Golf fans debate where Sir Nick Faldo has put Rory McIlroy on list of all-time golf legends

Sir Nick Faldo considers Rory McIlroy has now played his way into the top five for best golfers of all time folliowing his historic triumph at The Masters, following an interview with The Times. 

Faldo, 67, made his feelings be known less than two weeks after McIlroy, 35, became just the sixth player in the modern era to complete the career grand slam. 

The five-time major champion defeated his European Ryder Cup teammate Justin Rose with a birdie on the first extra hole to slip on the coveted green jacket for the first time in his career at famed Augusta National on Sunday 13 April. 

It marked Rose's third runner-up at The Masters. 

McIlroy now joins fellow golf legends Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods as the only golfers in the history of the men's game to win all four majors at The Masters, US PGA, US Open and The Open. 

Sir Nick Faldo puts Rory McIlroy fifth in list of all time golf legends

Faldo might have one more major title than McIlroy as things stand, but the three-time Masters champion and three-time Open winner believes the Northern Irishman has now achieved far more in the game than he ever did.

When pressed by The Times for where he would place McIlroy in the all-time list of golf greats, Faldo, who won nine times on the PGA Tour, replied: 

"It’s a whole different kettle of fish nowadays. Rory has done way more than me. He’s won 29 times in America. Of the all-time greats, I’d put him fifth. Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack [Nicklaus] and Tiger [Woods]. Rory is right there."

Faldo puts McIlroy ahead of late great Sarazen, who won seven career majors. 

"No discredit to Gene Sarazen, but that was a completely different ere," added Faldo.

"I’ve hardly seen any footage of him, but achieving the grand slam puts you in a different category."

Golf fans have been reacting on social media to Faldo placing McIlroy straight into fifth in his list of all-time golf greats. 

Some golf fans are in complete agreement with Faldo and would even put McIlroy higher, while others think the Ulsterman falls just short of the top five at the moment given he has only won five majors. 

A large number of fans are in agreement that McIlroy is now the greatest European golfer of all time.

Others who disagree opt for either Faldo or late great Spaniard Seve Ballesteros. 

Scroll below to check out the top 50 for all-time major wins for you to determine your own top-five list of golf legends... 

*completed career grand slam

English golf legend Faldo also thinks that now the pressure of the career grand slam is off McIlroy's shoulders that it will now free him up for even greater success in the majors.

"Rory is 35, he’s as fit as a fiddle, and you’ve got to believe he’s really shaken the monkey off his back," Faldo continued.

"I would’ve thought it’ll set him free and he might be the unique one to go on and win [multiple] more majors."

McIlroy has been priced up with the bookmakers at fairly low odds of 33/1 to complete a grand slam in 2025, something no golfer in history has ever done in the same calendar year. 

Woods completed the Tiger Slam when winning four consecutive majors at the 2001 Masters, but he never achieved the feat in one season. 

Related:

An emotional Faldo called the action on Sky Sports Golf as McIlroy defeated Rose on the first extra hole to win The Masters. 

"I did get teary because I kind of know that walk off 18 and realising what he’d done, people don’t appreciate the workload that has gone into that physically, technically, mentally. 

"You spend thousands of hours and hit millions of balls to reach your goal, and a heck of a goal it was."

Read the full Faldo interview here

Related:

McIlroy has surged to the front of the betting market for BBC Sports Personality of the Year.

Only two golfers in history have ever won the award in the 71 years it's been running. 

Faldo was the last golfer to win BBC SPOTY in 1989. 

SURELY RORY NOW WINS BBC SPOTY?!

McIlroy is back in competitive action at this week's Zurich Classic of New Orleans at TPC Louisiana, the lone official team event of the PGA Tour season.

He is defending the title alongside his good pal Shane Lowry.

McIlroy and Lowry beat Martin Trainer and Chad Ramey in a playoff to win the title for the first time in 2024.