Jack William Nicklaus was born on January 21, 1940, and nicknamed The Golden Bear, is an American retired professional golfer and golf course designer.
FactSnippet No. 474,983 |
Jack William Nicklaus was born on January 21, 1940, and nicknamed The Golden Bear, is an American retired professional golfer and golf course designer.
FactSnippet No. 474,983 |
Jack Nicklaus is widely considered to be one of the greatest golfers of all time.
FactSnippet No. 474,984 |
Jack Nicklaus turned professional at age 21 toward the end of 1961.
FactSnippet No. 474,986 |
Jack Nicklaus earned his first professional victory at the 1962 U S Open, defeating Palmer by three shots in a next-day 18-hole playoff and launching a rivalry between golf superstars.
FactSnippet No. 474,987 |
In 1966, Jack Nicklaus became the first player to win the Masters Tournament two years running; he won The Open Championship, becoming at age 26 the youngest player to win all four golf majors.
FactSnippet No. 474,988 |
Jack Nicklaus won the 1986 Masters, his 18th and final major championship at age 46, the tournament's oldest winner.
FactSnippet No. 474,989 |
Jack Nicklaus joined the Senior PGA Tour when he became eligible in January 1990, and by April 1996 had won 10 tournaments, including eight major championships despite playing a very limited schedule.
FactSnippet No. 474,990 |
Jack Nicklaus continued to play at least some of the four regular Tour majors until 2005 when he made his final appearances at the Masters Tournament and The Open Championship.
FactSnippet No. 474,991 |
Jack Nicklaus's books vary from instructional to autobiographical, with his Golf 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.
FactSnippet No. 474,992 |
Jack Nicklaus was born on January 21, 1940, in Columbus, Ohio and grew up in the suburb of Upper Arlington.
FactSnippet No. 474,993 |
Jack Nicklaus attended Upper Arlington High School, whose nickname and mascot are coincidentally the Golden Bears.
FactSnippet No. 474,994 |
In Jack Nicklaus's senior year, he was an honorable mention All-Ohio selection in basketball as a shooting guard, and he received some recruiting interest from college basketball programs, including Ohio State.
FactSnippet No. 474,995 |
Jack Nicklaus took up golf at the age of 10, scoring a 51 at Scioto Country Club for his first nine holes ever played.
FactSnippet No. 474,996 |
Charlie Jack Nicklaus had joined Scioto that same year, returning to golf to help heal a volleyball injury.
FactSnippet No. 474,997 |
Jack Nicklaus was coached at Scioto by club pro Jack Grout, a Texas-developed contemporary of golf greats Byron Nelson and Ben Hogan; Grout had played quite successfully on the PGA Tour and would become Nicklaus's lifelong golf instructor.
FactSnippet No. 474,998 |
Jack Nicklaus won the first of five straight Ohio State Junior titles at the age of 12.
FactSnippet No. 474,999 |
Jack Nicklaus had earned a handicap of +3 at age 13, the lowest in the Columbus area.
FactSnippet No. 475,000 |
Jack Nicklaus won the Tri-State High School Championship at the age of 14 with a round of 68, and recorded his first hole-in-one in tournament play the same year.
FactSnippet No. 475,001 |
At 15, Nicklaus shot a 66 at Scioto Country Club, which was the amateur course record, and qualified for his first U S Amateur.
FactSnippet No. 475,002 |
Jack Nicklaus won the Ohio Open in 1956 at age 16, highlighted by a phenomenal third round of 64, competing against professionals.
FactSnippet No. 475,003 |
In 1957, Jack Nicklaus won the International Jaycee Junior Golf Tournament, having lost the previous year in a playoff.
FactSnippet No. 475,004 |
Also in 1959, Jack Nicklaus won the North and South Amateur at Pinehurst, North Carolina and competed in three additional PGA Tour events, with his best finish being another 12th place showing at the Buick Open.
FactSnippet No. 475,005 |
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.
FactSnippet No. 475,006 |
Jack Nicklaus was followed by Phil Mickelson, Tiger Woods (1996), Ryan Moore (2004), and Bryson DeChambeau (2015).
FactSnippet No. 475,007 |
Jack Nicklaus won the NCAA Big Ten Conference Championship that year with a 72-hole aggregate of 283, while earlier claiming the Western Amateur in New Orleans.
