Tiger Woods’ major stumbling block

Tiger Woods will not beat Jack Nicklaus’ haul of 18 major championship victories.

That’s the overwhelming feeling of his fellow PGA Tour professionals. In a Golf Magazine survey of 50 players on the world’s richest circuit, almost three-quarters of them put it past 14-time major winner Tiger getting the five more wins he needs to overtake Nicklaus.

One in five think he’ll get four more to tie Jack, with 6% going as far as to say they don’t think he’ll win even one more of golf’s marquee tournaments.

Whilst the poll must be taken with a pinch of salt – the players were surveyed on condition of anonymity and the thoughts of just 50 of them hardly constitutes a consensus on a tour as large as the PGA – its results still make interesting reading.

You sometimes have to remind yourself that the prospect of Tiger not beating Jack’s record is a reasonably recent discussion point. It was only a few years ago that the accomplishment was all about the ‘when’ and not at all about the ‘if’.

The speculation at the start of seasons as recently as six years ago was not about whether or not Tiger would win a major that year. It was about how many he’d win and if this would finally be the year that he’d win the Grand Slam.

There was even a time – in 2007 – when some wondered if he would go an entire season unbeaten after going on a seven-tournament winning streak.

Tiger has physical scars, mental scars, and younger, fitter rivals who have flourished whilst he has faltered.

So, what has happened since then isn’t a sea change so much as a total geomagnetic reversal.

My own personal belief is that, no, Tiger Woods will not reach 19 majors. He needs five more. That’s as many Seve Ballesteros won in his entire career. He might – might­ – draw level but, again, I’m more inclined to doubt the chances of that than endorse them.

He’s creeping closer to 40 and, more significantly, is doing so with a brittle body. He has physical scars, mental scars, and younger, fitter rivals who have flourished whilst he has faltered (by his own high standards) in the last six years.

Of course, it would be great to see him reach 19 wins. Aside from the obvious excitement that goes with history being re-written, find me a golf journalist who wouldn’t enjoy seeing his byline on that story.

However, the fact remains it’s unlikely. I think it, (some of) his fellow players think it, and deep down you have to wonder if Tiger doesn’t think it, too.

I’ll say this, though. He will win one this year.

Will Tiger Woods beat Jack’s record?

Do you agree with Michael McEwan and the majority of the PGA Tour pros surveyed that Tiger Woods won’t beat Jack Nicklaus haul of 18 major championship wins? Or do you think something different? Have your say in our ‘Comments’ section below.

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Michael McEwan is the Deputy Editor of bunkered and has been part of the team since 2004. In that time, he has interviewed almost every major figure within the sport, from Jack Nicklaus, to Rory McIlroy, to Donald Trump. The host of the multi award-winning bunkered Podcast and a member of Balfron Golfing Society, Michael is the author of three books and is the 2023 PPA Scotland 'Writer of the Year' and 'Columnist of the Year'. Dislikes white belts, yellow balls and iron headcovers. Likes being drawn out of the media ballot to play Augusta National.

Deputy Editor

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