Jacklin believes ditching Wozniacki will help McIlroy threaten Nicklaus' Majors record

English golf legend Tony Jacklin is of the opinion that Northern Irish golf ace Rory McIlroy can threaten Jack Nicklaus' Majors record after ditching former world number one Caroline Wozniacki.

McIlroy is gearing up for next week's US PGA Championship at Valhalla in Kentucky after bagging his third Major trophy at The Open aged 25, the same age as Jacklin when he won the Claret Jug in 1969.

McIlroy still has a long way to go to match the American golf legend's stunning haul of 18 Majors, but Jacklin believes that it is possible if the Northern Irishman finds a perfect match off the course like dad-of-five Nicklaus did marrying wife Barbara 54 years ago, The Mirror reported.

McIlroy dumped his fiancee tennis star Wozniacki in May just hours after sending out the wedding invitations. Days later the Northern Irishman won the PGA Championship at Wentworth and Jacklin said that it freed him up.

Jacklin said that something had to give somewhere because for the long-term it was never going to work out if they both wanted to follow their athletic dreams. He added that one needs the right person beside himself through their life who is genuine and puts them first.

The English golf legend said that it is a selfish old business being golf professional and having that kind of ambition and appetite for what McIlroy wants to do.

Jacklin said that now McIlroy is on the cusp of doing something sensational in the future as in full flow he is better than everybody else.