Jack Nicklaus’s Latest 9-Word Statement Proves Tiger Woods Was Never Fated to Break His Records

For years, golf fans have been arguing about who’s the best, Jack Nicklaus or Tiger Woods. Some say Nicklaus’s 18 major wins make him the greatest, while others think Woods’s amazing s𝓀𝒾𝓁𝓁s and comeback story put him on top. This debate has been going on for so long that it’s just a normal part of talking about golf. Well, it seems like the veteran himself has weighed in on the matter, and well, he does make some pretty good points.

In the latest episode of 5 Clubs on YouTube, Nicklaus revealed why Woods will never come to his level. “Never had an injury the whole time I played,” Nicklaus said. However, he did mention one notable exception which was a hip injury that caught up with him towards the end of his career. “I had my hip problem, but that didn’t really get me until near the end of my career when I was 58 or 59 years old,” Nicklaus recalled.

He credits his diverse lifestyle, which included spending time with family and staying active, for keeping him fresh and ready to play. “I really thought that the diversity kept my mind fresh,” he noted. Nicklaus acknowledged the importance of good health in a golfer’s career, saying “Having the good health and the good fortune to be able to play in every single one of them” is crucial. He believes that his own good health was a key factor in his ability to play in every major championship from 1962 to 1998, a feat he doubts will ever be matched. “I was very fortunate that I kept myself in shape to be able to do that,” Nicklaus added and well, Woods’s career has been quite the opposite and marred with injuries and surgeries.

Woods has undergone multiple surgeries on his back, ankle, and knee, including a recent microdecompression surgery on his lumbar spine in 2024. In 2021, Woods suffered devastating injuries in a car crash, including comminuted open fractures to his upper and lower right leg, as well as significant trauma to his right ankle. He also ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee in 2007. These injuries have undoubtedly taken a toll on Woods’s career or as the veteran puts it, “You can’t play golf if you’re not healthy.”