| Jack Nicklaus | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Nicklaus in 2019 | |
| Personal information | |
| Full name | Jack William Nicklaus[1] |
| Nickname | The Golden Bear |
| Born | (1940-01-21)January 21, 1940 (age 85) Columbus, Ohio, U.S. |
| Height | 5 ft 10 in (178 cm) |
| Sporting nationality |  United States |
| Residence | North Palm Beach, Florida, U.S. |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 5, includingGary |
| Career | |
| College | Ohio State University |
| Turned professional | 1961 |
| Former tours | PGA Tour Champions Tour |
| Professional wins | 117 |
| Number of wins by tour | |
| PGA Tour | 73 (3rd all-time) |
| European Tour | 9 |
| PGA Tour of Australasia | 3 |
| PGA Tour Champions | 10 |
| Other | 24 (regular) 7 (senior) |
| Best results in major championships (wins: 18 (1st all-time)) | |
| Masters Tournament | Won:1963,1965,1966,1972,1975,1986 |
| PGA Championship | Won:1963,1971,1973,1975,1980 |
| U.S. Open | Won:1962,1967,1972,1980 |
| The Open Championship | Won:1966,1970,1978 |
| Achievements and awards | |
| (For a full list of awards, seehere) | |
| Signature | |
 | |
Jack William Nicklaus (/ˈnɪkləsˌˈnɪkəl-/; born January 21, 1940), nicknamed "the Golden Bear", is an American retiredprofessional golfer andgolf course designer.[2] He is widely considered to be one of the greatest golfers of all time.[3][4][5] He won 117 professional tournaments in his career, including a record 18major championships.[6] He is an inductee of theWorld Golf Hall of Fame.
Nicklaus won theU.S. Amateur in 1959 and 1961 and finished second in the1960 U.S. Open, two shots behindArnold Palmer. Nicklaus turned professional at age 21 in 1961. He earned his first professional victory at the1962 U.S. Open, defeating Palmer by three shots in an 18-hole playoff and launching a rivalry. Nicklaus was part of "The Big Three" along with Palmer andGary Player, a name given to the trio due to the growing popularization of golf in the 1960s. In 1966, Nicklaus became the first player to win theMasters Tournament two years running; he also won the1963 PGA Championship and the1966 Open Championship, becoming at age 26 the youngest player at the time to complete thecareer grand slam.[7]
By 1980, Nicklaus had won 17 major championships, overtakingBobby Jones' record of 13 majors, and became the first player to complete double and triple career grand slams. At age 46, he won his final major championship at the1986 Masters Tournament, which was a record sixth Masters title. Nicklaus joined the Senior PGA Tour (now known as thePGA Tour Champions) when he became eligible in 1990, and by 1996 had won 10 tournaments, including eightsenior major championships, despite playing a limited schedule. He continued to play at least some of the four regular majors until making his final appearance at the2005 Open Championship held at theOld Course at St Andrews.
Today, Nicklaus headsNicklaus Design, one of the world's largestgolf course design and construction companies. He runs an event on the PGA Tour, theMemorial Tournament, named after the annual honoring it bestows to individuals associated with the game of golf. Nicklaus's books vary from instructional to autobiographical, with hisGolf My Way considered one of the best instructional golf books of all time; the video of the same name is the best-selling golf instructional to date. Nicklaus won theRyder Cup with the United States five times as a player, he also captained the team in 1983 and 1987. He received theCongressional Gold Medal fromPresident Obama in 2015 in recognition of his service to the nation in promoting excellence and good sportsmanship.
Nicklaus was born on January 21, 1940, inColumbus, Ohio, and grew up in the suburb ofUpper Arlington. He is ofGerman descent, the son of Helen (Schoener) and Charlie Nicklaus, a pharmacist who ran several businesses named Nicklaus Drug Store.[8] Charlie was a skilled all-round athlete who had played football for theOhio State Buckeyes and had gone on to play semi-professional football under an assumed name for thePortsmouth Spartans (who later became theNFL'sDetroit Lions). Charlie had also been a scratch golfer and localtennis champion in his youth.[9][10] In February 1970, Charlie Nicklaus died ofpancreatic cancer at age fifty-six.[11]
Nicklaus attendedUpper Arlington High School, whose nickname and mascot are coincidentally the Golden Bears. In Nicklaus's senior year, he was an honorable mention All-Ohio selection inbasketball as a shooting guard, and he received some recruiting interest from college basketball programs, including Ohio State. During his youth, he also competed successfully in football, baseball, tennis, and track and field.[9][12]
Nicklaus took up golf at the age of 10, scoring a 51 atScioto Country Club for his first nine holes ever played. Charlie Nicklaus had joined Scioto that same year, returning to golf to help heal avolleyball injury. He was coached at Scioto by club proJack Grout, a Texas-developed contemporary of golf greatsByron Nelson andBen Hogan; Grout had played quite successfully on thePGA Tour and would become Nicklaus's lifelong golf instructor.[9] Nicklaus overcame amild case ofpolio as a 13-year-old.[13]
Nicklaus won the first of five straight[14] Ohio State Junior titles at the age of 12. At 13, he broke 70 at Scioto Country Club for the first time, and became that year's youngest qualifier into theU.S. Junior Amateur, where he survived three match-play rounds. He had earned a handicap of +3 at age 13, the lowest in the Columbus area.[9][10] Nicklaus won the Tri-State High School Championship (Ohio/Kentucky/Indiana) at the age of 14 with a round of 68, and also recorded his firsthole-in-one in tournament play the same year. At 15, Nicklaus shot a 66 at Scioto Country Club, which was the amateur course record, and qualified for his firstU.S. Amateur. He won theOhio Open in 1956 at age 16, highlighted by a phenomenal third round of 64, competing against professionals. In all, Nicklaus won 27 events in the Ohio area from age 10 to age 17.
In 1957, Nicklaus won theInternational Jaycee Junior Golf Tournament, having lost the previous year in a playoff. Nicklaus also competed in his first of 44 consecutiveU.S. Opens that year, but missed the cut. In 1958 at age 18, he competed in his first PGA Tour event, the Rubber City Open, atAkron, Ohio, tying for 12th place after being just one out of the lead at the 36-hole mark,[15] and made the cut in theU.S. Open, tying for 41st place. Nicklaus also won twoTrans-Mississippi Amateurs – in 1958 atPrairie Dunes Country Club and 1959 at Woodhill Country Club, with final match victories of 9 & 8 and 3 & 2, respectively. Also in 1959, Nicklaus won theNorth and South Amateur atPinehurst, North Carolina and competed in three additionalPGA Tour events, with his best finish being another 12th place showing at theBuick Open.
While attendingOhio State, he won theU.S. Amateur twice (1959, 1961), and anNCAA Championship (1961). In the 1959 U.S. Amateur, Nicklaus defeated two-time winner and defending championCharles Coe 1-up in the final 36-hole match when he birdied the 18th hole.[16] This was significant not only because of Coe's proven ability as a player, but also because Nicklaus became the then-youngest champion in the modern era, second only toRobert A. Gardner, who won in 1909. In 1961, Nicklaus became the first player to win the individual title at the NCAA Championship and the U.S. Amateur in the same year. He was followed byPhil Mickelson (1990),Tiger Woods (1996),Ryan Moore (2004), andBryson DeChambeau (2015). Nicklaus also won the NCAABig Ten Conference Championship that year with a 72-hole aggregate of 283, while earlier claiming theWestern Amateur in New Orleans. In his second and last U.S. Amateur win in 1961, Nicklaus convincingly defeatedDudley Wysong 8 & 6 atPebble Beach in the 36-hole championship match. For the week, Nicklaus was 20 strokes under par, including 34 birdies and two eagles.
At the1960 U.S. Open, twenty-year-old Nicklaus shot a two-under-par 282, finishing in second place two strokes behind winnerArnold Palmer. This score remained the lowest ever by an amateur in theU.S. Open, untilViktor Hovland beat the record in 2019. Nicklaus played the final 36 holes withBen Hogan, who later remarked that he had just played 36 holes with a kid who should have won by 10 shots. During the final 36 holes, Nicklaus was two-under-par; he had shot every round of the tournament at or below par and was the only entrant to do so. Nicklaus had led by two shots with six holes to play. In 1960, Nicklaus also tied for 13th in theMasters Tournament. He tied for fourth in the1961 U.S. Open, three shots behind championGene Littler, having played the final 54 holes one under par. Each of these three major championship finishes designated Nicklaus as low amateur. However, Nicklaus's one-under-par 287 tied for seventh in the1961 Masters Tournament, and was second that year only toCharles Coe's low amateur placing, who tied for second with Arnold Palmer at seven-under-par 281, one shot behind championGary Player.[citation needed]
Nicklaus represented the United States against Great Britain and Ireland on winningWalker Cup teams in both1959 and1961, decisively winning both of his matches in each contest. On the 1959 trip to Britain, he also made his only attempt at theBritish Amateur, the world's oldest international amateur event, atRoyal St George's Golf Club, losing 4 & 3 in the quarterfinal round to fellow-American,Bill Hyndman.[9][17] He was also a member of the victorious U.S. team in the1960 Eisenhower Trophy, where he won the unofficial individual title by 13 shots over teammateDeane Beman with a four-round score of 269 atMerion Golf Club.[9][18] This record of 269 stood untilJon Rahm totaled 263 at the2014 Eisenhower Trophy.[19] For three straight years (1959–1961), Nicklaus was named the world's top amateur golfer byGolf Digest magazine.
