Jack Nicklaus
Next Tuesday, January 21, American legend Jack Nicklaus will be 80.
Perhaps the greatest golfer ever, during his career, Jack competed in 164 Majors, more than any other player, winning a record 18 while also claiming 73 US PGA tour wins.
As an amateur, he played in the Walker Cup and was runner-up in the 1960 US Open, two shots behind Arnold Palmer.
But Jack’s golfing career will be defined by his 18 Major triumphs which are:
■ Six US Masters: 1963, 1965, 1966, 1972, 1975, 1986.
■ Five US PGA wins: 1963, 1971, 1973, 1975, 1980.
■ Four US Opens: 1962, 1967, 1972, 1980.
■Three British Opens: 1966, 1970, 1978.
His first British Open win came at Muirfield in 1966 and his last two at St. Andrew’s, in 1970 when he beat Doug Sanders in a play-off and in 1978 when he became the first player to win all three Majors on three separate occasions.
‘Golden Bear’ Jack ended his career at St. Andrew’s in 2005, receiving a ten-minute ovation from the crowd when hitting his final tee-shot 200 yards down the fairway towards the 18th hole before sinking a swan song 15-foot birdie.
Born in Colombus, Ohio in 1940, Jack played American football, tennis, basketball and baseball at school and was only ten when he got the ‘golfing bug’. Indeed, while still at school, he carded a 51 for the first nine holes at his father’s course, the Scioto Country Club.
Club professional, Jack Groat, was so impressed with ‘young’ Jack that he became his life-long coach.
Jack’s 17th game of golf saw him win the 1962 US Open at Oakmount, collecting $17,500 (€15,600/£14,500). In contrast, the 2019 Open winner Gary Woodland earned $2.2m (€1.96m/£1.88m).
Jack won practically every honour in the game, including the Ryder Cup, and when he retired, he joined the Senior PGA Tour, going on to win ten more competitions, including eight Majors.
Today, Jack heads one of the world’s largest golf course design companies. He’s also a member of the American Society of Golf Course Architects and organizes the PGA Memorial Tournament.
The author of several ‘golforientated’ books, his autobiography‘Golf My Way’ - is a best-selling instructional golf publication.
Owner of the Nicklaus Golf Computer Games franchise, Jack’s charity work is legendary. Indeed, he received the USA ‘Congressional Gold Medal’ in 2014 in recognition of his service to the nation in promoting excellence and good sportsmanship.
Happy birthday Jack, champion golfer, the best the sport has ever seen.