Heading: Record setter Intro: Known as "the Golden Bear", Jack Nicklaus brought power to the forefront in golf,

being the longest driver of his generation.

Jack Nicklaus won 18 professional majors - twice as many as all but one other golfer. He finished second 19 more times and third nine times. In all he posted 48 Top 3 finishes, 56 Top 5 finishes and 73 Top 10 finishes. Perhaps Tiger Woods will someday challenge that record. But for now, Nicklaus remains - by far - the most accomplished player in the history of the majors. And he did it all exhibiting great class and sportsmanship. Child prodigy Nicklaus shot 51 in his first nine-hole round of golf at the age of 10. By age 12, he was winning the first of six straight Ohio State Junior titles. He missed the cut in his first U.S. Open in 1957 at the age of 17.Nicklaus won the 1959 and 1961 U.S. Amateur titles while playing collegiately at Ohio State. He finished second to Arnold Palmer in the 1960 U.S. Open. He turned pro in 1962, earning $33.33 in his first event as a pro. But things quickly got better, and he won his first major that year, defeating Palmer in an 18-hole playoff at the U.S. Open. By age 26, Nicklaus had completed the career grand slam. Then he won all the majors a second time. And finally, with his 1978 British Open victory, he had won them all at least three times each. His final major came in 1986, at the age of 46, with his sixth Masters. Nicklaus played sparingly on the Senior PGA Tour, but won 10 times, including 8 senior majors. He founded and hosts the prestigious Memorial Tournament on the PGA Tour. Final Tournament Nicklaus turned 65 in January 2005, which was the last year he entered a PGA tournament as an exempt player. He announced that he would retire in 2005 at the Open Championship at the Old Course at St Andrews. The very fact that the 2005 Open was scheduled at the Old Course can be seen as a tribute to Nicklaus. Nicklaus finished his professional career at the Open Championship at St. Andrews on July 15, 2005. He played with Luke Donald and Tom Watson in his final round. On the 18th hole, Nicklaus hit the final tee-shot of his career, and strolled to the Swilcan bridge and waved to the appreciative crowd. Afterwards, Nicklaus ended his illustrious career in style, making a fifteen-foot birdie putt and extending his putter and left arm in the air as he had done so many times to celebrate crucial putts. He is currently a golf course architect and is personally responsible for over 200 golf course designs including Muirfield Village, Shoal Creek, Castle Pines and the PGA Centenary Course at the Gleneagles Hotel.

Tour Victories PGA Tour: 73 Senior PGA Tour: 10 (113 total victories worldwide)

Major Championships Professional: 18 Masters: 1963, 1965, 1966, 1972, 1975, 1986 U.S. Open: 1962, 1967, 1972, 1980 British Open: 1966, 1970, 1978 PGA Championship: 1963, 1971, 1973, 1975, 1980 Amateur: 2 U.S. Amateur: 1959, 1961 Awards and Honors Member, World Golf Hall of Fame Eight-time PGA Tour money leader Five-time PGA Tour Player of the Year Recipient, 2 "Golfer of the Century" awards Named "Athlete of the Decade" for the 1970s by Sports Illustrated Member of 6 U.S. Ryder Cup teams

 Captain, U.S. Ryder Cup team, 1983 and 1987 Captain, U.S. Presidents Cup team, 1998, 2003