Nicklaus attendedOhio State University from 1957 to 1961. He majored in pre-pharmacy and had good grades in his first three years; he intended to follow his father into pharmacy after graduation.[16][20] As his amateur golf achievements mounted, Nicklaus changed his mind on his career path; he switched programs to studyinsurance. At that stage, he planned to remain an amateur golfer and earn his living by selling insurance. For a time, he worked in the insurance field while he also attended college. He married Barbara Bash (b. 1940), who was a nursing student at Ohio State,[21] in July 1960,[22] and their first of five children, Jack Jr., was born in September 1961. The following month, Nicklaus was intent on becoming the first amateur to win the Masters.[23][24] In early November, he changed his mind and announced that he was turning professional in order to support his family.[25][26] He wound up a few course hours short of graduating from college. In a goodwill gesture, Ohio State granted him an honorary doctorate in 1972.[9]
Nicklaus officially turned professional in late 1961 and began his career on thePGA Tour the following year. He had previously debated the idea of remaining an amateur in order to further emulate his idol,Bobby Jones. However, Nicklaus realized that in order to be regarded as the best, he would have to compete in greater frequency against the best. Shortly after turning professional, Nicklaus's future agent,Mark McCormack, was interviewed byMelbourne Age writerDon Lawrence, who inquired about the American golf scene. When McCormack described Nicklaus, Lawrence referred to the "large, strong, and blond" player as "the Golden Bear", a nickname that would become synonymous with Nicklaus throughout his professional life. However, another possible origination of the name derives from thehigh school that Nicklaus attended in Upper Arlington, Ohio, which uses the mascot the Golden Bears for its sports teams. As mentioned above, Nicklaus played on several Golden Bears athletic teams, including captaining its 1956 state-champion golf squad, suggesting that McCormack may have adopted the name through Nicklaus's high school affiliation. Regardless, by 1963, the nickname had stuck.[citation needed]
Nicklaus won his first PGA tournament in his 17th start. He andArnold Palmer were tied for the lead at1962 U.S. Open atOakmont after Rounds 3 and 4 were played on Saturday. Nicklaus won the Sunday 18-hole playoff and earned $17,500 ($15,000 plus the $2,500 playoff bonus)—far behindGary Woodland's $2,250,000 check for the 2019 U.S. Open—for his efforts. The galleries were more vocal in their support for Palmer—who had grown up in nearbyLatrobe—but Nicklaus won the playoff by three shots (71 to 74). In 90 holes, Nicklaus had only one three-putt green. TheU.S. Open victory made Nicklaus the reigning U.S. Open andU.S. Amateur champion. This major championship win was also his first PGA Tour win. In addition, Nicklaus (22) was the youngest U.S. Open champion since Bobby Jones won at age 21 in 1923, and remained the youngest winner until Jordan Spieth won the 2015 U.S. Open at age 21. (John McDermott is still the youngest winner of the U.S. Open at age 19 in 1911).[27] The U.S. Open win thrust Nicklaus into the national spotlight, and he was featured on the cover ofTime magazine. This was also the beginning of the Nicklaus-Palmer rivalry, which attracted viewers to golf on television.[10]
By the end of 1962, Nicklaus had won two more tournaments, which were back-to-back in theSeattle Open andPortland Open. In addition, he tied for third in his first appearance in thePGA Championship. Nicklaus completed the year with over $60,000 (equivalent to $623,696 in 2024) in prize money, made 26 of 26 cuts with 16 top-10 finishes, placed third on the PGA Tour money list, and was named Rookie of the Year. He also won the inaugural staging of the World Series of Golf, a select-field event for the year's major champions, and collected another $50,000 (equivalent to $519,747 in 2024) in unofficial money for that win.[14]
In 1963, Nicklaus won two of the four majors—theMasters and thePGA Championship. These victories made him the then-youngest winner of the Masters and third-youngest winner of the PGA Championship, and each win came in just his second year as a professional. Along with three other wins including theTournament of Champions, he placed second toArnold Palmer on the PGA Tour money list with just over $100,000 (equivalent to $1,027,065 in 2024).[14] He also teamed with Palmer to win theCanada Cup (now theWorld Cup of Golf) in France, representing the United States (this event was shortened to 63 holes due to heavy fog). Nicklaus also finished as low individual scorer for that event.[citation needed]
Nicklaus's meteoric rise to fame immediately after turning professional enabled opportunities for him to earn significant endorsement income.[28] These business opportunities were facilitated byMark McCormack, who also managed Palmer andGary Player. Golf was growing rapidly in popularity and media coverage during the early 1960s, led by the performances of these three star players. This association was the start of the agency that became known asInternational Management Group, and IMG, after building a base in golf management, eventually expanded into other sports. The Palmer-Nicklaus-Player rivalry developed into the so-called "Big Three" of Golf. In the early 1960s, McCormack set up a series of televised golf matches around the world among the three stars, known as Big Three Golf. In the early 1970s, Nicklaus left IMG to set up his own management agency, Golden Bear Inc.[10] Nicklaus also signed a contract withEastern Airlines. He could be seen on TV saying, "If you play golf, Eastern is your airline."[29]
Despite winning no majors in 1964 (he had three runner-up finishes), Nicklaus led thePGA Tour money list for the first time in his career by a slim margin of $81.13 over Palmer. AtThe Open Championship atSt Andrews, Nicklaus set a new record for the lowest score in the final 36 holes with 66–68 in high winds (the first time in the championship's history that 70 had been broken in each of the last two rounds). This was not enough, however, to win the event; Nicklaus placed second toTony Lema.[14] Nicklaus also set a record for the lowest final-round score in the PGA Championship with a 64 (since broken byBrad Faxon in 1995 with a 63), but fell three shots short of championBobby Nichols and his record-setting score of 271. In 31 official worldwide events in 1964, Nicklaus achieved six victories, seven runners-up, placed in the top five 21 times, the top-10 21 times, and had only one missed cut. Nicklaus and Palmer also defended their team title at theWorld Cup in Hawaii, with Nicklaus again finishing as low individual scorer.
When Nicklaus won theMasters Tournament in1965 and1966, he became the tournament's first back-to-back winner and the youngest two-time and three-time winner. He brokeBen Hogan's 72-hole scoring record of 274 in 1953 when he compiled a new aggregate of 271 in the1965 Masters. This record was tied byRaymond Floyd in 1976 and lasted untilTiger Woods shot 270 in 1997, which was a 72-hole record that was subsequently tied byJordan Spieth in 2015. When Woods and Spieth shot 270, the scores were achieved with significantly improved golf equipment on essentially the same-length golf course over which Nicklaus and Floyd shot 271. During the 1965 tournament, Nicklaus hit 62 of 72 greens in regulation and had 123 putts, inclusive of just one three-putt green. This was good enough to win by nine shots overArnold Palmer andGary Player; this margin of victory was a tournament record that would last for 32 years until Woods won by 12 shots in 1997. The week's performance was highlighted by a third-round 64 that consisted of eight birdies and no bogeys. It was of this round that Nicklaus said, "I had never before and have never since played quite as fine a complete round of golf in a major championship as I did in the third round of the 1965 Masters." This round tiedLloyd Mangrum's record set atAugusta National in 1940 and remained in place untilNick Price shot 63 during the third round in 1986. It was at this time thatBobby Jones stated Nicklaus played a game with which he was unfamiliar; Jones called Nicklaus's result "the greatest performance in all of golfing history".
After Nicklaus's record performance at Augusta National in 1965, the course underwent some minor changes to make it tougher. These modifications and the difficult weather in the1966 tournament did not deter Nicklaus. He successfully defended his title with an even-par aggregate of 288, 17 shots higher. He won in an 18-hole playoff overGay Brewer (Brewer had three-putted the 18th green to force the playoff but he redeemed himself the following year by winning the tournament) andTommy Jacobs by shooting a two-under-par 70. Nicklaus led the PGA Tour money list again in 1965 by a healthy margin over Tony Lema. Nicklaus and Lema formed the U.S. team for the World Cup, held inMadrid, Spain,[9] but could not defend the title, as South Africa won. In all, Nicklaus competed in 28 official worldwide events in 1965, accumulating five victories, seven runners-up, 19 top-5 finishes, 23 top-10 finishes, and zero missed cuts.
