Jack Nicklaus vs. Tiger Woods: Let’s take a major dive into the numbers
Jack Nicklaus vs. Tiger Woods: Let’s dig deeper into the numbers.
Tiger Woods turned 48 at the end of December. Jack Nicklaus turns those numbers around and turns 84 on Monday.
While other immortals, including Ben Hogan, Bobby Jones and Walter Hagen, rank among the top ten golfers, Jack and Tiger (or Tiger and Jack) top them all. It ranks 1 or 2 on the list. Although their careers actually overlapped, it was early in Tiger’s PGA Tour career and Jack’s. Jack was 56 years old when Tiger turned pro in 1996. Since head-to-head comparisons that could lead to rational arguments were impossible, only historical figures remained. These are two of the greatest golfers of all time, according to everyone.
There are many numbers. The fairest way to measure the two giants of golf is to compare their major championship performances as professionals before their 48th birthday. For Jack, it refers to the period 1962-1987. For Tiger, it’s 1997-2023.
