Nicklaus: Tiger Woods can still break my record

DUBLIN, Ohio – Jack Nicklaus says he still believes Tiger Woods can break his major championship record and has stamped Woods as one of the players to beat at this week’s the Memorial Tournament presented by Nationwide. Speaking as the host at Muirfield Village, the 18-time major winning Nicklaus said he’s not prepared to write off the 42-year-old Woods when it comes to adding to his 14 majors, despite the fact we are coming up on 10 years since Woods last hoisted a major trophy. Nicklaus did concede Woods needed to learn to win again and figured The Memorial Tournament that Woods has won five times prior would be a great place for it to happen. Woods has 79 PGA TOUR wins but after multiple back surgeries hasn’t won since 2013. “He is a tough competitor, he’s a hard worker, and he’s still driven. So that’s why I never counted him out,â€� Nicklaus said of Woods winning again. “I still think he’s got a shot at breaking my record. But whether he does or he doesn’t, even with 10 years passing, it doesn’t make any difference. I think he’s still, he’s still a great athlete and a great golfer.â€� In eight starts this season, Woods has finished inside the top 12 five times including a runner up finish at the Valspar Championship. He has continually knocked on the door of victory without quite getting it done. Nicklaus is still amazed Woods is playing at all after four back surgeries, including fusion surgery last year. “I am very happy for him. I never thought he would play again after the fusion. I am not a doctor but I never dreamed you could fuse somebody and they could go play golf,â€� Nicklaus said. “It’s amazing… maybe his strength may have saved him. I am sure it helped him.â€� The last time Woods was at Muirfield Village was in 2015 where he made the cut on the number before shooting a career worst 85 in the third round. But Nicklaus says that memory can be forgotten amongst the wins in 1999, 2000, 2001, 2009 and 2012. “We all play bad rounds. Tiger’s swing right now is probably better than it was. If Tiger can just play reasonably well tee to green, with his short game, he will be in contention,â€� Nicklaus continued. “I think that he’ll win when he believes it himself between his ears. “When he really starts to believe that – and maybe winning here would be one thing that would (help that) … I think he’ll win and do I think he’ll win majors again? Yeah, I think he’ll win majors again.â€� But now he has a plethora of young stars standing in his way. Players who Nicklaus feels may not have had the immediate success they’ve experienced had Woods not had his lengthy periods away from the game in the last decade. Nicklaus said other players “all folded up their tents and went homeâ€� when Woods would move up a leaderboard in his prime. But without his presence in recent years, the likes of FedExCup holder Justin Thomas, and players like Jordan Spieth, Jason Day, Jon Rahm and Hideki Matsuyama have all emerged. “While he was away from the game all these young kids have come along and learned how to play and learned how to win,â€� Nicklaus said. “So he doesn’t have the fear factor that he had when he was playing.â€�

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