In 1966, Nicklaus also wonThe Open Championship atMuirfield in Scotland under difficult weather conditions; he used his driver just 17 times because of very heavy rough. This was the only major he had failed to win up to that point. This win made him the youngest player, age 26 (his fifth year on Tour), and the only one afterGene Sarazen,Ben Hogan, andGary Player (until Tiger Woods at age 24 in 2000, also during his fifth year on Tour) to win all four major championships, now known as the Career Grand Slam. Nicklaus eventually accomplished the double career grand slam in 1971 and the triple career grand slam in 1978, winning all four majors two and three times, respectively. Nicklaus was part of another title for the U.S. in theWorld Cup in Japan. Nicklaus concluded 1966 playing 22 official worldwide events, with four victories, four runners-up, 14 top-5 finishes, 16 top-10 finishes, and zero missed cuts.
In1967, Nicklaus won theU.S. Open for a second time. The tournament was held atBaltusrol, and he broke Hogan's 72-hole record by one shot with a 275 when he birdied the par 5 18th hole.[14] During the four rounds, Nicklaus hit 61 of 72 greens in regulation. Nicklaus finished this record win with a dramatic 238-yard 1-iron shot, uphill into a breeze and light rain, to the 72nd green (an approximate 260-yard equivalent) and holing out a 22-foot (6.7 m) birdie putt to close out a final nine of 30 and final round of 65 to shoot 275, four shots better than runner-up Arnold Palmer. Nicklaus and Palmer were the only two players to break par for the week.Sports Illustrated ran a cover photo of Nicklaus throwing his leg high in the air with the headline, "Nicklaus Breaks the Open Record".[30] He also finished runner up inThe Open Championship and third in thePGA Championship, one shot out of a playoff betweenDon January andDon Massengale. In 1967, Nicklaus led the PGA Tour money list for the third time. Later that year, Nicklaus and Palmer teamed up for a 13-shot wire-to-wireWorld Cup victory inMexico City. Nicklaus competed in 24 official worldwide events in 1967, with five victories, four runners-up, 14 top-5 finishes, 16 top-10 finishes, and one missed cut. For most of his professional career, Nicklaus employedAngelo Argea as his caddie.
After Nicklaus won the1967 U.S. Open in record-breaking fashion, he did not win another major championship until the1970 Open Championship at theOld Course at St Andrews. Moreover, his highest finish on the Tour money list for the years 1968–70 was second; his lowest was fourth, his worst ranking on the list since turning professional. However, his fourth-place ranking in 1970 would have been elevated to second ifThe Open Championship winnings were included during that period in the official PGA Tour money list, as they are today. Nicklaus finished runner-up in both the 1968 U.S. Open (to new rivalLee Trevino) and the 1968 Open Championship (to old rival Gary Player).
Nicklaus made his inaugural appearance in the1969 Ryder Cup at age 29; eligibility rules at the time required a minimum five-year PGA Tour membership before points could be counted for team qualification; rules have been relaxed significantly since.[31] In the1969 Ryder Cup, the entire competition came down to the anchor singles match between Nicklaus andTony Jacklin. At the par-5 17th hole with Nicklaus leading by the score of 1 up, Jacklin made a 35-foot (11 m) eagle putt to square the match. With the entire competition outcome riding on this match, Nicklaus made a five-foot par putt on the last hole before controversially conceding Jacklin's par putt, ensuring that this game, and the overall match, ended in a tie.[32] Afterwards United States team Captain Sam Snead said "This is the greatest golf match you have ever seen in England."[33]
During this period, Nicklaus's physical condition declined somewhat; he put on some excess weight, which affected his stamina. Following the Ryder Cup, he significantly improved his condition in the fall of 1969 by losing 25 pounds (11 kg) in one month,[34] and his game started to return to top form.[31] In February 1970, Nicklaus's father, Charlie Nicklaus, died of pancreatic cancer at age 56. Five months after this, Nicklaus won the1970 Open Championship under difficult scoring conditions in Scotland where the wind howled up to 56 miles per hour (90 km/h), defeating fellow AmericanDoug Sanders in an 18-hole playoff round in emotional fashion. On the 18th hole of the playoff, Nicklaus drove about 380 yards, through the par-4 green with a three-wood, and was forced to pitch back to the hole. His eagle pitch finished approximately eight feet short of the hole. Nicklaus threw his putter into the air after sinking the winning putt, as he was thrilled to have won the Open at the home of golf, St Andrews.[35] He describes this period in his life:
I was playing good golf, but it really wasn't that big a deal to me one way or the other. And then my father died and I sort of realized that he had certainly lived his life through my golf game. I really hadn't probably given him the best of that. So I sort of got myself back to work. So '70 was an emotional one for me from that standpoint. ... It was a big boost.[36]
Nicklaus also went on to capture thePiccadilly World Match Play Championship in 1970 with a 2 & 1 win overLee Trevino in the championship match. In all for the year, Nicklaus competed in 23 official worldwide events, won four, placed in the top-5 10 times, and the top-10 in 14.
Although Nicklaus's performance had declined somewhat during this period, he was still ranked as the No. 1 player in the world, for 10 straight years, beginning in 1968, on theMcCormack's World Golf Rankings, which were introduced that year by sports agentMark McCormack. These rankings, the first attempt to take into account results from professional tours around the world, were not official during that era, but they eventually evolved into the currentOfficial World Golf Ranking, starting in 1986.
With his victory in the1971 PGA Championship, Nicklaus became the first golfer to win all four majors twice.[14] In this championship, Nicklaus was the only player to break 70 consecutively in the first two rounds under windy conditions; he finished at seven-under-par 281. Nicklaus finished second twice and fifth in the remaining three major championships for the year. While he finished tied for second in theMasters withJohnny Miller, Nicklaus made a big enough impression on a youngNick Faldo (watching on TV in England) in order for Faldo to take up the game seriously.
By the end of 1971, Nicklaus had won four additional PGA tournaments including theTournament of Champions by eight shots and theNational Team Championship withArnold Palmer by six shots. With $244,490 in official PGA Tour earnings, Nicklaus established a new single-season money record during the year. Nicklaus also claimed his thirdWorld Cup individual title in 1971, with help from a 63 in the third round. He also won the team competition with partnerLee Trevino by 12 shots. The year 1971 brought Nicklaus a victory in the Australian Dunlop International as well, punctuated by a course record 62 (his career-low score in competition; one of three) in the second round. For the record, Nicklaus played in 23 official worldwide events in 1971, won eight, had 17 top-5 finishes, 20 top-10 finishes, and compiled a 5–1–0 record in that year'sRyder Cup competition.
Nicklaus won the first two major championships of 1972 by three shots each in wire-to-wire fashion. He won theMasters and theU.S. Open, creating talk of a calendar-yearGrand Slam. Nicklaus opened with a four-under-par 68 at Augusta National and never looked back. He was the only player under par for the week as he and the field battled difficult scoring conditions. In the U.S. Open atPebble Beach again under severe scoring conditions, Nicklaus struck a one-iron on the 218-yard par-three 17th hole during the final round into a stiff, gusty ocean breeze that hit the flagstick and ended up three inches from the cup. TheU.S. Open was Nicklaus's 13th career major and tied him withBobby Jones for career majors (although a different group of tournaments had been considered majors in Jones's time). This victory was also Nicklaus's 11th professional major, tying him withWalter Hagen, and made him the first player to win the U.S. Amateur and U.S. Open championships on the same golf course.
During the 1972 PGA Tour season, Nicklaus won seven tournaments and was runner-up in three events. However, Nicklaus did not win the Grand Slam that year, asLee Trevino repeated as the Open Championship winner (Nicklaus finished second, one shot behind), andGary Player prevailed in thePGA Championship. Nicklaus closed out this remarkable year with a second of three consecutiveWalt Disney World Golf Classic victories by shooting a 21-under-par 267 to win by nine shots. He concluded 1972 by competing in 20 official worldwide events winning seven, placing second in four, and compiling 15 top-10 finishes.
Bobby Jones's record of majors was soon broken when Nicklaus won thePGA Championship in August 1973 by four shots overBruce Crampton for his 12th professional major (surpassing Hagen's mark of 11) and 14th overall when using the old-style configuration of Jones's day. In that year he won another six tournaments. When he won the 1973 Ohio Kings Island Open, he became the first PGA Tour player to win a Tour event on a course that he designed himself. ThePGA Player of the Year was awarded to Nicklaus for the third time, and the second year in a row. Nicklaus was also the first player to win over $300,000.00 in official money for a single season in 1972 at $320,542; he eclipsed that threshold again the following year with $308,362. The former total was $106,137 more than runner-upLee Trevino. The latter total for the year 1973 catapulted Nicklaus over the $2 million career PGA Tour earnings mark, making him the first player to reach that milestone. Nicklaus teamed withJohnny Miller for another team title in theWorld Cup of Golf, held in Spain. For the year, Nicklaus competed in 20 official worldwide events and claimed seven victories, 14 top-five finishes, 17 top-10s, and compiled a 4–1–1 record in that year's Ryder Cup competition.