FactSnippet No. 475,008 |
At the 1960 U S Open, twenty-year-old Nicklaus shot a two-under-par 282, finishing in second place two strokes behind winner Arnold Palmer.
FactSnippet No. 475,009 |
Jack Nicklaus played the final 36 holes with Ben Hogan, who later remarked that he had just played 36 holes with a kid who should have won by 10 shots.
FactSnippet No. 475,010 |
Jack Nicklaus tied for fourth in the 1961 U S Open, three shots behind champion Gene Littler, having played the final 54 holes one under par.
FactSnippet No. 475,011 |
Jack Nicklaus represented the United States against Great Britain and Ireland on winning Walker Cup teams in both 1959 and 1961, decisively winning both of his matches in each contest.
FactSnippet No. 475,012 |
Jack Nicklaus was a member of the victorious 1960 U S Eisenhower Trophy team, winning the unofficial individual title by 13 shots over teammate Deane Beman with a four-round score of 269, a record which still stands; this score was 18 shots lower than Ben Hogan's earlier U S Open aggregate of 287 at the same site.
FactSnippet No. 475,013 |
For three straight years, Jack Nicklaus was named the world's top amateur golfer by Golf Digest magazine.
FactSnippet No. 475,014 |
Jack Nicklaus majored in pre-pharmacy and had good grades in his first three years; he intended to follow his father into pharmacy after graduation.
FactSnippet No. 475,015 |
The following month, Jack Nicklaus was intent on becoming the first amateur to win the Masters.
FactSnippet No. 475,016 |
Jack Nicklaus officially turned professional in late 1961 and began his career on the PGA Tour the following year.
FactSnippet No. 475,017 |
Jack Nicklaus had previously debated the idea of remaining an amateur in order to further emulate his idol, Bobby Jones.
FactSnippet No. 475,018 |
However, Jack Nicklaus realized that in order to be regarded as the best, he would have to compete in greater frequency against the best.
FactSnippet No. 475,019 |
When McCormack described Jack Nicklaus, Lawrence referred to the "large, strong, and blond" player as "the Golden Bear", a nickname that would become synonymous with Jack Nicklaus throughout his professional life.
FactSnippet No. 475,020 |
Jack Nicklaus completed the year with over $60, 000 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.
FactSnippet No. 475,022 |
Jack Nicklaus 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 in unofficial money for that win.
FactSnippet No. 475,023 |
In 1963, Jack Nicklaus won two of the four majors—the Masters and the PGA Championship.
FactSnippet No. 475,024 |
Jack Nicklaus teamed with Palmer to win the Canada Cup in France, representing the United States (this event was shortened to 63 holes due to heavy fog).
FactSnippet No. 475,025 |
Jack Nicklaus's meteoric rise to fame immediately after turning professional enabled opportunities for him to earn significant endorsement income.
FactSnippet No. 475,026 |
Jack Nicklaus could be seen on TV saying, "If you play golf, Eastern is your airline.
FactSnippet No. 475,027 |
Jack Nicklaus set a record for the lowest final-round score in the PGA Championship with a 64, but fell three shots short of champion Bobby Nichols and his record-setting score of 271.
FactSnippet No. 475,028 |
In 31 official worldwide events in 1964, Jack 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.
FactSnippet No. 475,029 |
When Jack Nicklaus won the Masters in 1965 and 1966, he became the tournament's first back-to-back winner and the youngest two-time and three-time winner.
FactSnippet No. 475,030 |
Jack Nicklaus broke Ben Hogan's 72-hole scoring record of 274 in 1953 when he compiled a new aggregate of 271 in the 1965 Masters.
FactSnippet No. 475,031 |
Jack Nicklaus successfully defended his title with an even-par aggregate of 288, 17 shots higher.
FactSnippet No. 475,032 |
Jack Nicklaus won in an 18-hole playoff over Gay Brewer and Tommy Jacobs by shooting a two-under-par 70.
FactSnippet No. 475,033 |
In 1966, Jack Nicklaus won The Open Championship at Muirfield in Scotland under difficult weather conditions; he used his driver just 17 times because of very heavy rough.
FactSnippet No. 475,035 |
Jack 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.
