MORE MASTERS 2020 CONTENT FROM GOLF DIGEST: Masters 101Everything you need to know about the major How to watch the Masters on TV and streaming online Ranking every golfer in the Masters field Our 13 best bets to win the 2020 Masters 50 defining moments in Masters history, ranked Never say neverAn oral history of Tiger's dramatic 2019 Masters victory How Tiger Woods plays every hole at Augusta National Can Bryson break Augusta? 9 things Augusta National doesnt want to talk about The most memorable rules issues in Masters history A completely unscientific ranking of 10 Masters traditions The 13 best B characters in Masters history. Of his 163 rounds at the tournament, more than 40 were played after he turned 50 years old. Copyright 2023 Endgame360 Inc. All Rights Reserved. The oldest player to win a major:. And were all still asking the same question: Tiger or Jack? Thats about as good an explanation for why Woods agreed to go under the knife yet again as weve heard to date. This is a simple debate. Nicklaus had 57 runner-up finishes in his career and 269 top-10s while Woods had 31 runner-up finishes, or 26 behind Nicklaus, and 199 top-10s, 60 less than the Golden Bear. So, with the following caveats Nicklaus and Woods are 1A and 1B on the all-time list; these facts pro-Jack, not anti-Tiger; and that all of this can change over the next 15 years USA TODAY Sports presents 11 reasons why Jack Nicklaus is greater than Tiger Woods. He took the PGA Tour to a whole new level and continues to make many golfers absolutely filthy rich because of all the money Tiger brought into the game. Neither did Ernie, Vijay, Retief, David Duval or any other top golfer of the last 20 years. For Nicklaus, he battled against stiffer competition and four of the greatest golfers in the history of the game, including Arnold Palmer, Gary Player, Tom Watson, and Lee Trevino, each of whom won six or more majors. But none of the players have the experience winning majors like Tiger does, so he has that on his side as he looks to add another improbable chapters in golfs history books. But man, tacos are freakin good, too. At the majors. These two generational talents can never be compared with each other. Some fun stats, for sure. An important stat is their Masters win, where Woods is just one win away from Nicklaus record. He never came back to win, despite a half-dozen opportunities to win majors with a Sunday charge. And I know Nicklaus had Arnold Palmer, Gary Player, Lee Trevino, Tom Watson, and many others but Tigers time, especially over the last 10 years, has been much more competitive. 1 ranked golfer in the world; Player was No. Clearly, Woods has a larger number of legitimate competitors to worry about each week than Nicklaus did. Thru their 55th Major Tournament (Masters, U S Open, British, PGA), here's how they compare: Age - Tiger 33 Jack 33 Wins - Tiger 14 Jack 11 2nd Place - Tiger 5 Jack 11 3rd Place - Tiger 3 Jack 5 Top 10's - Tiger 31 Jack 36 Top 25's - Tiger 44 Jack - 45 Missed Cuts - Tiger 4 Jack 6 Scoring Average - Tiger 70.63 Jack 71.64 He had the claret jug in his sights at Muirfield, but he finished second by one shot to Trevino, who chipped in on the 71st hole. Furthermore, hes made it to the Top-10 on the leaderboard 41 times in 87 appearances. Jason Day said Tiger Woods told him the painful reason that Woods withdrew from last year's PGA Champ. But what about golf? Nicklaus had the famous "yes sir!" Nicklaus dominates Woods in all of the major championships except The Open. Theyre both tied at three titles apiece. While Woods' win at the 2019 Masters finally ended a decade-plus drought in the game's biggest events, it's this lesser-known record that has come into focus since Major No. While five players have won the Players twice (Woods included), Nicklaus is the only player to win the Tours flagship event three times, doing so in the events first 5 years. Its tricky comparing athletes from different generations. . The fact that over his career he didn't win as many medals as Carl Lewis does nothing to convince me that Carl was better. When he won a greenjacket again in 1965 by nine shots over Palmer and Gary Player (theonly time the Big Three would ever finish in the top three together in amajor), he shaved three strokes off the scoring record of 274 set in 1953 byHogan. after undergoing surgery