Nicklaus's failure to win a major in 1974 was somewhat offset when he won the inauguralTournament Players Championship and was named one of the 13 original inductees into theWorld Golf Hall of Fame.[37] Nicklaus said this honor was a "nice memento" after a "disappointing season".[38] Although he had no major championship victories in 1974, Nicklaus still achieved four top-10 finishes in the four events, three of which were in the top four, and placed second on the official money list behindJohnny Miller. While less than a stellar year, Nicklaus was able to claim two victories and 13 top-10 finishes in 20 official worldwide events.
Nicklaus started off well in 1975: he won theDoral-Eastern Open, theSea Pines Heritage Classic, and theMasters in consecutive starts. His Masters win was his fifth, a record he was to break eleven years later. In this tournament, Nicklaus's 40-foot (12 m) birdie putt on the 16th hole of the final round was a key in his victory overTom Weiskopf andJohnny Miller in a riveting final-round battle. He also won thePGA Championship in August atFirestone Country Club by two shots overBruce Crampton for his fourth win. Having won the Masters and PGA Championship, Nicklaus missed a playoff for theU.S. Open by two shots and a playoff forOpen Championship by one shot. His performance in 1975 resulted in his being namedPGA Player of the Year for the fourth time, tyingBen Hogan, and he was also namedABC'sWide World of Sports Athlete of the Year. Nicklaus also captured his fourth Australian Open during the year. The year 1975 yielded Nicklaus six wins, 12 top-5 finishes, and 16 top-10 finishes in 18 official worldwide events.
Nicklaus placed first on the PGA Tour money list again in 1976, despite competing in only 16 events, winning just two (Tournament Players Championship andWorld Series of Golf) – neither of them majors – and playing what he called "hang-back-and-hope golf".[39] The 1976 Tournament Players Championship saw Nicklaus set a championship record of 19-under-par 269 for his second win in this event which remained in place untilGreg Norman's 24-under-par 264 assault in 1994. He also won the PGA Player of the Year award for a record fifth time. Between 1972 and 1976 the only time he failed to win this award was 1974. The year 1976 also concluded an official streak of 105 consecutive cuts made on the PGA Tour (ending at the World Open), which began for Nicklaus in 1970. At the time this streak was second only toByron Nelson's record of 113.
The following year, 1977, was also majorless for Nicklaus, but he did achieve four top-10 finishes in the four events inclusive of two second and one third-place finish – this being one shot out of thePGA Championship playoff betweenLanny Wadkins andGene Littler. Despite a brilliant final round 66 at the Masters, he finished second by two shots toTom Watson. But his subsequent second-place finish behind Watson at the Open Championship atTurnberry created headlines around the world. In a one-on-one battle dubbed the "Duel in the Sun", Nicklaus shot 65–66 in the final two rounds, only to be beaten by Watson, who scored 65-65. This event marked the first time 270 was broken in a major championship, and the third-place finisherHubert Green scored 279. Nicklaus would later say:
There are those in golf who would argue into next month that the final two rounds of the 1977 British Open were the greatest head-to-head golf match ever played. Not having been around for the first five hundred or so years of the game, I'm not qualified to speak on such matters. What's for sure, however, is that it was the most thrilling one-on-one battle of my career.[40]
In 1977, Nicklaus won his 63rd tour event, passingBen Hogan to take second place on the career wins list, behind onlySam Snead (subsequently Hogan's official career PGA Tour victory total was put at 64, including his 1953 Open Championship which was retroactively deemed an official PGA Tour event). He also became the first player to amass over $3 million in officialPGA Tour earnings. The year also saw Nicklaus win for the first time his ownMemorial Tournament, where he described the victory as the most emotional moment of his entire career, and nearly decided to retire from competitive golf.
During the1977 Ryder Cup at Royal Lytham & St Annes, Nicklaus approached the PGA of Great Britain about the urgency to improve the competitive level of the contest. The issue had been discussed earlier the same day by both pastPGA of America President Henry Poe andBritish PGA President Lord Derby. Nicklaus pitched his ideas, adding: "It is vital to widen the selection procedures if theRyder Cup is to continue to enjoy its past prestige." The changes in team selection procedure were approved by descendants of theSamuel Ryder family, along with The PGA of America. The major change was expanding selection procedures to include players from the European Tournament Players' Division, and "that European Members be entitled to play on the team". This meant that professional players on the European Tournament Players' Division, the forerunner to the European Tour we have today, from continental Europe would be eligible to play in the Ryder Cup.
When Nicklaus won the1978 Open Championship at St. Andrews, he became the only player to win each major championship three times.[7] This record was tied byTiger Woods when he won the2008 U.S. Open. Nicklaus and Woods are the only two players to win three "Career Grand Slams". Nicklaus considered his performance in the 1978 Open as the finest four days of tee-to-green golf he had ever produced, and was most proud that the win came at St. Andrews, his favorite place to play golf. The victory was also his most emotional to date.
Nicklaus won three other tournaments on thePGA Tour in 1978. One of those wins came in theJackie Gleason-Inverrary Classic, where he played the final 36 holes 13 under par and scored five consecutive birdies over the closing holes in the final round.[41] He also won his thirdTournament Players Championship in difficult weather conditions; he had won three of the first five stagings of that tournament, and he remains the championship's only three-time winner. He was namedSportsman of the Year bySports Illustrated. The year 1978 also marked Nicklaus's sixth and finalAustralian Open victory.
In 1979, Nicklaus suffered a lapse of form and did not win a tournament. This was the first year in his professional career in which he failed to win a PGA Tour event. He did, however, come close. Playing well ahead of the last group on a windy day in the final round of the 1979 Masters he was 8-under through 16 holes but bogeyed 17 and parred 18 to finish 7-under. The ensuing 3-man playoff between Ed Sneed, Tom Watson and Fuzzy Zoeller (who won the playoff) took place at 8-under after Sneed bogeyed the last three. Jack also finished in a tie for second withBen Crenshaw behind 22-year-oldSeve Ballesteros atThe Open Championship. He would not win another tournament until June 1980. Previously, Nicklaus won at least one PGA Tour tournament per year (a record he shares with Arnold Palmer), and a minimum of two tournaments per year for 17 consecutive years, and this is another PGA Tour record.
During the offseason, Nicklaus addressed two problems that had hurt his performance. His lifelong teacherJack Grout noticed that he had become much too upright with his full swing, which caused a steep, oblique approach into the ball, compared with a more direct hit; this was corrected by slightly flattening his backswing. Then Nicklaus's short game, never a career strength, was further developed with the help ofPhil Rodgers, a friend for more than 20 years, and earlier PGA Tour rival, who had become a fine coach. Rodgers lived for a time at the Nicklaus home while this work was going on.[31]
In 1980, Nicklaus recorded only four top-10 finishes in 14 events, but two of these were record-setting victories in majors (the U.S. Open and the PGA Championship); the other two were a tie for fourth inThe Open Championship and a runner-up finish in theDoral-Eastern Open toRaymond Floyd via his chip-in birdie on the second hole of a sudden-death playoff.
Nicklaus set a new scoring record for the1980 U.S. Open with an aggregate of 272, eclipsing his earlier record of 275 from 1967 over the same golf course. That record, while since having been tied by three other players, stood until Rory McIlroy's 268 in winning the2011 U.S. Open. This was Nicklaus's second major win atBaltusrol Golf Club. Nicklaus opened with a record-tying 63 in round one and fought off his playing partner of all four rounds, 1978Colgate World Match Play Championship winner,Isao Aoki. Entering the final round, Aoki had caught Nicklaus after three consecutive rounds of 68, but over the course of the last day, Nicklaus pulled away by two shots. Each player birdied the final two holes for a dramatic finish. Aoki's aggregate of 274 was the lowest score for aU.S. Open runner-up. Nicklaus's win was his fourth and final victory in the championship, tying him withWillie Anderson,Bobby Jones, andBen Hogan. Nicklaus referred to this win as "by far the most emotional and warmest reaction to any of my wins in my own country".