FactSnippet No. 475,036 |
Jack 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.
FactSnippet No. 475,037 |
Sports Illustrated ran a cover photo of Jack Nicklaus throwing his leg high in the air with the headline, "Jack Nicklaus Breaks the Open Record".
FactSnippet No. 475,038 |
Jack 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.
FactSnippet No. 475,039 |
At the par-5 17th hole with Nicklaus leading by the score of 1 up, Jacklin made a 35-foot eagle putt to square the match.
FactSnippet No. 475,041 |
Five months after this, Jack Nicklaus won the 1970 Open Championship under difficult scoring conditions in Scotland where the wind howled up to 56 MPH, defeating fellow American Doug Sanders in an 18-hole playoff round in emotional fashion.
FactSnippet No. 475,042 |
Jack 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.
FactSnippet No. 475,043 |
Jack Nicklaus finished second twice and fifth in the remaining three major championships for the year.
FactSnippet No. 475,044 |
Jack Nicklaus claimed his third World Cup individual title in 1971, with help from a 63 in the third round.
FactSnippet No. 475,045 |
Jack Nicklaus won the team competition with partner Lee Trevino by 12 shots.
FactSnippet No. 475,046 |
Jack Nicklaus won the first two major championships of 1972 by three shots each in wire-to-wire fashion.
FactSnippet No. 475,047 |
Jack Nicklaus won the Masters and the U S Open, creating talk of a calendar-year Grand Slam.
FactSnippet No. 475,048 |
Jack Nicklaus was the only player under par for the week as he and the field battled difficult scoring conditions.
FactSnippet No. 475,049 |
However, Jack Nicklaus did not win the Grand Slam that year, as Lee Trevino repeated as the Open Championship winner, and Gary Player prevailed in the PGA Championship.
FactSnippet No. 475,050 |
Jack Nicklaus closed out this remarkable year with a second of three consecutive Walt Disney World Golf Classic victories by shooting a 21-under-par 267 to win by nine shots.
FactSnippet No. 475,051 |
Jack Nicklaus concluded 1972 by competing in 20 official worldwide events winning seven, placing second in four, and compiling 15 top-10 finishes.
FactSnippet No. 475,052 |
Bobby Jones's record of majors was broken when Jack Nicklaus won the PGA Championship in August 1973 by four shots over Bruce Crampton for his 12th professional major and 14th overall when using the old-style configuration of Jones's day.
FactSnippet No. 475,053 |
Jack Nicklaus teamed with Johnny Miller for another team title in the World Cup of Golf, held in Spain.
FactSnippet No. 475,054 |
Jack Nicklaus said this honor was a "nice memento" after a "disappointing season".
FactSnippet No. 475,055 |
Jack Nicklaus started off well in 1975: he won the Doral-Eastern Open, the Sea Pines Heritage Classic, and the Masters in consecutive starts.
FactSnippet No. 475,056 |
Jack Nicklaus placed first on the PGA Tour money list again in 1976, despite competing in only 16 events, winning just two – neither of them majors – and playing what he called "hang-back-and-hope golf".
FactSnippet No. 475,057 |
The 1976 Tournament Players Championship saw Jack Nicklaus set a championship record of 19-under-par 269 for his second win in this event which remained in place until Greg Norman's 24-under-par 264 assault in 1994.
FactSnippet No. 475,058 |
Jack Nicklaus won the PGA Player of the Year award for a record fifth time.
FactSnippet No. 475,059 |
Jack Nicklaus pitched his ideas, adding: "It is vital to widen the selection procedures if the Ryder Cup is to continue to enjoy its past prestige.
FactSnippet No. 475,061 |
When Jack Nicklaus won the 1978 Open Championship at St Andrews, he became the only player to win each major championship three times.
FactSnippet No. 475,062 |
Jack 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.
FactSnippet No. 475,063 |
Jack Nicklaus won his third Tournament 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.
FactSnippet No. 475,065 |
In 1979, Jack Nicklaus suffered a lapse of form and did not win a tournament.
FactSnippet No. 475,067 |
Jack Nicklaus had only one runner-up finish, plus a tied-for-second with Ben Crenshaw behind 22-year-old Seve Ballesteros at The Open Championship.
