Jack Nicklaus is currently first all-time with 18 career major wins. At one point, it looked like Tiger Woods could challenge him, but his record looks insurmountable for now. Look back at the major championships that have made Nicklaus the greatest ever.
1. 1962 U.S. Open
During the 1960 U.S. Open, then-20-year-old Jack Nicklaus finished second to Arnold Palmer but was ready to take over in 1962. During this event at Oakmont Country Club in Pennsylvania, Nicklaus beat Palmer in a playoff to capture his first major championship.
2. 1963 Masters
Jack Nicklaus would eventually own the Masters, winning the tournament six times. The first win for the Golden Bear at Augusta came in 1963. Nicklaus won his first green jacket and a $20,000 purse by defeating Tony Lema by a single stroke.
3. 1963 PGA Championship
The 1963 PGA Championship at the Dallas Athletic Club was played at a strange time, as the Open Championship was played the week before. Nicklaus became the 3rd youngest champ in PGA Championship history, besting fellow American Dave Ragan by two strokes.
4. 1965 Masters
Jack Nicklaus dominated the 1965 Masters to such a degree that course designer Bobby Jones said, “he plays a game with which I am not familiar.” Nicklaus took the lead in the second round and did not look back, finishing with a nine-stroke victory over legends Gary Player and Arnold Palmer.
5. 1966 Masters
Nobofdy won more majors than Jack Nicklaus, but the 1966 Masters represented the only time where he successfully defended a title. This was a much tougher tournament than the previous year, as Nicklaus had to beat out Gay Brewer and Tommy Jacobs in a playoff.
6. 1966 Open Championship
By 1963, Nicklaus had already won the Masters, the PGA Championship and the U.S. Open, with the Open Championship being the only tournament that eluded him. That changed in 1966 when Nicklaus won the Claret Jug with an incredible performance at Muirfield Golf Links.
7. 1967 U.S. Open
When going for a three-peat at the Masters, Jack Nicklaus shockingly missed the cut at Augusta. He was able to salvage his year a couple of months later during the 1967 U.S. Open at Baltusrol. The Golden Bear won the event by four strokes over Arnold Palmer.
8. 1970 Open Championship
After failing to win a major in 1968 or 1969, Jack Nicklaus broke the streak at the 1970 Open Championship, held at the Old Course at St. Andrews. The Golden Bear never led any of the first three rounds but was able to win the tournament in a playoff over fellow American Doug Sanders.
9. 1971 PGA Championship
While he maintained a one to two-stroke lead, Jack Nicklaus led the first round, second, third round and final round at the 1971 PGA Championship in West Palm Beach, Florida. This win sealed Nicklaus’s second career Grand Slam, winning each of the four majors twice.
10. 1972 Masters
Jack Nicklaus won the Masters three times early in his career, then had a bit of a gap. But he was again putting on a gold jacket in 1972. It was a tough tournament for everyone involved, with Nicklaus being the only golfer who had finished under par.
11. 1972 U.S. Open
The 1972 U.S. Open was held at Pebble Beach Golf Links, the first major played at a public course. That week, the conditions were quite treacherous, especially in the final round, where Nicklaus shot a 74. He finished the weekend at +2, good enough to win by three strokes.
12. 1973 PGA Championship
Jack Nicklaus won the 1973 PGA Championship by four shots over Bruce Crampton, and it was a significant victory for his career and legacy. With his 12th major victory, Nicklaus surpassed Walter Hagen for the most wins ever.
13. 1975 Masters
The 1975 Masters is fondly remembered as one of the greatest. Nicklaus came into the final round down a shot to Tom Weiskopf and battled him and a surging Johnny Miller to finish the tournament one shot ahead of Weiskopf and Miller to win his fifth gold jacket.
14. 1975 PGA Championship
The 1975 PGA Championship was held in Nicklaus’ home state of Ohio, but it looked like the field would be playing for second after Bruce Crampton shot a 63 in the second round. However, Nicklaus chipped away at the lead and won the tourney by two shots.
15. 1978 Open Championship
The 1978 Open Championship was held at the Old Course at St. Andrews, where Jack Nicklaus had won the event in 1970. He again proved that he was an expert on the course in 1978. This was the fifteenth major win and completed a third career Grand Slam.
16. 1980 PGA Championship
Jack Nicklaus took control of the 1980 PGA Championship, held at the Oak Hill Country Club in Rochester, New York, by shooting a 66 in the third round. The win would represent the 5th PGA Championship win of Nicklaus’s career, tying Walter Hagen for the most ever.
17. 1980 U.S. Open
Jack Nicklaus had proven that he enjoyed playing Baltusroyal by winning the U.S. Open there in 1967. He was even better during the 1980 U.S. Open, setting a record for the tournament by shooting 272 over the weekend. Still, he only defeated Isao Aoki by two strokes.
18. 1986 Masters
It had been five years since Jack Nicklaus had won a major event, and many felt that those days may be over for him. But he had one more ace up his sleeve, winning the 1986 Masters by one stroke over Tom Kite and Greg Norman. It was his sixth career Masters win.
