The 15 words Jack Nicklaus said after he saw Tiger Woods swing a golf club for the very first time
championship victories between them, with Woods being three back of Nicklaus. Despite the Golden Bear’s major success, many regard Woods as the greatest ever.
Nicklaus played a vital role during Woods’ early career and essentially passed the torch to Tiger back at the 2000 PGA Championship at Valhalla. Nicklaus’ missed cut, coupled with Woods’ victory, started a new period of domination unlike any seen before.
The 15-time major winner would go on to dominate the next decade and take the game to heights many never thought were possible.
Unfortunately, Woods’ injury issues have impacted his career in recent years, and it’s unclear whether he will ever become a regular on tour once more.
Taking a glance back at Woods’ early career is always intriguing, and a brilliant biography by Jeff Benedict and Armen Keteyian, Tiger Woods, sheds light on Woods and Nicklaus’ first meeting.
During a clinic run by Nicklaus at Bel-Air Country Club, the Golden Bear got to take a look at Woods’ swing up close for the first time.
“At one point, Nicklaus called on Tiger to demonstrate his swing,” the biography revealed. “As a fifteen-year-old being ballyhooed as “golf’s great black hope,” Tiger felt the eyes of everyone at the clinic shift from Nicklaus to him.
“It was a feeling he had
Tiger Woods: PGA Tour-Saudi progress is slow
Nicklaus played a vital role during Woods’ early career and essentially passed the torch to Tiger back at the 2000 PGA Championship at Valhalla. Nicklaus’ missed cut, coupled with Woods’ victory, started a new period of domination unlike any seen before.
The 15-time major winner would go on to dominate the next decade and take the game to heights many never thought were possible.
Unfortunately, Woods’ injury issues have impacted his career in recent years, and it’s unclear whether he will ever become a regular on tour once more.
During a clinic run by Nicklaus at Bel-Air Country Club, the Golden Bear got to take a look at Woods’ swing up close for the first time.
“At one point, Nicklaus called on Tiger to demonstrate his swing,” the biography revealed. “As a fifteen-year-old being ballyhooed as “golf’s great black hope,” Tiger felt the eyes of everyone at the clinic shift from Nicklaus to him.
“It was a feeling he had experienced many times previously when entering country clubs. Privately, he referred to it as The Look, which he compared to the feeling of walking into a prison with everybody staring at him.
The paragraph continued: “The Bel-Air crowd laughed. Although Nicklaus delivered the praise with a touch of self-deprecating humour, it was a rare display of public validation from the game’s greatest golfer to the child prodigy who had been anointed his successor.
Tiger Woods: PGA Tour-Saudi progress is slow
Nicklaus played a vital role during Woods’ early career and essentially passed the torch to Tiger back at the 2000 PGA Championship at Valhalla. Nicklaus’ missed cut, coupled with Woods’ victory, started a new period of domination unlike any seen before.
The 15-time major winner would go on to dominate the next decade and take the game to heights many never thought were possible.
Unfortunately, Woods’ injury issues have impacted his career in recent years, and it’s unclear whether he will ever become a regular on tour once more.
During a clinic run by Nicklaus at Bel-Air Country Club, the Golden Bear got to take a look at Woods’ swing up close for the first time.
“At one point, Nicklaus called on Tiger to demonstrate his swing,” the biography revealed. “As a fifteen-year-old being ballyhooed as “golf’s great black hope,” Tiger felt the eyes of everyone at the clinic shift from Nicklaus to him.
“It was a feeling he had experienced many times previously when entering country clubs. Privately, he referred to it as The Look, which he compared to the feeling of walking into a prison with everybody staring at him.
.’”
The paragraph continued: “The Bel-Air crowd laughed. Although Nicklaus delivered the praise with a touch of self-deprecating humour, it was a rare display of public validation from the game’s greatest golfer to the child prodigy who had been anointed his successor.”
Tiger Woods first meets Jack Nicklaus at Bel-Air Country Club
Although Nicklaus had heard about Woods’ talents, the Bel-Air Country Club clinic was the first time the pair met face to face. In fact, Earl Woods, Tiger’s father, had researched Nicklaus’ career and had his sights already set on his son breaking some of the Golden Bear’s records.
Ultimately, if it weren’t for personal issues and multiple injury setbacks, Woods would’ve surpassed Nicklaus’ major championship tally.
The eleven-year gap between his 2008 US Open victory and 2019 Masters win would’ve been filled with at least another five majors. Unfortunately, off-the-course issues appear to have cost Woods the chance of objectively becoming the greatest ever.
Of course, some believe Woods can still compete and, who knows, with injury issues behind him, the 48-year-old might be able to make a cut or two in the majors.
