Jack Nicklaus brings a loaded field to Muirfield Village Golf Club this week for the 2019 Memorial Tournament.
Among those heading to Dublin, Ohio: Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and Justin Rose.
But no one has won more major championships that Nicklaus.
The Golden Bear’s 18 major titles remains the gold standard of professional golf. And, in the case of Woods, a pot of gold that has remained tantalizing within reach for more than 10 years.
Here’s a look at each of Nicklaus’ 18 majors, listed in chronological order.
1962 U.S. Open
June 17, 1962 – Oakmont (Pa.) Country Club
Jack Nicklaus won his first major in his first year as a pro by beating Arnold Palmer in a playoff on what was considered the King’s home course. Nicklaus began the final round two shots back of Bobby Nichols and Palmer but rallied to force a playoff. On the sixth hole of the playoff round, Nicklaus bulked his lead to four shots with a birdie and a Palmer bogey. Nicklaus eared $15,000 for the three-shot victory.
1963 Masters
April 7, 1963 – Augusta National Golf Club, Augusta, Ga.
The 23-year-old Nicklaus became the youngest winner in Masters history at that time. Nicklaus beat Tony Lema by one shot after putting up birdies on 13 and 16 during the final round. It was only his second appearance in the Masters as a professional.
1963 PGA Championship
July 21, 1963 – Dallas Athletic Club
1965 Masters
April 11, 1965 – Augusta National Golf Club, Augusta, Ga,
The most legendary, lopsided top-three finish in Masters history saw Nicklaus defeat Arnold Palmer and Gary Player by nine shots. The three were tied after 36 holes in what might have been the golf’s most memorable finish of all time had Nicklaus not torn up Augusta National with a 64 on Saturday. His 17-under, 271 tournament record stood until Tiger Woods broke it with a 270 in 1997.
1966 Masters
April 11, 1966 – Augusta National Golf Club, Augusta, Ga.
Nicklaus became the first back-to-back winner in Masters history. Unlike his record-breaking run a year earlier, Nicklaus had to grind his way through a three-man, 18-hole playoff to earn this championship. Tied at the turn with Tommy Jacobs, Nicklaus would win the playoff by two shots over Jacobs and eight over Gay Brewer.
1966 British Open
July 9, 1966 – Muirfield, East Lothian, Scotland
Nicklaus completed his career Grand Slam in just over four years. He won the Claret Jug for the first time in five tries by one shot over Doug Sanders and Dave Thomas. The winner’s check was a mere $5,880, compared to the $20,000 Nicklaus had won at Augusta four months earlier. Nicklaus closed with 70 was able to win with a two-putt from 22 feet on the final hole.
1967 U.S. Open
June 18, 1967 – Baltusrol Golf Club, Springfield, N.J.
By closing with a 65, Nicklaus was able to beat Arnold Palmer by four shots, even though the Golden Bear entered the final round one shot off the lead. His 275 total set a 72-hole record as the lowest score in U.S. Open history.
1970 British Open
July 11, 1970 – St. Andrews (Old Course), St. Andrews, Scotland
Had Doug Sanders hit a 3 1/2-foot, downhill putt at 18 on Sunday to win the British Open, Nicklaus would have been denied his second Claret Jug. But that historic miss opened the door for Nicklaus to tie in regulation and win it in an 18-hole playoff by a single shot with a 72.
1971 PGA Championship
Feb. 28, 1971 – PGA National (Champion), Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.
The victory completed the second Grand Slam of Nicklaus’ career. The 1971 PGA is also reminder that 2019 was not the first time the PGA Championship was moved from August to earlier in the year. This time, it was moved to February to avoid the heat, hurricanes and humidity of Florida in August. Playing near his Florida home, Nicklaus was in command throughout all four rounds, led wire-to-wire and won by two shots at 7-under.
1972 Masters
April 9, 1972 – Augusta National Golf Club, Augusta, Ga.
The fourth green jacket of Nicklaus’ career marked the start of a 16-month span that would include three major championships. He again went wire-to-wire and would win it by three shots in spite of a 74 in the final round.
