Editorial Note: From an article written by Doug Ferguson, Published April 23, 2013
“Why is Jack’s major total 18, not 20?”
At some point after he won the 1986 Masters, Jack Nicklaus lost two major championships. He’s just not sure when. “No Kidding” Tiger Woods has been chasing Nicklaus and his 18 professional majors. Nicklaus was chasing Bobby Jones, only the score was kept differently in his era. Jones was credited with 13 majors – Four U.S. Open’s, three British Open’s, five U.S. Amateurs and one British Amateur.
Along with his 18 professional majors, Nicklaus won the U. S. Amateur twice, for a total of 20. I was probably at 17 or 18 majors, including the Amateurs, and all of a sudden I had 15 or 16, Nicklaus said two weeks ago at the 2013 Masters. What happened here? All of a sudden it became professional majors.
The U.S. Amateur was considered a major when Nicklaus played because it related back to Jones.
When I passed Jones record, it was with the 1973 PGA Championship at Canterbury. The 3rd of his 5 PGA Championships. Nicklaus’s 14th major. He was 33
years old. Jack was born on January 21, 1940. He’s now 83-years old.
His best guess is that the U.S. Amateur was no longer considered a major, especially after Tiger won it a record three straight times from 1994 to 1996.
Because they didn’t really count Tiger’s as majors, Nicklaus said. Rather than counting Tiger’s as majors, they didn’t do that, and they sort of took mine away.
Clarification has been long overdue on this topic if you ask me.
Do the math: Tiger won his last U.S. Amateur in 1996, ten years after Jack won his 20th and final major.
Tiger was born on December 30, 1975. He is tied for first in PGA tour wins, ranks second in men’s major championships, and holds numerous golf records. Woods is widely regarded as one of the greatest golfers of all time and is one of the most famous athletes in modern history. He is an inductee of the World Golf Hall of Fame.
Tiger was 11 years old when Nicklaus won his last major in 1996. Tiger was a golf phenom and generational talent at that time.
Tiger was 21 years old after he won his final U.S. Amateur in 1996. He turned Pro that same year and won his first major the very next year in 1997 at the Masters in record-breaking fashion.
Tiger went on to win 5 Masters, 1997, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2019, 4 PGA Championships, 1999, 2000, 2006, 2007, 3 U.S. Open’s, 2000, 2002, 2008, 3 British Opens or Open Championship, 2000, 2005, 2006, for a total of 15 majors.
If you were to count his 3 U.S. Amateurs titles as majors, Tiger would have 18 and Jack would have 20. Leaving a difference of 2 majors shy, instead of 3. A little more uncomfortable for some.
After Tiger won his last major at Augusta during the 2019 Masters, he was 42 or 43 years old. Jack won his last major at Augusta during the 1986 Masters. He was 46 years old. Read the entire article at https://www.nbcsports.com/golf/news/notes-why-jack-nicklaus-major-championship-total-18-and-not-20
