After talking about his own marriage, the legendary Jack Nicklaus—who firmly believes that “behind every great man is a great woman”—made a reference to Tiger Woods’ union.
According to Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods fared better as a married man.
The 84-year-old golf legend Nicklaus believes that every player gains from having the right partner in their life and attributes his own professional success to his marriage to Barbara, his wife of 64 years.
Before going on to win a record 18 majors and 73 victories on the PGA Tour, they had first met in college. Without her at his side, he believes his career would not have been as successful.
Before the 2024 Memorial Tournament, Nicklaus gave his annual press conference explanation, saying, “That set the tone of my career.” “Not everyone finds the ideal mate.
And that was really important—I had someone who supported, loved, and looked out for me. That’s why it was significant to me. Nothing, as far as I can tell, was more significant to me than that.
“I give her a lot of credit for my victories because, as you may know, when a golfer competes on the Tour, support from family members—whether they be caddies or someone else entirely—is crucial to them.
By 2004, Woods had already reached the pinnacle of his career when he married Elin Nordegren. By then, he had won eight of his fifteen major championships, good for second place on the all-time list behind only Jack Nicklaus.
On the other hand, his off-course problems and final divorce from Nordegren after six years corresponded with a decline in his performance in the 2010s. Nicklaus remembered his feelings on the subject after he retired in 2000 and handed the baton to Woods.
“Don’t take this the wrong way, but I remember when Tiger was single and after he got married, someone asked, ‘How do you think that will effect Tiger’s career?'” he went on. “Well, I think it will only be a plus,” I replied.
“I predict that he will grow weary of telling Butch Harmon, ‘Hey, Butch, I won another one,’ every time he gets home. He could share it with someone. You wish to enjoy the results of your labor and share your career with others.”
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