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80 Remarkable Jack Nicklaus Facts & Stats

By: | Thu 23 Jan 2020


The Golden Bear, Jack Nicklaus remains the ultimate benchmark for golf's emerging champions. His longevity and consistency remain unsurpassed in the game, with his presence still being visibly felt at the Memorial Tournament each year and through his continued mentorship of the stars of today. 

Supplanting Arnold Palmer as golf's dominant figure and establishing a legacy of excellence that passed by Bobby Jones and Ben Hogan, Nicklaus is renowned for winning 18 major championships, a record that may stand indefinitely, but that remarkable statistic is only the tip of what the American icon has achieved both on and off the course.

Now 80, Nicklaus remains an active personality in the sport, but we felt it was a timely moment to pick out 80 Jack Nicklaus Facts & Stats that underline the greatness of a career that rewrote the history books.

Personal Life

  • Born in Columbus, Ohio
  • Attended Ohio State University
  • Started Playing Golf at Scioto Country Club
  • Coached by Local Pro Jack Grout
  • Overcame Mild Case of Polio as a 13-year-old
  • Briefly Worked as Insurance Salesman
  • Married Barbara in 1960
  • Five Children: Jack, Steven, Nancy, Gary, Michael

Amateur Career

  • Won 5 Consecutive Ohio State Junior Titles
  • Won Ohio Open in 1956 Aged 16
  • First Met Arnold Palmer as 18-year-old in Exhibition Match
  • Played in 1959 Amateur Championship at Royal St George's
  • Part of American Team at Walker Cup in 1959 and 1961
  • Won the U.S. Amateur in 1959 and 1961
  • Finished Runner-up Behind Arnold Palmer in 1960 U.S. Open at Cherry Hills
  • Turned Professional in Late 1961

Regular Tour Career

  • Made PGA Tour Debut Aged 18 in 1958
  • 1st Professional Victory was 1962 U.S. Open
  • 1962 PGA Tour Rookie of the Year
  • 8-Time PGA Tour Money List Leader
  • 8-Time PGA Tour Scoring Average Leader
  • Won 73 PGA Tour Titles
  • From 1962 to 1978, Nicklaus Won At Least Two Events a Season
  • 58 Runner-up Finishes on PGA Tour
  • Won 6 Australian Open Titles
  • Made 20 Competitive Holes in One
  • Won 18 Major Championships
  • Played in 164 Major Championships
  • Made 39 Consecutive Cuts in Majors (1969 Masters to 1978 PGA)
  • 56 Top 5 Finishes in Major Championships
  • 72 Top 10 Finishes in Major Championships

Masters Tournament

  • Played in 45 Masters
  • Made Debut in 1959
  • Won the Masters Tournament a Record 6 Times
  • First Player to Successfully Defend at Augusta (1966)
  • Was a Wire-to-Wire Champion in 1972
  • Runner-up a Record 4 Times
  • 15 Top 5 Finishes at Masters
  • Finished in Top 10 Each Year of 1970s
  • Made a Record 37 Cuts
  • Won the Masters Tournament a Record 6 Times
  • Made 506 Birdies and 24 Eagles at Augusta
  • Finished T-6th Aged 58 in 1998

U.S. Open 

  • Made Debut Aged 17 in 1957
  • Low Amateur in 1960 and 1961
  • Winner of 4 U.S. Opens in 3 Decades
  • Wire-to-Wire Winner in 1972 and 1980
  • Won a Record 8 USGA Championships
  • Made 21 Consecutive Cuts (1964 to 1984)
  • Played in 44 Championships
  • Made Final Appearance at Pebble Beach in 2000
  • Made a Record 35 Cuts
  • Shot a Record 29 Rounds in 60s

Open Championship

  • Won Claret Jug in 1966, 1970 and 1978
  • Twice a Winner at St Andrews
  • Made Open Debut at Royal Troon in 1962
  • Record 7 Time Runner-up in the Open Championship
  • Record 11 Consecutive Top 5 Finishes (1970 to 1980)
  • Record 16 Top 5 Finishes
  • Record 33 Rounds in the 60s
  • Made 23 Consecutive Cuts 
  • Played in 38 Championships
  • Retired at 2005 Open Championship at St Andrews Aged 65

PGA Championship

  • Won 5 PGA Championships - Joint Record With Walter Hagen
  • Wire-to-Wire Winner in 1971
  • Played in 37 Championships
  • Record 12 Top 3 Finishes in PGA
  • Record 41 Rounds in 60s
  • Made a Record 27 Cuts in PGA
  • Played With Tiger Woods in Final Appearance in 2000
  • Won Long Drive Contest at PGA in 1963 With 341 Yards

Ryder Cup / Presidents Cup

  • Played in Six Ryder Cups - 66% Win Percentage
  • Captained United States in 1983 at PGA National and 1987 at Muirfield Village
  • Captained United States in Presidents Cup in 1998, 2003, 2005 and 2007

Later Career

  • World Golf Hall of Fame Inductee in 1974
  • Instructional Book Golf My War First Published in 1974
  • Founded Memorial Tournament in 1976
  • Won 8 Senior Major Championships
  • Received Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2005
  • Likeness Featured on Special Royal Bank of Scotland £5 Note
  • Awarded Congressional Gold Medal 2015
  • Nicklaus Design Has Overseen 410 Golf Courses

Related Articles

Why Jack Nicklaus May Be the Best Links Golfer in History

Look Back at Jack Nicklaus' Incredible Masters Victory in 1986


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Tags: The Open the masters PGA Tour jack Nicklaus european tour



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