1972 U.S. Open
June 18, 1972 – Pebble Beach (Calif.) Golf Links
Playing at his best and at his peak, Nicklaus tangled with a likes of Lee Trevino and Arnold Palmer as Pebble Beach played host to its first U.S. Open. Nicklaus iced his three-shot victory with a stunning tee shot on No. 17 Sunday. Using a 1-iron, Nicklaus fired his ball into the wind and saw it hit the flagstick and settle 2 inches from the hole. The Open returns to Pebble Beach in two weeks.
1973 PGA Championship
August 12, 1973 – Canterbury Golf Club, Beachwood, Ohio
This was Nicklaus’ 14th major championship and toppled the record of 13 set by Bobby Jones 1930. A first-round 72 left Nicklaus tied for 22nd. By the time the final round began, Nicklaus was the leader after back-to-back 68s. Once again Bruce Crampton would be the runner up to Nicklaus, losing by four shots.
1975 Masters
April 13, 1975 – Augusta National Golf Club, Augusta, Ga.
The final round found Nicklaus in a furious three-man duel with Tom Weiskopf and Johnny Miller. The trio began the day separated by just four shots. Nicklaus and Weiskopf led Miller by two at the turn on Sunday. Nicklaus eventually separated himself with a birdie 15 and and a 40-footer for another birdie on 16. He would beat Miller and Weiskopf by one shot after closing with a 68.
1975 PGA Championship
August 10, 1975 – Firestone Country Club (South), Akron, Ohio
For the fourth and final time, Bruce Crampton was runner-up to Nicklaus in a major. This time, Nicklaus would win by two shots despite Crampton shooting a tournament record 63 in the second round. A 67 on Saturday gave Nicklaus a four-shot lead after 54 holes and he was never really threatened in the final round.
1978 British Open
July 15, 1978 – St. Andrews (Old Course), St. Andrews, Scotland
Nicklaus ended his longest drought without a major since 1970 by winning his second British Open championship at St. Andrews. Nicklaus closed with back-to-back 69s to nab a two-shot victory over four players, and his fourth Claret Jug. The bogey-free 69 on Sunday was the difference for Nicklaus. Simon Owen led with three shots to go before bogeys on 16 and 17 finished his chances.
1980 U.S. Open
June 15, 1980 – Baltusrol Golf Club, Springfield, N.J.
After finishing the year without a PGA Tour victory for the first time in his career in 1979, Nicklaus bounced back with a pair of majors in 1980. The first came at Augusta National. In Round 1, Nicklaus began to erase the frustration of a winless season with 63. The 272 total over 72 holes was another U.S. Open record for Nicklaus, who beat Isao Aoki by two shots.
1980 PGA Championship
August 10, 1980 – Oak Hill Country Club, Rochester, N.Y.
Nicklaus’ second major title in 1980 came at the PGA Championship in the form of an overpowering performance and 7-stroke victory. Nicklaus shot 70 or under for the entire tournament. This was his fifth and final PGA Championship victory. It was also the fifth time in his career Nicklaus had won at least two majors in the same calendar year.
1986 Masters
April 13, 1986 – Augusta National Golf Club, Augusta, Ga.
If this was not the most impressive major of the 18 won by Nicklaus, it was certainly the most memorable thanks to the “Yes sir!” call by Verne Lundquist of CBS after Nicklaus’ holed his birdie on 17 Sunday. Nicklaus trailed by four shots in ninth place heading into the final round. He would close with a 65, eagle the par-5, 15th hole and play the second nine at Augusta in a 6-under 30. Tom Kite and Greg Norman were tied for second, one shot back.
Jack Nicklaus – Majors By Year
| Masters | 1963, 1965, 1966, 1972, 1975, 1986 |
| U.S. Open | 1962, 1967, 1972, 1980 |
| Open Championship | 1966, 1970, 1978 |
| PGA Championship | 1963, 1971, 1973, 1975, 1980 |
