RORY McILROY is in the hunt in the first round of The Masters at Augusta, after some golden advice from Golden Bear Jack Nicklaus. The Holywood hotshot, whose early good work was unravelled by a double-bogey when he found the water on the 15th hole, is bidding to win the Major that eludes him and join Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, Gary Player, Ben Hogan and Gene Sarazen in completing golf’s career Grand Slam. Honorary starter Nicklaus hit a tee shot on the first hole and revealed he recently had lunch with McIlroy and gave his seal of approval to the 35-year-old’s plan to tackle Augusta National. The 18-time Major winner said: “It’s about time Rory won and I sat down with him last week. “I said, ‘I know you prepared for Augusta, tell me how you’re going to play the course’. “We went through it shot for shot, we got done with the round, I said, ‘I wouldn’t change a thing’. “That’s exactly the way I would play the course. “The discipline to do that is what Rory has lacked. He’s got all the shots and the game.” McIlroy was among the later starters yesterday, but Justin Rose did the early running with a seven-under par 65. Defending champion Scottie Scheffler lies three shots back along with Canada’s Corey Connors.