FactSnippet No. 475,068 |
In 1980, Nicklaus recorded only four top-10 finishes in 14 events, but two of these were record-setting victories in majors; the other two were a tie for fourth in The Open Championship and a runner-up finish in the Doral-Eastern Open to Raymond Floyd via his chip-in birdie on the second hole of a sudden-death playoff.
FactSnippet No. 475,070 |
Jack Nicklaus opened with a record-tying 63 in round one and fought off his playing partner of all four rounds, 1978 Colgate World Match Play Championship winner, Isao Aoki.
FactSnippet No. 475,071 |
Jack Nicklaus's win was his fourth and final victory in the championship, tying him with Willie Anderson, Bobby Jones, and Ben Hogan.
FactSnippet No. 475,072 |
Jack Nicklaus referred to this win as "by far the most emotional and warmest reaction to any of my wins in my own country".
FactSnippet No. 475,073 |
Jack Nicklaus's seven-shot winning margin remained the largest for the stroke-play version of the championship until Rory McIlroy's 2012 victory.
FactSnippet No. 475,074 |
Between 1981 and 1985, Jack Nicklaus accumulated seven more top-10 placements in major championships, including three runner-up performances.
FactSnippet No. 475,075 |
In 1983, Jack Nicklaus closed out the PGA Championship and World 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 to Player of the Year Hal Sutton and Nick Price, respectively, who dominated the tournaments from start to finish.
FactSnippet No. 475,077 |
In 1985, Jack Nicklaus finished second to Curtis Strange in the Canadian Open, which marked his seventh and final second-place finish in that tournament; this is a record for that event.
FactSnippet No. 475,078 |
In 1986, Jack 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.
FactSnippet No. 475,079 |
Jack Nicklaus made a solid par-4 at the 72nd hole, and waited for the succeeding players, several of whom were still in contention, to fall short.
FactSnippet No. 475,080 |
Jack Nicklaus played the final ten holes seven under par, with six birdies and an eagle.
FactSnippet No. 475,081 |
At age 46, Jack Nicklaus became the oldest Masters winner in history, a record that still stands.
FactSnippet No. 475,082 |
At the 1998 Masters, Jack Nicklaus was 58 when he tied for sixth place despite being hampered by an ever-increasing painful left hip.
FactSnippet No. 475,083 |
Jack Nicklaus placed third nine times and fourth seven times in this span and was one stroke out of a playoff on five of those occasions.
FactSnippet No. 475,084 |
Jack Nicklaus's total span of 73 top-10 finishes over 39 years 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 his Champions Tour career.
FactSnippet No. 475,085 |
Jack Nicklaus would go on to win another three Traditions—the final two in succession—while the most anyone else has won is two.
FactSnippet No. 475,087 |
Later in the year, Jack Nicklaus won the Senior Players Championship by six shots over Lee Trevino for his second win of the year, and his second major of the year by shooting a record 27-under-par 261.
FactSnippet No. 475,088 |
The next year, in 1991, Nicklaus won three of the five events he started in, those being the U S Senior Open at Oakland Hills by firing a 65 in a playoff against Chi-Chi Rodriguez and his fine round of 69, the PGA Seniors Championship and The Tradition for the second year straight.
FactSnippet No. 475,089 |
Jack Nicklaus has won all the senior majors with the exception of the Senior Open Championship.
FactSnippet No. 475,090 |
In 1994, Jack Nicklaus won the Senior PGA Tour's version of the Mercedes Championship for his only win of the year.
FactSnippet No. 475,091 |
Jack 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 over Hale Irwin.
FactSnippet No. 475,092 |
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.
FactSnippet No. 475,093 |
Jack Nicklaus played without much preparation in the 2005 Masters, which was a month after the drowning death of his 17-month-old grandson Jake on March 1, 2005.
FactSnippet No. 475,094 |
Jack Nicklaus said: "It's been an overwhelmingly difficult and trying time for my entire family.
FactSnippet No. 475,095 |
Later in 2005, Jack Nicklaus finished his professional career at The Open Championship played at St Andrews on July 15.
FactSnippet No. 475,096 |
Jack Nicklaus played with Luke Donald and Tom Watson in his final round.
FactSnippet No. 475,097 |
Jack Nicklaus hit 20 holes-in-one in professional tournament play at other venues over his career.
