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Jack Nicklaus, simply two years faraway from dominating newbie golf as a scholar at The Ohio State University, bested a star-studded subject of the sport’s biggest professionals to seize his first Masters Tournament title on this day in historical past, April 7, 1963.
The victory sparked a permanent love affair between the gallery at Augusta National in Georgia, America’s most celebrated golf course, and the game’s most celebrated participant.
The 23-year-old phenom was handed the inexperienced jacket for the first time on the 1963 Masters by defending champion Arnold Palmer after Nicklaus’ two-under efficiency and one-stroke win over Tony Lema.
The subject that day additionally included all-time sport luminaries Sam Snead and Gary Player.
The change of the trophy blazer between golf legends was half of a five-year streak in which solely Nicklaus or Palmer donned the inexperienced jacket (1962-1966) at Augusta.
Arnold Palmer, left, serving to victorious Jack Nicklaus with the inexperienced blazer at Augusta National Golf Course, Augusta, Georgia, April 7, 1963. (James Drake /Sports Illustrated through Getty Images)
“In his prime, the Golden Bear was the one everyone chased,” Golf Digest declared in 2020, in a celebration of Nicklaus’s eightieth birthday.
“Drop that golfer into today’s game, and it would be the case still.”
“The Golden Bear was the one everyone chased. Drop that golfer into today’s game, and it would be the case still.”
Nicklaus is extensively regarded right now as the best golfer of all time, routinely topping lists of one of the best gamers in historical past.
He dominated newbie golf by profitable the U.S. Amateur Championship twice (1959, 1961) and the NCAA title as soon as (1961) earlier than turning professional in 1962.
Jack Nicklaus, left, of Columbus, Ohio, received the U.S. National Amateur Championship at Pebble Beach, California, in 1961; he is congratulated by rurnner-up H. Dudley Wysong, McKinney, Texas. Nicklaus defeated Wysong, 8 up and 6 to go. Nicklaus additionally received the newbie title in 1959. (Getty Images)
He instantly proved himself among the many sport’s elite, overcoming a two-shot deficit when coming into the ultimate spherical earlier than edging Palmer by one shot in a playoff to seize the 1962 U.S. Open.
It was the first of his record 18 main titles. Nicklaus additionally holds information with 73 PGA Tour wins and an unimaginable 56 top-five finishes in majors, amongst many different best-ever achievements.
The Masters at Augusta National proved the match at which the Golden Bear’s fearsome brilliance shined brightest.
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Nicklaus turned the first participant to win consecutive Masters titles in 1965 and 1966. He additionally received at Augusta in 1972 and 1975, earlier than donning a closing inexperienced jacket on the grand previous age of 46.
“Never in the history of the Masters did the ground shake, cheers reverberate and emotions explode as they did for Jack Nicklaus in 1986.”
Several sources cite that Nicklaus victory at Augusta in 1986, his record sixth Masters title, as the best second in the historical past of the storied match.
Nicklaus sunk a spectacular 18-foot putt on the seventeenth gap of the ultimate spherical, amid a delirious response from the gallery, then held on at 18 to win by one stroke.
Jack Nicklaus watches his putt throughout the 1986 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club in April 1986 in Augusta, Georgia. (Augusta National/Getty Images)
The sight of Nicklaus leaning ahead intently, following his putt throughout the inexperienced with centered eyes, then elevating his membership triumphantly over his head because the ball dropped in the outlet is one of probably the most well-known pictures in the annals of golf.
“Never in the history of the Masters did the ground shake, cheers reverberate and emotions explode as they did for Jack Nicklaus in 1986,” enthused U.Okay. golf outlet Links Magazine.
In addition to his dominance atop the chief board in golf’s largest occasions, the Golden Bear completed second in main tournaments an unimaginable 19 occasions.
“It has been and will continue to be the utmost honor to have won your great tournament and to be forever called a Masters champion.” — Jack Nicklaus
Nicklaus, now 83, continues to be revered at Augusta National.
He’s been an honorary starter at The Masters every year since 2010, teeing off yesterday with fellow golf legends Gary Player and Tom Watson.
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He returned the love with a so-called “love letter to the Masters” in 2019 — 60 years after he first competed at Augusta as an newbie in 1959.
Honorary starter and six-time Masters champion Jack Nicklaus performs his opening tee shot from the first tee throughout the opening ceremony previous to the beginning of the first spherical of the Masters at Augusta National Golf Club on April 7, 2022, in Augusta, Georgia. Nicklaus has been a ceremonial starter at The Masters every year since 2010. (Andrew Redington/Getty Images)
“Thank you for a lifetime of memories. Thank you for providing the perfect background for 60 years and six opportunities to feel the overwhelming satisfaction of slipping on the green jacket,” Nicklaus wrote.
“The Masters at Augusta National proved the tournament at which the Golden Bear’s fearsome brilliance shined brightest.”
“It has been and will continue to be the utmost honor to have won your great tournament and to be forever called a Masters champion.”
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“Nicklaus’ presence at Augusta National is much more than ceremonial,” Golfweek wrote in 2019.
“He is the game’s ranking living legend — with those 18 majors — and continues to be an influential and respected golf presence.”
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