Legendary American golfer Jack Nicklaus is one of the greatest professional golf players of all time with plethora of records and achievements to his name. Nicklaus was one of the most dominating figures from the 1960s to the 1980s in the world of golf.
Jack Nicklaus aka The Golden Bear was born on January 21st, 1940 in Columbus district of Ohia in United States and engraved his name as legends in the history of professional. With Nicklaus turning 84 on Sunday (January 21 2024), it is worth looking at his incredible achievements that earned him golf's legendary status and enduring legacy.
Nicklaus played 117 professional tournaments in his illustrious career and currently holds the record of winning 18 Major Championships, three more than second-placed Tiger Woods. The legendary golfer focused more on Major Championships - the Masters tournament, US Open, Open Championship and PGA Championship and played a selective PGA Tour events.
Jack Nicklaus holds the record of competing 164 major tournaments and finished with 74 PGA Tour victories, third behind Sam Snead and Tiger Woods, who achieved 82 wins each in PGA Tour.
Jack Nicklaus turned professional at 21
After achieving success at amateur level, winning US Amateur in 1959 and 1961, Jack Nicklaus donned professional hat at the age of 21 in 1961. The 84-year-old earned professional victory at the 1962 US Open, defeating his future rival Arnold Palmer by three shots in a 18-hole playoff.
Jack Nicklaus was first shot to fame when he became the first player to win Masters Tournaments two years running in 1966. Since then, he has quite popular in the world of golf. That year, Nicklaus became the youngest player at the age of 26 to win all four major championships after winning the Open Championship.
Between 1971 and 1980, Jack Nicklaus added nine more championships to take the tally to 14, breaking another legendary golfer Bobby Jones record of 13 majors. At the age of 46, Jack Nicklaus won his 18th and final major championship at 1986 Masters, becoming the oldest player to do so.
In 2005, Jack Nicklaus retired from his illustrious professional gold career after making his final appearances at the Masters Tournament and the Open Championship.