In the1980 PGA Championship, Nicklaus set another record when he won the tournament by seven shots overAndy Bean at theOak Hill Country Club; the win was largely due to exceptional putting. Nicklaus shot an even-par 70 in the first round. This was followed by three successive rounds in the 60s over the difficult course, and he was the only player to break par for 72 holes. For the week, the field averaged 74.60 strokes while Nicklaus averaged 68.50. This was Nicklaus's fifth and final victory in the PGA Championship, which elevated him to record-holder for the most wins in the stroke-play era, and which tied him withWalter Hagen for the most wins overall, since Hagen's victories were all during the match-play era. Nicklaus's seven-shot winning margin remained the largest for the stroke-play version of the championship until Rory McIlroy's 2012 victory. This victory also made Nicklaus the only player sinceGene Sarazen in 1922 andBen Hogan in 1948 to win theU.S. Open and PGA Championship the same year (subsequently equaled byTiger Woods in 2000 andBrooks Koepka in 2018).
Between 1981 and 1985, Nicklaus accumulated seven more top-10 placements in major championships, including three runner-up performances. He won only twice on the PGA Tour during this period, theColonial National Invitation in 1982 and his ownMemorial Tournament in 1984 for the second time, defeating Andy Bean in a sudden-death playoff to become the tournament's first two-time champion.
In 1983, Nicklaus closed out thePGA Championship andWorld Series of Golf with brilliant final rounds in the mid-60s, and passed many players to move into contention, but finished runner-up in each toPlayer of the YearHal Sutton andNick Price, respectively, who dominated the tournaments from start to finish. Despite not winning a PGA Tour event in 1983, Nicklaus finished 10th on the PGA Tour money list, and passed a significant milestone by becoming the first player to eclipse the $4 million level in career earnings.
In 1985, Nicklaus finished second toCurtis Strange in theCanadian Open, which marked his seventh and final second-place finish in that tournament; this is a record for that event. These seven runner-up finishes came over the course of 21 events—or one second-place finish for every three tournaments played—and does not include a third-place finish in 1983, one shot out of the playoff betweenJohn Cook andJohnny Miller.
During the five-year period between 1981 and 1985, theRyder Cup matches provided Nicklaus with two bright spots. He completed his competition as a player in style by contributing a perfect 4–0–0 record (inclusive of a 5 & 3 anchor singles match win overEamonn Darcy) in 1981, and captained the United States team in 1983 to a one-point win over Europe.
In 1986, Nicklaus capped his victories in major championships by winning his sixth Masters title under challenging circumstances; he posted a six-under-par 30 on the back nine for a final round of seven-under-par 65. At the 17th hole, Nicklaus hit his second shot to within 18 feet (5.5 m) and rolled it in for birdie; he raised his putter in celebration and completed an eagle-birdie-birdie run. Nicklaus made a solid par-4 at the 72nd hole, and waited for the succeeding players, several of whom (Tom Kite,Greg Norman) were still in contention, to fall short. Nicklaus played the final ten holes seven under par, with six birdies and an eagle. At age 46, Nicklaus became the oldest Masters winner in history, a record that still stands. On the feat, sports columnistThomas Boswell remarked,
Some things cannot possibly happen, because they are both too improbable and too perfect. TheU.S. hockey team cannot beat the Russians in the 1980 Olympics. Jack Nicklaus cannot shoot 65 to win The Masters at age 46. Nothing else comes immediately to mind.[42]
This victory was his 18th and final major title.
This victory was to be his last in his long career on the PGA Tour, and was described at the time by noted golf historian and writer Herbert Warren Wind as "nothing less than the most important accomplishment in golf sinceBobby Jones's Grand Slam in 1930".
AuthorKen Bowden wrote after the win:
There have been prettier swingers of the club than Jack Nicklaus. There may have been better ball-strikers than Jack Nicklaus. There have definitely been better short-game exponents than Jack Nicklaus. Other golfers have putted as well as Jack Nicklaus. There may have been golfers as dedicated and fiercely competitive as Jack Nicklaus. But no individual has been able to develop, combine and sustain all of the complex physical skills and the immense mental and emotional resources the game demands at its highest level as well as Jack Nicklaus has for as long as he has.
At the1998 Masters, Nicklaus was 58 when he tied for sixth place despite being hampered by an ever-increasing painful left hip.[43] Nicklaus's five-under-par 283 was the lowest 72-hole score in the Masters by a player older than fifty, until Phil Mickelson finished eight-under-par 280 in 2023 at age 52.
During the course of a 25-year span (1962–1986), Nicklaus won 18 major championships and finished second 18 times (excluding the second-place finish at the1960 U.S. Open as an amateur). He also placed third nine times and fourth seven times in this span and was one stroke out of a playoff on five of those occasions (1963 Open Championship,1967 PGA Championship,1975 Open Championship,1977 PGA Championship, and1979 Masters Tournament). His total span of 73 top-10 finishes over 39 years (1960–1998) is a record in total number as well as longevity among the four major championships and encompassed his tenure from an amateur through the majority of hisChampions Tour career.
Nicklaus became eligible to join theSenior PGA Tour, now known as PGA Tour Champions, when he turned 50 in January 1990,[44] at which point he declared, "I'm never satisfied. Trouble is, I want to play like me—and I can't play like me anymore."[42] He then quickly won in his first start on the Tour,The Tradition, also a Senior Tour major championship. Nicklaus would go on to win another three Traditions—the final two in succession—while the most anyone else has won is two.
Later in the year, Nicklaus won theSenior Players Championship by six shots overLee Trevino for his second win of the year, and also his second major of the year by shooting a record 27-under-par 261. The next year, in 1991, Nicklaus won three of the five events he started in, those being theU.S. Senior Open at Oakland Hills by firing a 65 in a playoff againstChi-Chi Rodríguez and his final round of 69, thePGA Seniors Championship andThe Tradition for the second year straight. These, again, were all majors on the senior circuit.
Nicklaus has won all thesenior majors with the exception of theSenior Open Championship. However, he never played in that event until after he turned 60, and it was only elevated to a major in 2003. After a winless year in 1992, Nicklaus came back to win the U.S. Senior Open for the second time in 1993 by one shot overTom Weiskopf. Also in that year he teamed up with Chi-Chi Rodríguez andRaymond Floyd to win theWendy's 3-Tour Challenge for the Senior PGA Tour team.[45]
In 1994, Nicklaus won the Senior PGA Tour's version of the Mercedes Championship for his only win of the year.[46] The Tradition was his again in 1995, in a year where he made the top 10 in all of the seven tournaments he entered in.[47] His 100th career win came the next year, when he won the Tradition for the fourth time, and second time in succession. He made adouble eagle in the final round. Nicklaus closed the final 36 holes with back-to-back seven-under-par rounds of 65 to shoot a 16-under-par 272 and win by three shots overHale Irwin. This was to be his last win on the Senior PGA Tour, and the last official win of his career.[48]
In2000, Nicklaus played in his 44th and finalU.S. Open. He shot 73-82 and missed the cut atPebble Beach Golf Links. This was the same tournament where Tiger Woods won his first Open when he outclassed the nearest competitors by a 15-shot margin.[49] During the tournament, after defending championPayne Stewart had died in an airplane crash the previous October, Nicklaus was given Stewart's place in the traditional opening pairings alongside the Open Championship winner (Paul Lawrie) and the U.S. Amateur winner (David Gossett), and Nicklaus asked for a moment of silence in Stewart's honor before his opening tee shot.[50]
Later in the year, he was paired with Woods andVijay Singh in his finalPGA Championship, where he missed the cut by one shot only a few days after the death of his 91-year-old mother.[51][52][53] In both tournaments, Nicklaus provided last-minute heroics by reaching the par-5 18th in two shots in the U.S. Open and nearly holing his wedge shot for eagle at the par-5 18th in the PGA Championship.
