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This Day In Sports…January 21, 1940:
The birthday of the “Golden Bear.” If the title of “Greatest Golfer of All-Time” is based on major victories, Jack Nicklaus is still on the throne. As an amateur, Nicklaus sandwiched a runner-up finish in the 1960 U.S. Open between U.S. Amateur championships in 1959 and 1961. After the latter title, Nicklaus turned pro at the age of 21. He already had one thing established: a rivalry with golf great Arnold Palmer, who beat Nicklaus by three shots in that 1960 U.S. Open.
Nicklaus in turn topped Palmer by three strokes in an 18-hole playoff in the 1962 U.S. Open. What a way for Nicklaus to earn his first victory on the PGA Tour. The Palmer-Nicklaus rivalry was probably the best thing to happen to golf until the ascension of Tiger Woods more than three decades later. It was the first time the sport had moved the needle as a TV draw. To be sure, it was a respectful rivalry—the duo teamed up to represent the U.S. in what is now the World Cup of Golf in 1966. And they won.
In 1965-66, Nicklaus became the first player ever to win the Masters in back-to-back years. And with a win in the 1966 British Open at age 26, he had become the youngest player ever to win all four of golf’s majors (the Career Grand Slam). In 1974, still only 34, Nicklaus was one of 13 charter inductees into the World Golf Hall of Fame. Nicklaus won 18 major championships in his career, three more than Woods’ current total.
Nicklaus’ final major title came in the 1986 Masters at the age of 46 (Nicklaus remains the oldest Masters champion in history). He earned it. On the back nine, Nicklaus carded a six-under-par 30 and went eagle-birdie-birdie on Nos. 15-16-17 to separate himself from the rest of the field. It would be his last victory of any kind on the PGA Tour. Nicklaus’ final tournament was the 2005 Open Championship (British Open). He waved farewell to fans on the iconic Swilcan Bridge on the 18th fairway, then finished his round with a birdie putt.
Nicklaus was certainly pulling for Ohio State Monday night in the CFP Championship Game. He played golf for OSU after growing up in the Columbus suburb of Upper Arlington and won the 1961 NCAA individual championship with the Buckeyes in 1961. Nicklaus’ dad, Charlie, played football for Ohio State and later for the Portsmouth Spartans, an early NFL franchise that would become the Detroit Lions. Jack Nicklaus…85 years old today.
(Tom Scott hosts the Scott Slant segment during the football season on KTVB’s Sunday Sports Extra. He also anchors four sports segments each weekday on 95.3 FM KTIK and one on News/Talk KBOI. His Scott Slant column runs every Wednesday.)
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