FactSnippet No. 475,098 |
Jack Nicklaus devotes much of his time to golf course design and operates one of the largest golf design practices in the world.
FactSnippet No. 475,099 |
Jack Nicklaus considered golf course design another facet of the game that kept him involved and offered a challenge.
FactSnippet No. 475,100 |
Jack Nicklaus is in partnership with his four sons and his son-in-law through their company, Jack Nicklaus Design.
FactSnippet No. 475,101 |
Past and present Senior Design Associates with Jack Nicklaus Design include Chris Cochran, Chet Williams and Dave Heatwole.
FactSnippet No. 475,103 |
Jack Nicklaus has written several golf instructional books, an autobiography, a book on his golf course design methods and philosophy, and has produced several golf videos.
FactSnippet No. 475,104 |
Jack Nicklaus appeared as a television analyst and commentator with ABC Sports on golf broadcasts.
FactSnippet No. 475,106 |
Jack Nicklaus continues to manage the Memorial Tournament, which he founded in his home state of Ohio.
FactSnippet No. 475,107 |
Jack Nicklaus scored a six-under-par 66, which stood as the course record until 1979.
FactSnippet No. 475,108 |
Jack Nicklaus wrote to Nicklaus asking for advice; Nicklaus replied advising him not to change if he was comfortable playing left-handed.
FactSnippet No. 475,110 |
Jack Nicklaus preferred the fade for his ball flight, since this allowed the ball to stop quickly on hard and fast greens.
FactSnippet No. 475,111 |
Jack Nicklaus considers his longest drive in competition to be during the final round of the 1964 Masters on the 15th hole, where he had less than 160 yards left to the 500-yard par five.
FactSnippet No. 475,112 |
Jack Nicklaus hit an eight-iron slightly over the green for his second shot.
FactSnippet No. 475,113 |
Jack 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.
FactSnippet No. 475,114 |
Indeed, Jack Nicklaus remained in the top six of this category through 1985 – far past his best playing years.
FactSnippet No. 475,115 |
Jack Nicklaus 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.
FactSnippet No. 475,116 |
Jack Nicklaus needed a birdie, but the hole was framed by tall fescue rough, and was playing downwind with very firm turf conditions.
FactSnippet No. 475,117 |
Jack Nicklaus 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.
FactSnippet No. 475,118 |
Jack Nicklaus was the first player to chart and document yardages on the course on a consistent, planned basis.
FactSnippet No. 475,119 |
Jack Nicklaus was not known for being an outstanding putter, but he was often able to make the important putts when they were needed.
FactSnippet No. 475,120 |
Jack Nicklaus was known as a conservative player at times; he went for broke only when it was necessary.
FactSnippet No. 475,121 |
Jack Nicklaus's likeness was featured on a special commemorative issue five-pound note issued by the Royal Bank of Scotland, making him the first living person outside the Royal Family to appear on a British banknote.
FactSnippet No. 475,123 |
In 2001, Jack Nicklaus was honored with the "Lombardi Award of Excellence" from the Vince Lombardi Cancer Foundation.
FactSnippet No. 475,124 |
Jack Nicklaus had the rare privilege of "dotting the 'i'" of "Script Ohio", the signature formation of the Ohio State University Marching Band, at the Ohio State homecoming game on October 28, 2006, when the Buckeyes played Minnesota; this is considered the greatest honor that can be bestowed on a non-band member.
FactSnippet No. 475,125 |
Jack Nicklaus was the fifth non-band member to receive this award.
FactSnippet No. 475,126 |
Jack Nicklaus joined Arnold Palmer as an honorary starter for the 2010 Masters.
FactSnippet No. 475,127 |
Jack Nicklaus is the only golf industry figure who has ever been named to the No 1 spot for more than three years.
FactSnippet No. 475,128 |
Jack 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.
FactSnippet No. 475,129 |
Jack Nicklaus was awarded the Freedom of the Royal Burgh of St Andrews on 11 July 2022.
FactSnippet No. 475,130 |
Jack Nicklaus holds the record for PGA major championships with a total 18; Tiger Woods is in second place with 15.
FactSnippet No. 475,131 |
Jack Nicklaus holds the record for the most wins at the Masters with six, and The Players Championship with three.
FactSnippet No. 475,133 |