on his right ankle, withdrew during the rain-delayed third round, List of Tigers injuries through the years. Nobody ever flew higher than Tiger. "He's the greatest champion that's ever lived," Woods said of Nicklaus after winning the Memorial in 2012. In any given tournament, Jack Nicklaus was essentially playing against a field of four or five players,outstanding players be that as it may. A year later, Tiger made the pages of the venerable sports magazine again and a more apt analogy was made: Hes the next Nicklaus, maybe better.. The two active players with more than three major titles Phil Mickelson and Ernie Els are rarely direct rivals for Woods. While Jack does have more major victories, Tiger still has more PGA Tour wins. Each total, except for his Claret Jugs, is an all-time records (or tied for one). Jack: Won the Masters at age 46, making him the third-oldest major winner ever. Nicklaus had won the 1971 PGA, played in February as a concession to the South Florida heat, then added the 1972 Masters and U.S. Open titles. graduate from KJ Somaiya, Devika has an experience with sportswriting at I think hes in more pain than he lets everybody know. While the 46-year-old is confident about a win this year, Woods clinching the Masters title is not easy. Arjun manages the Golf division and its content, and primarily covers news There have been few worthy adversaries. Who knows.. But the circumstances of a time and generation do not provide a level playing field. Aside from him, there are just two other players with three major wins during the Tiger era: Ernie Els and Vijay Singh. Who is your ultimate GOAT? There are more talented golfers coming from more diverse locales, but very few of Woods' contemporaries have stepped up in majors. Nobody had seen players like them. To keep up with stronger junior golfers, Woods learned how the short game . He won 27 overall tournaments from 1999-2002 and then 25 tournaments from 2005-2008. His winning percentage was 26% and won 14 majors in his first 63 starts. The only men to truly go toe-to-toe with him in the final round of a major were Y.E. My short games great. "I feel very bad for Tiger. Tiger had a still-impressive run of 17 straight seasons with a top 10. Now, you can make two counterpoints to that statement the same ones people use to defend Serena Williams against similar criticism. (They pretty much won those titles in the same time span, though Nicklaus went 17-straight seasons with a win, compared to Tigers 14.). While Nicklaus finished second more than 10 times to players on that list, Woods' runner-up finishes have been to one-hit wonders like Trevor Immelman, Zach Johnson, Rich Beem, Y.E. It also reignited an old debate: Can Tiger break Jack Nicklaus' record for the most major championship wins . Another impressive Woods number is cuts made. How many titles does Tiger Woods have? This ones mind-blowing: Jack finished inside the top 10 in 31 of 33 majors from 1970-78. Nicklaus has played in six, with a 17-8-3 record. With 18 wins to his name, Nicklaus is currently leading. Who has hit the most holes in one all-time? Nicklauss best streak was 105. AUGUSTA, GEORGIA APRIL 14: Tiger Woods of the United States celebrates after WINS ROUNDS MONEY; Tiger Woods: 1025: 198: 82: 1,375: $120,954,766: Explore. However, maybe just statistically, certain people might be inclined towards Nicklaus. In the end, major titles arent given more weight because of their timing. The Tiger Slam. Back in the late 2000s, the question around Tiger Woods didn't feel like "if" he would break Jack Nicklaus's 18 majors. In 2000, other than Tiger Woods, the remainder of the top-five ranked players in the world won 11 percent of PGA Tour events. (Two of Tigers poor final rounds made Ben Curtis and Michael Campbell major champions.) In the 1970s, Nicklaus only finished outside the top 10 in five majors. Jack won six Masters, four U.S. pic.twitter.com/VzzEM5f42p, Collin Morikawa Joins Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus in Elite List Following The In 1963, Jack became, at 23, the youngest to win the Masters. During the best part of Jack Nicklaus career, his main competitors were Tom Watson, Gary Player, Arnold Palmer, Lee Trevino, and Billy Casper. Andrew Redington/Getty Images). 