Nicklaus played without much preparation in the2005 Masters, which was a month after the drowning death of his 17-month-old grandson Jake (child of his son Steve) on March 1, 2005. In a written statement, Nicklaus said that it was impossible to put into words the devastation of his family. Nicklaus later spoke emotionally about the tragedy. He said: "It's been an overwhelmingly difficult and trying time for my entire family. The loss of our precious 17-month-old grandson Jake was devastating."[54] Nicklaus and his son Steve played golf as therapy for their grief following Jake's death. After days of playing, Steve suggested his father return toThe Masters. He made that his last appearance in the tournament.[55]
Later in 2005, Nicklaus finished his professional career atThe Open Championship played atSt Andrews on July 15.[56] On St Andrews, Nicklaus stated:
I'm very sentimental and the place gets to me every time I go there. In May I walked around and welled up with hardly anyone watching me. St Andrews was always where I wanted to finish my major career.[56]
Nicklaus turned 65 in January that year, which was the last year he could enter The Open Championship as an exempt player. He played withLuke Donald andTom Watson in his final round.[57] After hitting his tee shot off the 18th tee in the second round, Nicklaus received a ten-minute standing ovation from the crowd. On the eighteenth fairway, he gave his final farewell to professional golf while standing on the iconicSwilcan Bridge.[58] Soon afterwards, Nicklaus ended his career with a birdie, holing a 15-foot birdie putt on the 18th green. Nicklaus missed the 36-hole cut with a score of +3 (147).[59]
The last competitive tournament in which Nicklaus played in the United States was the Champions Tour'sBayer Advantage Classic inOverland Park, Kansas, on June 13, 2005.[59]
One of the most memorable moments in Nicklaus' career occurred well after his formal retirement from the sport. At the grand opening of a course Nicklaus designed,The Golf Club at Harbor Shores inBenton Harbor, Michigan, in July 2010, Nicklaus played alongside Arnold Palmer, Tom Watson, and Johnny Miller in the Harbor Shores Champions for Change Golf Challenge. Miller questioned how anybody could handle a particular severely uphill and sloping putt spanning the entire green. Nicklaus walked over from across the green, asking "Want me to show you how to putt it?" Miller replied, "Show me how to do it" as Nicklaus dropped a ball next to Miller's and casually hit the 102-foot putt, which curved uphill and across the green before dropping perfectly into the hole, eliciting cheers.[60][61][62]
On April 8, 2015, Nicklaus hit his first-everhole-in-one at the Augusta National Golf Club at the age of 75 when participating in the Masters' Par 3 Contest, albeit on the Par 3 Course, while playing withGary Player andBen Crenshaw.[63] He hit 20 holes-in-one in professional tournament play at other venues over his career.[64]
Nicklaus devotes much of his time to golf course design and operates one of the largest golf design practices in the world. In the mid-1960s,Pete Dye initially requested Nicklaus's opinion in the architecture process of The Golf Club in suburban Columbus, Ohio, and the input increased from that point forward. Nicklaus considered golf course design another facet of the game that kept him involved and offered a challenge. His first design,Harbour Town Golf Links, co-credited with Dye, was opened for play in 1969.[65] The nine-hole, par-3 golf course of Cheeca Resort & Spa was also designed by Nicklaus in the 1960s.[66][67][68] A subsequent early, yet more prominent design wasMuirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, OH which opened in 1974 and has hosted theMemorial Tournament since its inception in 1976. This course has also hosted the 1987Ryder Cup, the 1998Solheim Cup matches and the 2013President's Cup. For the first few years, all of his projects were co-designs with either Pete Dye orDesmond Muirhead, who were two of the leading golf course architects of that era.
His first solo design,Glen Abbey Golf Course inOakville, Ontario, opened for play in 1976.[69] This course served as the host site for theCanadian Open for many years, the first being in 1977.[70] The oldest golf club in the U.S.,Saint Andrew's Golf Club in New York, was redesigned by Nicklaus in 1983.[71] In 2000, the King & Bear opened inSt. Augustine, Florida, as a joint collaboration between Nicklaus andArnold Palmer. In 2006,The Concession Golf Club opened inSarasota, Florida, as a joint collaboration between him andTony Jacklin, to commemorate their historic Ryder Cup singles match in 1969.
Nicklaus is in partnership with his four sons and his son-in-law through their company,Nicklaus Design. The company had 299 courses open for play at the end of 2005, which was nearly 1% of all the courses in the world (in 2005,Golf Digest calculated that there were nearly 32,000 golf courses in the world, approximately half of them in the United States).[65][72] While the majority of Nicklaus-designed courses are located in the United States, the company has designed golf courses in Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Europe, and Mexico. For 2009, Nicklaus Design had 12 courses inGolf Digest's "75 Best Golf Resorts in North America".[73]
Nicklaus had a golf column inSports Illustrated from 1965 until 1971, withMark Mulvoy as aghostwriter.[74][75] Nicklaus has written several golf instructional books, an autobiography (My Story), a book on his golf course design methods and philosophy, and has produced several golf videos. The writer Ken Bowden often assisted him with this work. His bookGolf My Way is one of the all-time classics of golf instruction, and has been reissued several times since the initial printing in 1974. Nicklaus has also written golf instructional columns forGolf Magazine and forGolf Digest magazine, with which he is currently associated. He also appeared as a television analyst and commentator withABC Sports on golf broadcasts.[76] Several of the books have been reissued, sometimes under different titles, andMy Story as a special high-quality limited edition for the 2000Memorial Tournament.
Between 1988 and 1998, Nicklaus also gave his name to promote the successfulJack Nicklaus computer game series published byAccolade. Several of the golf courses he designed were incorporated into the series' various incarnations. In addition,Jack Nicklaus 6: Golden Bear Challenge byActivision was published in 1999.
Nicklaus continues to manage theMemorial Tournament, which he founded in his home state of Ohio. The event is played atMuirfield Village, a course that he co-designed withDesmond Muirhead and opened in 1974. The course was officially dedicated on Memorial Day, May 27, 1974, with an exhibition match between Nicklaus andTom Weiskopf. Nicklaus scored a six-under-par 66, which stood as the course record until 1979. The forerunner to this tournament, the Columbus Pro-Am was held on the course where he first learned to play the game of golf,Scioto Country Club, from 1966 through 1975, then the inaugural Memorial Tournament was held at Muirfield Village in 1976. The tournament has become one of the more prestigious events on the PGA Tour.[31]
Each year, the tournament selects one or more individuals as honorees who have made a significant impact on the game. The inaugural tournament in 1976 paid tribute to the late Bobby Jones, while the 25th edition in 2000 honored Nicklaus. The honoree is selected by the Captain's Club, a group that acts independently of the tournament organization but also advises on player invitations and the general conduct of the event. Members of the Captain's Club have includedPeter Alliss,Peggy Kirk Bell,Sean Connery,Arnold Palmer, andGary Player among others.
The Memorial Tournament continues thePGA Tour's philanthropic focus through its relationships with Central Ohio charities. The most significant of which is its relationship withNationwide Children's Hospital since 1976. The Memorial Tournament has raised more than $5.7 million to support the programs and services at Nationwide Children's Hospital in those 30-plus years. In 2005 the Memorial made a pledge that will elevate its level of giving to more than $11 million in the coming years.
Nicklaus and his wife Barbara serve as honorary chairman and active chairwoman of the Nicklaus Children's Health Care Foundation in North Palm Beach, Florida. The foundation provides valuable programs and services free of charge to more than 4,000 hospitalized children and their families through Child Life programs, the Pediatric Oncology Support Team, and the Safe Kids program. The Nicklauses established "The Jake", a pro-am golf tournament played annually at The Bear's Club in Jupiter, Florida in honor of their 17-month-old grandson who drowned in a hot tub in 2005. It has become the foundation's chief fundraiser. Players such asRobert Allenby,Raymond Floyd,Tom Watson,Ian Baker-Finch,Ernie Els,Jay Haas,Johnny Miller andGary Player have participated.
Nicklaus and retired GeneralJohn Shalikashvili, who served asChairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from 1993 to 1997, are serving as honorary chairs for the American Lake Veterans Golf Course capital campaign inTacoma, Washington. The $4.5 million campaign in 2009 was established to complete the nation's only golf course designed for the rehabilitation of wounded and disabled veterans. The existing nine-hole course is operated, maintained, and managed by 160 volunteers. Funds are needed to add nine new holes and other improvements. A two-day event was held at Bighorn Golf Club atPalm Desert, California featuring Nicklaus, who is donating his design services for the "Nicklaus Nine". In announcing his donation of services, Nicklaus said, "I was moved to see the amazing efforts at American Lake Veterans Golf Course where our wounded warriors learn to play golf with the help of an incredible army of volunteers." Monies raised during the campaign will be used to construct the new holes, complete the construction of the Rehabilitation and Learning Center, make improvements to the original holes to enhance accessibility, upgrade the maintenance facilities and restrooms, and help underwrite operational costs.
Nicklaus ownsNicklaus Golf Equipment, which he founded in 1992.[77] Nicklaus Golf Equipment manufactures equipment in three brands: Golden Bear, Jack Nicklaus Signature, and Nicklaus Premium. These brands are designed to target golfers at different stages of golfing ability.[78]
He is known for giving advice to younger golfers. One notable example came in 1984, when a teenage Canadian golfer who had previously met Nicklaus at an exhibition wrote him for career advice. The young golfer was right-handed but played left-handed; although he was showing considerable promise as a left-hander, he had been told that he might be an even better player if he switched to right-handed play. He wrote to Nicklaus asking for advice; Nicklaus replied advising him not to change if he was comfortable playing left-handed. The young Canadian,Mike Weir, decided to stay with left-handed play, and eventually became a Masters champion. He still keeps Nicklaus's letter framed in his home.[79]
Nicklaus lends his name and likeness to a line of flavoredlemonades fromArizona Beverage Company, the same company that sells theArnold Palmer line of lemonade/iced tea blends.
