jack nicklaus

Jack William Nicklaus (/ˈnɪkləsˌ ˈnɪkəl-/; born January 21, 1940), nicknamed "the Golden Bear", is an American retired professional golfer and golf course designer. He is widely considered to be one of the greatest golfers of all time. He won 117 professional tournaments in his career, including a record 18 major championships. He is an inductee of the World Golf Hall of Fame.

Nicklaus won the U.S. Amateur in 1959 and 1961 and finished second in the 1960 U.S. Open, two shots behind Arnold Palmer. Nicklaus turned professional at age 21 in 1961. He earned his first professional victory at the 1962 U.S. Open, defeating Palmer by three shots in an 18-hole playoff and launching a rivalry. Nicklaus was part of "The Big Three" along with Palmer and Gary Player, a name given to the trio due to the growing popularization of golf in the 1960s. In 1966, Nicklaus became the first player to win the Masters Tournament in back-to-back years; he also won the 1963 PGA Championship and the 1966 Open Championship, becoming at age 26 the youngest player at the time to complete the career grand slam.