4, and Trevino was ranked fifth. So, whose career would you rather have, Woods or Nicklaus? So hopefully this surgery will be the last of it. ClearlyJohnson Wagner and J.B. Holmes are no Gary Player and Arnold Palmer. The numbers favor Jack, at least in terms of majors. (Not that anyone was really paying attention to a potential NicklaSlam. You dont want to see anybody, theyre hurting. Terms of Service Even with those impressive numbers, he still cant compete with Nicklaus. During Tiger Woods' career, his main competitors in majors have been Phil Mickelson, Ernie Els, Retief Goosen, Vijay Singh, and Jim Furyk. The older of the two has also been the runner-up 19 times as opposed to Woods 7. With the. The answer to the question, Who is the greatest of all time? is It depends. In the majors, Jack wins. And even though it's 2013 and the Nicklaus brand is mostly forgotten, I've seen a Golden Bear logo more recently than a TW logo. Even if you think Tiger will win more majors (and I do), getting five and topping Nicklaus is nearly unfathomable. Nicklaus, though the most consecutive majors he ever won was two, came within a Lee Trevino chip-in of holding all four major titles at the same time in 1972. Tiger is still a man at work. These are all the significant stats you need to know about how two GOATs of golf performed in major championships. He won seven of 11 major championships from the 1999 PGA to the 2002 U.S. Open and then, almost as an afterthought, had a run of four of eight (matching Jacks best) in the majors held in 2005 and 2006. The overall win total in tournaments reveals one interesting thingWoods in his prime was better than prime Nicklaus. How long Woods will be sidelined this time is anyones guess, but his participation in this years remaining three majors the PGA Championship in May, U.S. Open in June and British Open in July seems unlikely. Tigers biggest rival is Phil Mickelson, a guy best known for his collapses who not only failed to outduel Tiger on a Sunday, he failed to even duel him. Are players such as Mickelson, Els, Singh, and Goosen just as good today as Palmer, Player, Trevino, Casper, and Watson were, and is Tiger just that much better than them? But, on any given week, Tiger Woods is playing against 150+ players that have a realistic, legitimate chance to win if they get hot that particular week. Woods won 27 tournaments from 1999-2002 and added 25 tournament trophies to his collection from 2005-2008. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images for Paynes Valley Cup). 1 in the world, he was followed by David Duval, Colin Montgomery, Davis Love III, and Ernie Els. Is that because Nicklaus game was at a lower level that allowed the other top-ranked players to catch him? https://golfweek.usatoday.com/2022/12/24/jack-nicklaus-tiger-woods-pga-tour-career-major-stats/, Mexico, Caribbean, Atlantic islands, Central America, Top 50 Classic Courses in Great Britain & Ireland, Top 50 Modern Courses in Great Britain & Ireland. This was in SI this week. Please check your email for a confirmation. Now, at this very moment you are probably thinking that I have completely lost my mind by naming players such as Hunter Mahan, Stephen Ames, and Chez Reavia as competition comparable to the likes of Palmer, Player, Trevino, Casper, and Watson. birdie putt in 1986 on No. Of course, their popularity is a result of their incredibly illustrious careers. 2020 on the Paynes Valley course at Big Cedar Lodge in Ridgedale, Missouri. Jack has 18 majors and Tiger has 14 majors, therefore Jack is the greatest of all time. and When Woods was growing up, he had a poster of Nicklaus on his wall. While there is really no conclusive answer, several bits of statistics might offer some perspective. At a Farmers Insurance Open or AndyWilliams Classic as it was called decades ago or any other regular Tourevent, Tiger would've beaten Jack like Jack beat Arnold. Hes never been challenged in the fourth round and hes never come from behind to challenge for a major title. In 1991, a 15-year-old Tiger Woods was the subject of his first Sports Illustrated profile. With his 24-year-old eldest son Jackie as his caddie, Nicklaus opened with a modest 74 but improved with rounds of 71 and 69 to sit in a tie for ninth going into the final day. How much money has Tiger Woods won in his career? I think its a lot more serious. Jack Nicklaus, whose record of 18 majors is looking