. I was busy trying to be all things to all people and you can't do that. You need people around you you can trust and he has plenty of examples of what to do and how to organise.

"You've still got to have a life and have a good time. The money on offer now is obscene, but that's not a factor for him now - he is never going to be short and that's a positive aspect.

"It's more about how you organise yourself to arrive on the course focused, but the information is out there for him, even though he might not like some of the stuff he will have to do."

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