Who is Jack Nicklaus?

Jack Nicklaus is American golfer.

When was Jack Nicklaus born?

Jack Nicklaus was born in 1940.

What is Jack Nicklaus known for?

Jack Nicklaus is primarily known as a(n) golfer, golf course designer.

Jack Nicklaus

American golfer

Born:January 21, 1940

Age:86

Zodiac Sign:Aquarius

Height:1.78 m (5′10″)

Born in:Columbus, United States

Languages:English

Golfer Golf Course Designer

Signature

Links

Wikipedia Official Website IMDb Facebook X (Twitter)Instagram

Famous For

Movies & TV

Chronicles of a Champion Golfer

Awards

Presidential Medal of Freedom (2005)World Golf Hall of Fame

Jack Nicklaus

American golfer

Biography

Jack William Nicklaus (; born January 21, 1940), nicknamed "the Golden Bear", is an American retired professional golfer and golf course designer. He is widely considered to be one of the greatest golfers of all time. He won 117 professional tournaments in his career, including a record 18 major championships. He is an inductee of the World Golf Hall of Fame. 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. 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.

This biography uses content from the Wikipedia article “Jack Nicklaus”, available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License.

Quotes

“It's hard not to play golf that's up to Jack Nicklaus standards when you are Jack Nicklaus.”

— On winning his 70th PGA tournament, WINS Radio (May 28, 1984)

“The older you get the stronger the wind gets—and it’s always in your face.”

— International Herald Tribune (Paris, February 28, 1990)

“I would never deny that Jack Nicklaus is the greatest player who ever lived.”

— Gary Player (golfer) in Golf Digest, Dec, 2002.[[1]]

Quotes sourced from the Wikiquote article "Jack Nicklaus", available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License.

Photos

President Bush presents PGA champion Jack Nicklaus with the Presidential Medal of Freedom Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2005, during ceremonies at the White House. The medal citation read: Jack Nicklaus set the standard for golf excellence. He won 73 PGA Tour events, six Masters, five PGA Championships, four U.S. Opens, three British Opens, and two U.S. Amateurs. From his playoff victory as a 22-year-old at the U.S. Open in 1962 to his legendary charge down the back nine at Augusta in 1986, Jack Nicklaus succeeded with dramatic flair and steely determination. He always conducted himself with class and treated his fellow golfers and fellow Americans with respect. The United States honors Jack Nicklaus for his contributions to American sport and for being the greatest golfer of all time. [1]

The Jack Nicklaus Edition of the Lincoln Town Car

A view of professional golfer Jack Nicklaus (January 21, 1940-), nicknamed the Golden Bear, wearing a suit and tie while sitting in a chair, smiling, and holding a microphone in his hands.

A view of professional golfer Jack Nicklaus (January 21, 1940-), nicknamed the Golden Bear, wearing a striped shirt under a white sweater vest, holding an iron in his hands.

A view of professional golfer Jack Nicklaus speaking at a podium outside the Ohio Statehouse during a ceremony where he was honored as the "World's Greatest Golfer." See also: "'Golden Bear' Honored" in the Columbus Dispatch, August 4, 1980, page 1-A; and "Nicklaus Turns To Golf Again" in the Columbus Dispatch, August 5, 1980, page 1-D.

Professional golfers Jack Nicklaus, left in brown and white striped shirt, and Gene Littler, right in blue pants and white shirt, stand together on a green during the first round of the 1980 Memorial Tournament at the Muirfield Village Golf Club. The golf tournament took place May 22-25, 1980. David Graham won the tournament by one stroke over Tom Watson. Nicklaus and Littler were part of a threesome with Fuzzy Zoeller during the first two rounds.

A view of professional golfer Jack Nicklaus (January 21, 1940-), nicknamed the Golden Bear, wearing a striped shirt under a white sweater vest, gesturing with his right hand.

A view of professional golfer Jack Nicklaus (January 21, 1940-), nicknamed the Golden Bear, wearing a striped shirt under a white sweater vest, with his right hand on his chin.

A view of professional golfer Jack Nicklaus (January 21, 1940-), nicknamed the Golden Bear, wearing a striped shirt under a white sweater vest, with his eyes closed.