Jack Nicklaus: At 43, Tiger Woods is now a better golfer than he’s ever been
Laureus Academy Member Jack Nicklaus says Tiger Woods is playing his best ever golf, following an incredible U.S. Masters performance that saw Woods win his 5th green jacket.
Nicklaus, the only man to have ever won six U.S. Masters trophies, believes Woods now has every chance of going on to match or even exceed his own record of 18 Major titles.
“Did I think he was done? I don’t think he even dreamed he was going to be able to play golf again”, said Nicklaus.
The win at Augusta is Woods’ first there since 2005, and his first Major tournament win for 11 years.
Tiger was awarded the Laureus World Comeback Of The Year award at the Laureus Awards 2019 back in February, after he came back from spinal fusion surgery and a ranking of 1,199 to take the PGA Tour Championship at East Lake in 2018.
Jack Nicklaus told Laureus, “People who are successful believe they can come back. When he got to the Tour Championship that was when he believed that he could win again. I think the adjustment that Tiger made on his swing is a better golf swing than the one he had before he had the fusion.”
Nicklaus won his final Major at Augusta in 1986, at the age of 46 – three years older than Tiger.
“Tiger’s been after my record for a long time. It wouldn't surprise me a bit if he didn't do it. If he does do it I want to be the first one there with a big smile on my face to say, ‘congratulations and well done’. And I know that if he doesn't it won't be for lack of trying. He's a great athlete, a great competitor and a great golfer.”
