Rory McIlroy idolized Tiger Woods. He’s competed against him. He’s also quite friendly with Jack Nicklaus and well aware of what the Golden Bear has accomplished.

So, who is the G.O.A.T.?

“In the history of our game no one has played better golf than Tiger Woods,” McIlroy said Monday on “Morning Drive”. “When you look – 2000, 2001, that whole stretch – no one has played the caliber of golf that he played then. That’s why I think he is the best player to ever live, because no one reached the levels that he did. In my estimation, he is the best to ever do it.”

Woods has 82 PGA Tour wins (tied with Sam Snead for the all-time record) and 15 major titles (second).

Nicklaus has 18 major titles (first) and 73 Tour wins (third).

While many will acknowledge Nicklaus as the greatest, given his major haul, McIlroy says that Woods’ domination gives him the edge.

“I think it’s the relentlessness. Back in those years I was talking about – nine wins, and then the next year it would be 10 wins, then the next year it would be eight wins. It was just year after year of relentless excellence.

“I think his 82 PGA Tour events that he’s won is nearly more impressive than the 15 majors. The motivation to get up every morning and say, ‘Yep, I’m going to keep on this journey, keep dominating people’ – and he’s still doing it.”