| Before Tiger Woods came along to re-define | | | | an NCAA Championship once while he was still |
| what golf dominance is all about, the man who | | | | a student at Ohio State University.He made |
| used to stand head and shoulders over | | | | his pro debut in 1962 and went on to win 18 |
| everybody else in the world of golf was Jack | | | | major tournaments (three British Open |
| Nicklaus. They called him "The Golden Bear" | | | | Championships, four U.S. Opens, five PGA |
| and his shadow loomed large over professional | | | | Championships, and six Masters) a record that |
| golf, specifically on the PGA Toiur for over | | | | still holds to this day, despite the recent |
| two decades, from the sixties to the | | | | assault of Tiger Woods on the record books. |
| late-eighties. After retiring from the Tour, | | | | Nicklaus is only one of five golfers to win |
| he then lorded it over the Champions Tour for | | | | all four majors golf tournaments in their |
| retired golf pros, from the late-eighties to | | | | career (the "Career Grand Slam" as it is |
| the nineties. Woods may be closing the gap | | | | known). He is only one of two golfers (the |
| fast but, for now, the Golden Bear is still | | | | other being Tiger Woods) who has won all four |
| widely regarded as the greatest golfer of all | | | | major tournaments more than once. However, he |
| time.Born in Ohio, Nicklaus attended public | | | | stands alone as the lone golfer to ever win |
| schools as a young child and had to overcome | | | | all four major tournaments at least three |
| a mild case of polio. He started playing golf | | | | times. Nicklaus also owns the distinction of |
| at the age of 10 and shot a score of 51 for | | | | being the oldest player to ever win The |
| his first nine holes, which is phenomenal for | | | | Masters which he set in 1986 at the age of |
| a first timer, whether adult of child. He won | | | | 46. Overall, Nicklaus won 46 top-3 finishes |
| the Ohio Junior State title at age 12 and | | | | in major tournaments (including 19 |
| went on to win the same title five more | | | | second-place finishes and nine third-places), |
| times. He won the US Amateur title twice and | | | | 56 top-5 finishes, and 73 top-10 finishes. |