Jack rejects Norman’s Tiger theory

Nicklaus dismisses Aussie’s notion that Woods is intimiated by McIlroy

Legends: Jack Nicklaus (L) says Tiger Woods (R) is not intimidated by Rory McIlroy, despite what Greg Norman says

Jack Nicklaus has poured scorn on Greg Norman’s suggestion that Tiger Woods is intimidated by Rory McIlroy.

Earlier in the week, Norman suggested that world No.1 McIlroy’s emergence as golf’s dominant force over the past year or so had left 14-time major winner Woods quaking in his spikes.

However, speaking to an American radio station, Nicklaus was quick to dismiss the Australian’s comments.

“Quiet Greg, quiet. Down boy,” said Nicklaus, winner of a record 18 major championships. “I think Tiger had a pretty darn good year this year. It’s the first time he has gotten himself back into contention in the majors, he didn’t finish them and I think by his own admission he said he had a hard time finishing them. That’s like anything else.

“He had a pretty big event in his life that changed a lot of things and he has to learn how to go back and play again. I think he’s learned how to play again, now he has to learn how to finish again.

“I think Tiger has a lot of wins left in him. He does have a lot more competition. During the couple of years when Tiger wasn’t really there, all of a sudden you have Rory McIlroy, Keegan Bradley and I could probably name a half dozen other guys that have all won and learned how to win in Tiger’s absence.

“They’re not scared of him anymore. Before, Tiger just showed up coming down the stretch and everybody said ‘Oh there’s Tiger and I wilt.’ They don’t do that anymore. Tiger’s got his work cut out for him but I don’t think he is by any means finished. I just think Tiger is too good an athlete and too good a player.”

Nicklaus also revealed that he respects the way that Tiger has tried to surpass his major haul but that he believes he may have made life harder for himself by being so vociferous in his pursuit of the record.

“If I were him, I would find that very difficult and to get where he’s gotten to I think is pretty good,” said Nicklaus. “In my case, Bobby Jones had 13 majors and frankly I never even counted them, that’s the honest truth.

“I came into the press tent in 1970 at the British Open and Bob Greene, the AP guy, says to me, ‘Jack that’s ten. Only three more to tie Bobby Jones.’ I said, ‘What are you talking about?’ He said, ‘That’s your tenth major win.’ I said, ‘Oh really?’ Seriously, I had no clue because we never counted. It wasn’t important. We were just playing golf and if we won the US Open we won the US Open. If we won the British Open we won the British Open.

“Then all of a sudden I started counting too and once I got past 13 it was just a number beyond that point. All of a sudden the number became 18.

“Tiger comes along and he’s had that on his closet forever and all he thought about is ‘How am I going to win 18 majors?’ That’s a lot of pressure to put on a kid for his whole life.

“His dad did a really good job with Tiger, teaching him how to play golf and how to handle himself as a young man and I think Tiger has been great for the game of golf. He hasn’t done a bad job of winning.”

Bryce Ritchie is the Editor of bunkered and, in addition to leading on content and strategy, oversees all aspects of the brand. The first full-time journalist employed by bunkered, he joined the company in 2001 and has been editor since 2009. A member of Balfron Golfing Society, he currently plays off nine and once got a lesson from Justin Thomas’ dad.

Editor of bunkered