Rory McIlroy and Jack Nicklaus among golf's tributes to Kobe Bryant

Rory McIlroy, Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus were among the notable names from the golfing world to pay tribute to NBA legend Kobe Bryant, who died in a helicopter crash on Sunday.

The Los Angeles Lakers great and his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, were among the nine passengers killed when a helicopter came down in Calabasas, about 40 miles northwest of Los Angeles, on Sunday morning.

World pays tribute to Bryant

Stars from sport and showbiz pay their respects to NBA legend Kobe Bryant, who died on Sunday.

News of Bryant's passing quickly filtered through to those in action at the Farmers Insurance Open, held at Torrey Pines in California, with some players finding out during their final rounds and others immediately after finishing their week.

Woods, who was told by his caddie as he headed to the scorer's office, described Bryant's death as an "unbelievably sad day", while McIlroy tweeted after his tied-third finish he was "devastated" by the news.

Eighteen-time major champion Nicklaus referred to Bryant as a "legendary talent" and "inspirational athlete", with many other golfers turning to social media to reflect on his passing.

Speaking on Instagram after his runner-up finish, Jon Rahm said: "Today is a sad day in this world, especially for athletes, because one of the greatest athletes and one of the best basketball players of all time passed away.

"Kobe was a great reference of mine. I've studied his career and even though it's not the same sport, the way he dedicated to his work, the attention to detail and how much he put into every day of his life trying to be the best player, the best he could be, is truly inspiring.

"He has inspired so many people and I inspire to be like him in that sense, trying to be the best I can become and have the Mamba mentally that he only had."