more safe with every passing day and every injury Woods sustains, prefaced his comments . But Nicklaus' reach extends further than that the Golden Bear designs courses and promotes golf all around the world. But. That always will be Nicklaus. Thatd be the first time a Masters champion has gone back-to-back at Augusta since Tiger in 2001 and 2002. Advantage: Nicklaus. Woods stands at 15, and his last major title being the 2019 Masters. Nicklaus did still own the advantage in major titles, 18-16, after all. While both have had to face quality competition to get their wins, Id have to side with Tigers era being deeper than Nicklaus era. 2023 1986 Masters (46) ben hogan. Hes a very motivated and dedicated young man to continue to play the game of golf., Nicklaus added of the 47-year-old golfer, whose body has been through the ringer: The dedicated young doesnt last very long.. Can all the kings horses and all the kings men put golfs Humpty Dumpty back together again? The late Frank Chirkinian hated it when anyone would try to compare Jack Nicklaus to Ben Hogan. The question of who is the greatest golfer of all time comes down to two men: Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images). Home Ofthe 64 majors Tiger has played as a professional, hes finished outside ofthe top 10 some 26 times while winning 14. Despite his thrilling 2019 Masters victory, Tiger's 45th trip around the sun is a reminder that he will almost certainly not reach the ever-elusive 19-major championship mark to best Jack. But, looking at the other side of the coin, no one has really stepped up to consistently challenge Woods the way Palmer, Player, Trevino, Casper, and Watson challenged Nicklaus. Follow along here. Golf Channel, All Rights Reserved. He captured 18 major titles in his career compared to Woods and his 15, up until now. And I know I could be seen as biased because Ive been fortunate to live through Tigers prime. Tiger won eight of hisfirst 22 majors; Jack won seven of his first 22. The exception is 1971, when the PGA Championship was played in February in Florida and was that years first major, not its fourth. Has Tiger Woods ever missed the cut at The Masters? Not that we wont keep arguing about it for the next 25 years. Golf The Masters Augusta National Golf Club Augusta, Georgia, U.S. April 8, 2021 Honorary starter Jack Nicklaus of the U.S. with Bubba Watson and Phil Mickelson before the ceremonial start on the first day of play REUTERS/Brian Snyder. Thirty years later, Tiger would do the same before a 28th-place finish at the British ended his chances.). 15 for Tiger was . With every passing year, however, the Tiger Slam becomes more and more remarkable. They shrunk in the spotlight. Tiger Woods matched that streak with his run from the 1996 U.S. Open to the 2006 Masters. If you accept that golfers are only measured by their performance in the biggest events, its a slam-dunk argument. You have one golf tournament to win. Gesture at The Open Championship 2021, Full Spectrum Services LLP 2022 | All Rights Reserved. Jack broke another Hogan scoring record at the 1967 U.S. Open in winning by four shots over Palmer. Yang and Michael Campbell. Woods hasnt officially retired yet, but the chances of him winning another major are very slim. Is Tiger just that much better that his skill level allows him to exceed that of his direct competitors by a larger gap than Nicklaus was able to achieve? Hes showed a lot of guts and courage to play and try to be part of whats going on with the way hes been, he continued. Tiger had 14. I dont know a whole lot about what hes been through, Nicklaus began. One of the most distorted views in golf is that Jack Nicklaus had far more competition during his playing years than Tiger Woods has today. That being said, irrespective of ones preference, Woods and Nicklaus contributions cannot be overlooked. Opens, three British Opens and five PGA Championships. Aside from Jack Nicklaus, Player, Casper, Palmer, and Trevino won nearly 18 percent of PGA Tour events. Became a Collin Fan Today Twitter Reacts to Collin Morikawas Heartwarming In Nicklaus best four-year stretch he won 22 from 1970-73 and added another 17 titles from 1964-67. Insanity. Apart from that, both legends have also inspired generations to take up the game.

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