Golf: Jack Nicklaus has predicted US Open champion Rory McIlroy will win many more major titles but has also warned against annointing him the next "crown prince" of golf too early.

American Nicklaus, whose 18 majors make him golf's most successful player, sees Northern Irishman McIlroy staying at the top of the sport for years to come.

McIlroy led the Masters in April before a closing round of 80 scuppered his chances, however he showed at the US Open last month that it had not affected him and won by eight shots to land his first major.

"I think Rory will add a lot of majors," Nicklaus told BBC Radio Five Live's Sportsweek programme. "Rory is a very talented young man who's been a factor in every one of the majors over the last year. He could have won the Masters and the US Open, he could have won the British Open last year. He's a talented young man we're going to see on the scene for a long time."

However Nicklaus added a note of caution, insisting it was too early to judge McIlroy, 22, as a player who can dominate golf.

"Don't anoint him as the crown prince yet," Nicklaus said. "He has won one major. When he starts to win two, three or four, then you can say he's the guy we've got to watch, period.

"But until that time comes, he's one of a group of talented players that have got an opportunity to win."

Ian Poulter, McIlroy's Ryder Cup team-mate, expects big things of McIlroy at the Open Championship, which begins at Royal St George's on Thursday.

"His form can only be good - he won the US Open the last time he played," said Poulter. "There's going to be lot of media attention around him, not only from the US Open but there'll be a lot of pressure on him to deliver again at the Open. But he'll be in great form.

"He's a naturally good ball-striker and he's going to be ready to go and hungry to try to win."

Notable but only by his absence at the Open will be Tiger Woods, the 14-time major winner who is taking time out of golf to deal with injury problems affecting his left leg.

Both Nicklaus and Poulter expect Woods to return and challenge at golf's biggest events, although Nicklaus has doubts over whether his 35-year-old fellow American, with 14 majors, can pass his own total.

Asked if that is looking increasingly unlikely, Nicklaus replied: "If it continues the way it's going this year, yes.

"But he's a very determined and talented young man and I think he's determined to get himself healthy. He's still plenty young enough to play a lot of good golf. I think you'll see a lot from Tiger. Whether he overhauls my record or not it will be interesting to watch."

Poulter does not believe Woods would need to be at his most formidable to re-establish himself at the top of the sport.

"If Tiger Woods comes back fit and healthy and is 50% as good as he was, that's still good enough to be world number one," Poulter said. "He had at his best peak time twice as many points as anyone in the world ranking. Whether he's got his best years to come I'm not quite so sure.

"Injuries like that and taking as much time off as they do I'm sure takes its toll. But I would expect Tiger to come back fit and healthy and be in some pretty good form."