In 2010, Nicklaus partnered with Terlato Wines to produce a collection of threeNapa Valley wines: Jack Nicklaus Private Reserve (a red blend), Cabernet Sauvignon and Private Reserve White (a white blend).[80] In 2012, Golden Bear Reserve, a Bordeaux-style red blend, was released to mark the 50th anniversary of Jack Nicklaus's first major championship victory, the 1962 U.S. Open.[81]
During his prime, Nicklaus was consistently among the longest and straightest hitters on thePGA Tour.[82] In 1963, he won the long-drive contest at thePGA Championship with a belt of 341 yards, 17 inches (312 meters), a record that lasted more than 20 years. He preferred the fade (left-to-right shape) for his ball flight, since this allowed the ball to stop quickly on hard and fast greens. His fades could reach long par fours and par fives in two shots.[14] Nicklaus considers his longest drive in competition to be during the final round of the1964 Masters on the 15th hole, where he had less than 160 yards left to the 500-yard par five. He hit an eight-iron slightly over the green for his second shot.
Nicklaus debuted as a young pro who hit the ball very high. Later, he could also hit lower-trajectory shots as needed. He also developed a right-to-left controlled draw.
In 1968,IBM keptPGA Tour statistics. Nicklaus led two categories for the season: he had an average driving distance of 275 yards, and hit 75 percent of greens in regulation; both marks were significantly ahead of his rivals.[83]
Even though officialPGA Tour statistics were not kept until 1980, Nicklaus was consistently the leader in greens hit in regulation through that year, displaying great command of the long and middle irons. Indeed, Nicklaus remained in the top six of this category through 1985 – far past his best playing years. Nicklaus also finished 10th in driving distance and 13th in driving accuracy in 1980 at age 40, which equated to a "Total Driving" composite of 23 – a statistical level not attained since, by a comfortable margin. Nicklaus led this category through 1982. One key to Nicklaus's ball-striking ability and overall power was his exceptional swing tempo. Of thisTom Watson referred to it as Nicklaus's greatest strength in its ability to remain smooth. This proved an asset, especially under pressure, which allowed him to obtain great distance control with his irons.
Nicklaus was also known for his course management skills. He would plan to hit each full shot to the optimal position, to best set up his next shot, usually aiming for level lies and clear approach lines, while favoring his preferred shot shapes. He would often hold back on power to achieve this, but had a power advantage over most rivals through the set, so that he could hit a 3-wood or 1-iron from the tee with increased accuracy to avoid trouble, with sufficient length to keep up with the drivers hit by most rivals. An exceptional example of this came in the final round of the 1966 Open Championship at Muirfield, on the 17th hole, a 530-yard par 5 hole. Nicklaus needed a birdie, but the hole was framed by tall fescue rough, and was playing downwind with very firm turf conditions. He used a 3-iron from the tee and hit the shot 290 yards, then hit a 5-iron 240 yards onto the green, two-putted for birdie, and parred the final hole to win the title.[31]
Nicklaus was the first player to chart and document yardages on the course on a consistent, planned basis. For most of his career, he was not known for his skill on touch shots with the wedges, so he would often play to avoid wedge shots that needed less-than-full swings.Gary Player stated that Nicklaus had "the greatest mind the game has ever known".[84]
Nicklaus was not known for being an outstanding putter, but he was often able to make the important putts when they were needed.[85] Nicklaus's putting was highly regarded by his rivals. He was also known as a conservative player at times; he went for broke only when it was necessary. This was especially apparent on the greens, where he would often choose to be less aggressive and make sure of an easy two-putt. Nicklaus spoke about this in his autobiography. "I was a fine two-putter, but sometimes too defensive—too concerned about three-putting—to go for putts that I probably should have gone for."[31]
After Nicklaus's first year on the PGA Tour in 1962, he received thePGA Tour Rookie of the Year award. As well as receiving thePGA Tour Player of the Year five times and topping the PGA Tour money list eight times, he has also attained theBob Jones Award and thePayne Stewart Award, among others.
Nicklaus was inducted into theWorld Golf Hall of Fame in the inaugural class of 1974 and theCanadian Golf Hall of Fame in 1995.[86] His likeness was featured on a special commemorative issuefive-pound note issued by theRoyal Bank of Scotland, making him the first living person outside theRoyal Family to appear on a British banknote.[87][88][89] In 1999 he was on the six man short list for theBBC'sSports Personality of the Century.[90]
In 2001, Nicklaus was honored with the "Lombardi Award of Excellence" from the Vince Lombardi Cancer Foundation. The award was created to honor CoachLombardi's legacy, and is awarded annually to an individual who exemplifies the spirit of the Coach.
There is aJack Nicklaus Museum on the campus ofThe Ohio State University in his home town of Columbus.[91] The museum was opened in 2002 and is a state-of-the-art, 24,000-square-foot (2,200 m2) facility offering a comprehensive view of Nicklaus's life and career in and out of golf as well as exhibits celebrating the history and legends of the game.
Nicklaus had the rare privilege of "dotting the 'i'" of "Script Ohio", the signature formation ofthe Ohio State University Marching Band, at the Ohio State homecoming game on October 28, 2006, when the Buckeyes playedMinnesota; this is considered the greatest honor that can be bestowed on a non-band member.[92] Nicklaus was the fifth non-band member to receive this award. Other recipients includeBob Hope andWoody Hayes. While at Ohio State University, Nicklaus became a member of the Fraternity ofPhi Gamma Delta.[93]
Along withAnnika Sörenstam, Nicklaus was named a Global Ambassador for theInternational Golf Federation in 2008 and was instrumental in bringing golf to the Olympics for the2016 and2020 Games. Golf was last an Olympic sport at the1904 Games inSt. Louis, Missouri when the United States and Canada were the only two competing countries. TheInternational Olympic Committee approved the inclusion by a vote of 63–27, with two abstentions.
Nicklaus joinedArnold Palmer as an honorary starter for the 2010 Masters. Nicklaus became the eighth honorary starter since the tradition began in 1963 when Nicklaus won his first green jacket. The Big Three were once again reunited in Augusta for the 2012 Masters Tournament asGary Player joined Palmer and Nicklaus to kick off the 76th renewal of the major tournament.
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Nicklaus, through his global reach in design and development, as well as the worldwide marketing and licensing of his golf and lifestyle brand, is atopGolf Inc. magazine's coveted list of the "Most Powerful People in Golf" for a record-extending sixth consecutive year. He is the only golf industry figure who has ever been named to the No. 1 spot for more than three years. Nicklaus topped the 2009 worldwide list of 35 individuals who were selected by a panel of editors for their ability to influence and impact the business of golf, be it the development of courses and communities, the operation of courses, the equipment used by golfers, or the rules and regulations of the game.Golf Inc. wrote that while the Golden Bear's reign at No. 1 is unprecedented, "the fact is that he keeps adding to his legend, at the design table and in the business world. Despite a worldwide course development slowdown, Nicklaus's design firm has over 40 courses in development around the globe ... And he remains perhaps golf's most respected spokesperson on a wide range of issues."
On May 19, 2014, theUnited States House of Representatives voted to passH.R. 2203, a bill that would award Nicklaus theCongressional Gold Medal "in recognition of his service to the nation in promoting excellence and good sportsmanship".[94] The bill says that Nicklaus's "magnetic personality and unfailing sense of kindness and thoughtfulness have endeared him to millions throughout the world".[95] CongressmanThomas Massie objected to avoice vote, and demanded aroll call vote.[96] He then tried to rally opposition to the measure, but the vote passed easily over Massie's objection: 371–10.[96]
He was awarded theFreedom of the Royal Burgh ofSt Andrews on July 11, 2022.[97]
Nicklaus holds the record forPGA major championships with a total 18;Tiger Woods is in second place with 15. Nicklaus has the third most PGA Tour victories with 73, behindSam Snead (82) and Woods (82). Nicklaus also holds the record for the most wins at theMasters with six, andThe Players Championship with three. He played on sixRyder Cup teams, captained the team twice and thePresidents Cup team four times, and topped the PGA Tour money list and scoring average eight times each. For 24 straight seasons, from 1960 to 1983 inclusive, he made at least one top ten finish in a major championship, and this is a record.
