Is The Greatest Golfer Of All Time Tiger Woods Or Jack Nicklaus? We Dived Into The Stats To Try And Settle The Argument For Good…

Who is the greatest – Tiger or Jack? It’s a question that is often posed and it must be answered with a degree of subjectivity, but we looked at the data to try and find an answer…

Making comparisons between two players in any sport becomes challenging when they have competed in different time periods.  

It is impossible to determine with certainty who would have emerged victorious if Tiger Woods had been at the height of his abilities while competing against Jack Nicklaus in the 1960s and 70s. Similarly, it remains uncertain how Jack would have fared against Tiger during his prime in the late 1990s or 2000s.  
It is important to consider that the statistics collected throughout Tiger Woods’ career encompass a wider range and are more comprehensive than those available for Jack Nicklaus.

Therefore, it is challenging, if not impossible, to directly compare their respective numbers, such as strokes gained or percentage of putts made. 

Then, you have to take technology into account – Tiger has used equipment that offers greater advantage than what was on offer to Jack 50 years ago, so the younger man has been able to hit the ball further, spin the ball more consistently, putt on smoother surfaces, play from crisper lies.

There will then always be a high degree of subjectivity in discussions around who is the greatest golfer of all time but there are ways to try and make a case for either Tiger or Jack based on stats that we do have available, in terms of what they have achieved in their careers. Here we take a look at a selection of criteria to try and determine – Tiger Woods Or Jack Nicklaus – Who Is The Greatest Golfer?

This is where Jack obviously has an edge – He secured 18 Major titles compared to Tiger’s (current) 15… Tiger could yet get closer to the “Golden Bear’s” number, but your author wouldn’t be sticking his neck on the line too aggressively to suggest he probably won’t.

Let’s consider further Major performances to confirm Jack’s dominance over Tiger’s record in the big four events – Jack recorded an astonishing 55 further top-10 Major finishes, aside from his 18 wins. In 19 of those further top-10s, he was runner-up. Tiger has had 26 further top-10s, seven of which have been runner-up finishes.

Jack’s first top-10 came in the 1960 US Open and his last came in the 1998 Masters – A gap of 38 years. Tiger’s first top-10 in a Major was his victory in the 1997 Masters, his last was his win in the 2019 Masters, a gap of 22 years.

During the 1970s, Jack played all 40 Majors contested, he finished in the top-10 in 35 of them.

When it comes to Major performances – Jack Nicklaus is the greatest male golfer of all time.

VICTORIES, ORDERS OF MERIT AND SCORING.

As Tiger is not yet a senior, we’re talking here about purely, main men’s tour titles. Jack Nicklaus secured 73 PGA Tour titles between 1962 and 1986, he won three times in Australia and 24 further events in (pre senior competition) – a total of 100 professional victories then.

Tiger Woods has won 82 times on the PGA Tour – Equal with Sam Snead for the most ever on the circuit. He has won another 28 times around the world for a total of 110 professional victories to this point.

Nicklaus topped the PGA Tour money list eight times between 1964 and 1976. Tiger topped the PGA Tour money list 10 times between 1997 and 2013.

In terms of total events played – Jack played 586 times on the PGA Tour with 73 wins. That’s a winning % of 12.5%. Tiger has played just 358 times on the PGA Tour with 82 wins. A winning % of 23%.

On the PGA Tour, Jack ended the year with a scoring average below 70 strokes on four occasions, Tiger managed that feat 17 times.

Looking at wins and overall performance in professional tournaments outside of the Majors, Tiger must be said to have the upper hand.

Both men had extremely impressive amateur careers. Woods won the US Junior Amateur three years straight and then won the US Amateur Championship three years consecutively after that. He is the only man to win the US Amateur three years in a row. He played in the Eisenhower Trophy and the Walker Cup (although the US team lost in 1995) and was six time a Junior World Golf Champion.

Nicklaus twice won the US Amateur Championship and twice played in the Walker Cup on the winning side. He also played in the Eisenhower Trophy and was both team and individual champion. Nicklaus finished second in the 1960 US Open while still an amateur.

  “When it pertains to accomplishments in the amateur field, it could be viewed as a respectable outcome shared by these two exemplary figures in our sport.”    Have we observed that Nicklaus likely has the advantage when it comes to amateur team performances?   However, how does he compare in the professional realm?   

Jack participated in six editions of the Ryder Cup and emerged victorious in five of those matches, with the remaining one resulting in a tie (1969). His overall record stands at 17 wins, 8 losses, and 3 draws, giving him a win rate of 61%. On the other hand, Tiger competed in eight Ryder Cups and experienced success only once – in 1999 at Brookline. His Ryder Cup record shows 13 wins, 12 losses, and 3 draws, resulting in a win percentage of just 46%.   

Jack participated in seven World Cups representing the USA. In six out of those seven instances, his team emerged victorious, and he himself achieved the title of individual winner on three separate occasions.   

Tiger participated in three World Cups for the United States and emerged victorious on two occasions.  

He also claimed the individual title once.    Jack has had the role of captain for the US Ryder Cup team on two separate occasions, and he has also fulfilled the position of captain for the US Presidents Cup Team four times.   Tiger has participated in nine editions of the Presidents Cup and has assumed the role of playing captain once.   

“Jack holds the advantage when it comes to team competitions.”