When Rory McIlroy pulled out his driver on the third hole in Sunday’s final round of the Masters, Jack Nicklaus figured that either anger or desperation already had overcome the Northern Irishman and that he had discarded his carefully conceived pre-tournament plan.

"It will take the world off his shoulders and you're now going to see a lot more of really good golf out of Rory McIlroy," Nicklaus said after the match.