Jack Nicklaus

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Lore & Background

Nicklaus won the U.S. Amateur in 1959 and 1961 and finished second in the 1960 U.S. Open, two shots behind Arnold Palmer. Nicklaus turned professional in 1961 at age 21. He won his first professional victory at the 1962 U.S. Open, defeating Palmer by three shots in an 18-hole playoff beginning a long-running rivalry between the two. Nicklaus, Palmer, and Gary Player became known as "The Big Three," a name given to the trio due to growing popularization of golf in the 1960s. In 1966, Nicklaus became the first player to win the Masters Tournament in back-to-back years; he also won the 1963 PGA Championship and the 1966 Open Championship, becoming at age 26 the youngest player at the time to complete the career grand slam. Named the AP Athlete of the Decade for the 1970s, Nicklaus had won 17 major championships by 1980. He overtook Bobby Jones's record of 13 majors, and became the first player to complete double and triple career grand slams. At age 46, Nicklaus won his final major championship at the 1986 Masters Tournament, which was a record sixth Masters title. He joined the Senior PGA Tour (now known as the PGA Tour Champions) when he became eligible in 1990, and by 1996 had won 10 tournaments, including eight senior major championships, despite playing a limited schedule. He continued to play at least some of the four regular majors until making his final appearance at the 2005 Open Championship held at the Old Course at St Andrews.

In Their Own Story

The wind whipped across the 18th green at Augusta National, carrying the scent of pine and damp earth. Jack stood over his putter, the golden bear emblem on his cap catching the afternoon sun. The gallery was silent, a rare hush that only falls when history is being written in real-time. He didn't rush; he never did. With a deliberate nod to his caddie, he stepped forward, the crowd holding its breath as the ball rolled true, dropping into the cup with a soft rattle. The roar that followed was not just for the win, but for the enduring spirit of a man who had conquered the game more times than anyone thought possible.

Reader's Guide

As of 2026, Nicklaus heads Nicklaus Design, one of the world's largest golf course design and construction companies. He runs an event on the PGA Tour, the Memorial Tournament, which is held at the Nicklaus-designed Muirfield Village Golf Club, and is the subject of the Jack Nicklaus Museum on the campus of his alma mater, Ohio State University. 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. Nicklaus won the Ryder Cup with the United States five times as a player, he also captained the team in 1983 and 1987. He received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2005 and the Congressional Gold Medal in 2015.

Did You Know?

• Nicklaus won the U.S. Amateur in 1959 and 1961, and in 1961 became the first player to win the NCAA Championship and the U.S. Amateur in the same year.
• At age 13, Nicklaus broke 70 at Scioto Country Club for the first time and became that year's youngest qualifier into the U.S. Junior Amateur.
• Nicklaus's father Charlie was a skilled all-round athlete who played football for the Ohio State Buckeyes and semi-professional football for the Portsmouth Spartans.
• Nicklaus overcame a mild case of polio as a 13-year-old.