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  • Wins
    3
  • Turned Pro
    1961
  • Previous Opens
    38
  • CHAMPION GOLFER OF THE YEAR
    1966
    1970
    1978

Jack Nicklaus

Nicklaus
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Jack Nicklaus played his best golf for longer than anyone else. This was true in two senses. In tournaments, and especially the majors, he kept playing his game – precise, conservative, making fewer mistakes than anyone else, hitting glorious long-iron shots, holing the putts that mattered – longer than his rivals could maintain their form.
Nicklaus
  • Enjoys fishing, hunting and tennis away from the course

    Hobbies

  • At age 10, carded a 51 in the first nine holes he played

    Did you know?

  • 117

    Professional wins

Jack Nicklaus Claret Jug Muirfield 1966

The golden bear claims his first Claret Jug

Jack won his first Open Championship at Muirfield in 1966, claiming victory by 2 strokes.

nicklaus at the open in pictures

Jack Nicklaus 1978 St Andrews

Jack wins third Claret Jug in 1978

Mr Nicklaus cemented his place alongside Open greats winning his thirds Claret Jug and his second victory at St Andrews.

jack says farewell to st andrews

Jack Nicklaus played his best golf for longer than anyone else.

This was true in two senses. In tournaments, and especially the majors, he kept playing his game – precise, conservative, making fewer mistakes than anyone else, hitting glorious long-iron shots, holing the putts that mattered – longer than his rivals could maintain their form.

And he did it over nearly three decades. After winning two U.S Amateurs, Nicklaus won the 1962 U.S Open as a 22-year-old in his first year as a professional. He won his record 18th major at the 1986 Masters at the age of 46. He won the Masters six times, the PGA Championship five times, the U.S Open four times and The Open three times – each time completing a career Grand Slam.

His first Open win did not come until his fifth appearance, at Muirfield in 1966 where long-iron play on a tight course was decisive. When he started his second career as a course designer, he named his pride and joy in his home state of Ohio, Muirfield Village.

Nicklaus

He won twice at St Andrews, in 1970 and 1978, something only Bob Martin, JH Taylor, James Braid and Tiger Woods have achieved. He benefitted from Doug Sanders’ famous missed putt in 1970 but won the play-off the next day when he drove through the green.

When he holed the winning putt, he hurled his putter into the air. “I had never shown emotion like that before, it was totally out of character,” he said later. “But then I had never won the oldest golf Championship in the world at the cradle and home of the game.”

Between 1963 and 1980 in The Open, Nicklaus won three times, was second seven times and third three times, and other than finishing 12th one time, was never worse than sixth. An incomparable record.

Venue
Finish
R1
R2
R3
R4
Total
Par
St Andrews 2005
M/C
75
72
-
-
-
M/C
St Andrews 2000
M/C
77
73
-
-
-
M/C
Royal Troon 1997
60
73
74
71
75
293
-
Royal Lytham & St Annes 1996
45
69
66
77
73
285
-
St Andrews 1995
79
78
70
77
71
296
-
Turnberry 1994
M/C
72
73
-
-
-
M/C
Royal St George's 1993
M/C
69
75
-
-
-
M/C
Muirfield 1992
M/C
75
73
-
-
-
M/C
Royal Birkdale 1991
44
70
75
69
71
285
-
St Andrews 1990
63
71
70
77
71
289
-
Royal Troon 1989
30
74
71
71
70
286
-
Royal Lytham & St Annes 1988
25
75
70
75
68
288
-
Muirfield 1987
72
74
71
81
76
302
-
Turnberry 1986
46
78
73
76
71
298
-
Royal St George's 1985
M/C
77
75
-
-
-
M/C
St Andrews 1984
31
76
72
68
72
288
-
Royal Birkdale 1983
29
71
72
72
70
285
-
Royal Troon 1982
10
77
70
72
69
288
-
Royal St George's 1981
23
83
66
71
70
290
-
Muirfield 1980
4
73
67
71
69
280
-
Royal Lytham & St Annes 1979
2
72
69
73
72
286
-
St Andrews 1978
1
71
72
69
69
281
-
Turnberry 1977
2
68
70
65
66
269
-
Royal Birkdale 1976
2
74
70
72
69
285
-
Carnoustie 1975
3
69
71
68
72
280
-
Royal Lytham & St Annes 1974
3
74
72
70
71
287
-
Royal Troon 1973
4
69
70
76
65
280
-
Muirfield 1972
2
70
72
71
66
279
-
Royal Birkdale 1971
5
71
71
72
69
283
-
St Andrews 1970
1
68
69
73
73
283
-
Royal Lytham & St Annes 1969
6
75
70
68
72
285
-
Carnoustie 1968
2
76
69
73
73
291
-
Royal Liverpool 1967
2
71
69
71
69
280
-
Muirfield 1966
1
70
67
75
70
282
-
Royal Birkdale 1965
12
73
71
77
73
294
-
St Andrews 1964
2
76
74
66
68
284
-
Royal Lytham & St Annes 1963
3
71
67
70
70
278
-
Royal Troon 1962
34
80
72
74
79
305
-

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