| Year | Championship | 54 holes | Winning score | Margin | Runner(s)-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1962 | U.S. Open | 2 shot deficit | −1 (72-70-72-69=283) | Playoff1 |  Arnold Palmer |
| 1963 | Masters Tournament | 1 shot lead | −2 (74-66-74-72=286) | 1 stroke | Tony Lema |
| 1963 | PGA Championship | 3 shot deficit | −5 (69-73-69-68=279) | 2 strokes | Dave Ragan |
| 1965 | Masters Tournament (2) | 5 shot lead | −17 (67-71-64-69=271) | 9 strokes | Arnold Palmer, Gary Player |
| 1966 | Masters Tournament (3) | Tied for lead | E (68-76-72-72=288) | Playoff2 | Tommy Jacobs (2nd),Gay Brewer (3rd) |
| 1966 | The Open Championship | 2 shot deficit | −2 (70-67-75-70=282) | 1 stroke | Doug Sanders, Dave Thomas |
| 1967 | U.S. Open (2) | 1 shot deficit | −5 (71-67-72-65=275) | 4 strokes | Arnold Palmer |
| 1970 | The Open Championship (2) | 2 shot deficit | −5 (68-69-73-73=283) | Playoff3 | Doug Sanders |
| 1971 | PGA Championship (2) | 4 shot lead | −7 (69-69-70-73=281) | 2 strokes | Billy Casper |
| 1972 | Masters Tournament (4) | 1 shot lead | −2 (68-71-73-74=286) | 3 strokes |  Bruce Crampton,Bobby Mitchell,Tom Weiskopf |
| 1972 | U.S. Open (3) | 1 shot lead | +2 (71-73-72-74=290) | 3 strokes | Bruce Crampton |
| 1973 | PGA Championship (3) | 1 shot lead | −7 (72-68-68-69=277) | 4 strokes | Bruce Crampton |
| 1975 | Masters Tournament (5) | 1 shot deficit | −12 (68-67-73-68=276) | 1 stroke | Tom Weiskopf,Johnny Miller |
| 1975 | PGA Championship (4) | 4 shot lead | −4 (70-68-67-71=276) | 2 strokes | Bruce Crampton |
| 1978 | The Open Championship (3) | 1 shot deficit | −7 (71-72-69-69=281) | 2 strokes | Ben Crenshaw,Raymond Floyd,Tom Kite, Simon Owen |
| 1980 | U.S. Open (4) | Tied for lead | −8 (63-71-70-68=272) | 2 strokes |  Isao Aoki |
| 1980 | PGA Championship (5) | 3 shot lead | −6 (70-69-66-69=274) | 7 strokes | Andy Bean |
| 1986 | Masters Tournament (6) | 4 shot deficit | −9 (74-71-69-65=279) | 1 stroke | Tom Kite,Greg Norman |
1Defeated Palmer in 18-hole playoff; Nicklaus (71), Palmer (74).
2Defeated Jacobs (2nd) & Brewer (3rd) in 18-hole playoff; Nicklaus (70), Jacobs (72), Brewer (78). 1st, 2nd and 3rd prizes awarded in this playoff.
3Defeated Sanders in 18-hole playoff; Nicklaus (72), Sanders (73).
| Tournament | 1957 | 1958 | 1959 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Masters Tournament | CUT | ||
| U.S. Open | CUT | T41 | CUT |
| The Open Championship | |||
| PGA Championship |
| Tournament | 1960 | 1961 | 1962 | 1963 | 1964 | 1965 | 1966 | 1967 | 1968 | 1969 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Masters Tournament | T13LA | T7 | T15 | 1 | T2 | 1 | 1 | CUT | T5 | T24 |
| U.S. Open | 2LA | T4LA | 1 | CUT | T23 | T32 | 3 | 1 | 2 | T25 |
| The Open Championship | T34 | 3 | 2 | T12 | 1 | 2 | T2 | T6 | ||
| PGA Championship | T3 | 1 | T2 | T2 | T22 | T3 | CUT | T11 |
| Tournament | 1970 | 1971 | 1972 | 1973 | 1974 | 1975 | 1976 | 1977 | 1978 | 1979 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Masters Tournament | 8 | T2 | 1 | T3 | T4 | 1 | T3 | 2 | 7 | 4 |
| U.S. Open | T49 | 2 | 1 | T4 | T10 | T7 | T11 | T10 | T6 | T9 |
| The Open Championship | 1 | T5 | 2 | 4 | 3 | T3 | T2 | 2 | 1 | T2 |
| PGA Championship | T6 | 1 | T13 | 1 | 2 | 1 | T4 | 3 | CUT | T65 |
| Tournament | 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Masters Tournament | T33 | T2 | T15 | WD | T18 | T6 | 1 | T7 | T21 | T18 |
| U.S. Open | 1 | T6 | 2 | T43 | T21 | CUT | T8 | T46 | CUT | T43 |
| The Open Championship | T4 | T23 | T10 | T29 | T31 | CUT | T46 | T72 | T25 | T30 |
| PGA Championship | 1 | T4 | T16 | 2 | T25 | T32 | T16 | T24 | CUT | T27 |
| Tournament | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Masters Tournament | 6 | T35 | T42 | T27 | CUT | T35 | T41 | T39 | T6 | |
| U.S. Open | T33 | T46 | CUT | T72 | T28 | CUT | T27 | T52 | T43 | CUT |
| The Open Championship | T63 | T44 | CUT | CUT | CUT | T79 | T45 | T60 | ||
| PGA Championship | CUT | T23 | CUT | CUT | CUT | T67 | CUT | CUT |
| Tournament | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Masters Tournament | T54 | CUT | CUT | CUT | CUT | |
| U.S. Open | CUT | |||||
| The Open Championship | CUT | CUT | ||||
| PGA Championship | CUT |
LA = Low amateur
CUT = missed the half-way cut
WD = withdrew
"T" indicates a tie for a place.
| Tournament | Wins | 2nd | 3rd | Top-5 | Top-10 | Top-25 | Events | Cuts made |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Masters Tournament | 6 | 4 | 2 | 15 | 22 | 29 | 45 | 37 |
| U.S. Open | 4 | 4 | 1 | 11 | 18 | 22 | 44 | 35 |
| The Open Championship | 3 | 7 | 3 | 16 | 18 | 21 | 38 | 32 |
| PGA Championship | 5 | 4 | 3 | 14 | 15 | 23 | 37 | 27 |
| Totals | 18 | 19 | 9 | 56 | 73 | 95 | 164 | 131 |
| Year | Championship | 54 holes | Winning score | Margin | Runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 | Tournament Players Championship | 3 shot deficit | −16 (66-71-68-67=272) | 2 strokes | J. C. Snead |
| 1976 | Tournament Players Championship (2) | Tied for lead | −19 (66-70-68-65=269) | 3 strokes | J. C. Snead |
| 1978 | Tournament Players Championship (3) | 1 shot lead | +1 (70-71-73-75=289) | 1 stroke | Lou Graham |
| Tournament | 1974 | 1975 | 1976 | 1977 | 1978 | 1979 | 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Players Championship | 1 | T18 | 1 | T5 | 1 | T33 | T14 | T29 | CUT | T19 | T33 | T17 | CUT | CUT | CUT | T29 | CUT | CUT |
CUT = missed the halfway cut
"T" indicates a tie for a place.
| Year | Championship | Winning score | Margin | Runner(s)-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | The Tradition at Desert Mountain | −10 (71-67-68=206) | 4 strokes |  Gary Player |
| 1990 | Mazda Senior Tournament Players Championship | −27 (65-68-64-64=261) | 6 strokes | Lee Trevino |
| 1991 | The Tradition at Desert Mountain (2) | −11 (71-73-66-67=277) | 1 stroke | Jim Colbert,Jim Dent,Phil Rodgers |
| 1991 | PGA Seniors' Championship | −17 (66-66-69-70=271) | 6 strokes | Bruce Crampton |
| 1991 | U.S. Senior Open | +2 (72-69-70-71=282) | Playoff1 | Chi-Chi Rodríguez |
| 1993 | U.S. Senior Open (2) | −6 (68-73-67-70=278) | 1 stroke | Tom Weiskopf |
| 1995 | The Tradition (3) | −12 (69-71-69-67=276) | Playoff2 | Isao Aoki |
| 1996 | The Tradition (4) | −16 (68-74-65-65=272) | 3 strokes | Hale Irwin |
1Defeated Rodríguez in 18-hole playoff; Nicklaus, (65), Rodríguez (69).
2Defeated Aoki with a birdie on the third extra playoff hole.
| Tournament | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Tradition | 1 | 1 | 2 | T9 | T4 | 1 | 1 | T25 | T25 | |
| Senior PGA Championship | T3 | 1 | T10 | T9 | 9 | 8 | T22 | T2 | T6 | |
| Senior Players Championship | 1 | T22 | T22 | T6 | 2 | T24 | T8 | 6 | ||
| U.S. Senior Open | T2 | 1 | T3 | 1 | T7 | 2 | 16 | T5 | T13 |
| Tournament | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Tradition | T9 | T29 | 69 | T10 | |
| Senior PGA Championship | T12 | 12 | WD | CUT | WD |
| Senior Players Championship | T34 | WD | T40 | ||
| U.S. Senior Open | T21 | 4 | T25 | ||
| Senior British Open | T14 | ||||
CUT = missed the half-way cut
WD = withdrew
"T" indicates a tie for a place.Note: The Senior British Open was not a Champions Tour major until 2003.
Media from Commons
Quotations from Wikiquote
Data from Wikidata
Jack Nicklaus in theRyder Cup | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Jack Nicklaus in thePresidents Cup | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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