Legendary golfer says, “There’s no question...Jack was better than Tiger”!
- Perry Noun
- Jan 27
- 3 min read
The Greatest Golfer of All Time Debate
Will this debate ever be conclusively resolved? I say no!
It should be a surprise to no one that the two universally considered... “Greatest Golfers of All Time” are Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods. The only debate seems to be, which one was the superior player?
Did the way Tiger won tournaments with his “flash and brilliance” overshadow Jack’s dominance in “Major Championships”?
Gary Player Weighs In
Golf legend Gary Player turned 90 years old on November 1, 2025. When the Palm Beach Post Newspaper asked him to rank his Top 3 Golfers of All-Time, just before he turned 90, he did not hesitate...
Although ranking himself #3 was a mild shock to me, I will give him the benefit of the doubt until I do my own thorough analysis against the likes of Ben Hogan, Sam Snead, Arnold Palmer, Bobby Jones and Phil Mickelson.
Mr. Player’s reasoning is pretty simple.
“How I judge the best players of all time is to just look at the record book. That’s the only way. It’s the record book because that’s on paper and Nicklaus has the best record...there’s no question”.
He goes on to say, “If Tiger had made the right choices during his career, he would have been the greatest player that ever lived, but the worst saying in golf is “if ”, because “if ” is immaterial...the only thing that matters is the bottom line”.
Tiger’s Peak and the What-Ifs
During his peak years on tour, Tiger was just about pre-ordained to one day beat Nicklaus’ record of 18 Major Championships.
Unfortunately, his 31 “serious” operations and personal problems also were major obstacles in his quest to surpass Nicklaus in Major Championships.
Who could forget the year 2000. Tiger’s game was peaking. He won 9 times (6 straight), including 3 Majors and a 15 shot victory at the U.S. Open that stands as the largest margin of victory in a Major Championship.
The Record Book Matters
Golf historians will debate this issue forever and might properly base their final thoughts on this fact...
Besides his 18 Major Championships, Nicklaus also has 19 runner-ups in Majors (Tiger has only 7) and became the oldest player ever to win the Masters at age 46 in 1986.
Why Gary Player Ranks Himself #3
Quite frankly, I am more interested in why Mr. Player ranked himself #3 player of all time. Let’s start with his “record book”...
He won 9 Majors.
He was the first non-American PGA Tour player to win the Grand Slam (all 4 Majors). I remember it like it was yesterday.
One of only 6 players in history to win the career Grand Slam.
The only man to claim the feat on both the PGA Tour and Champions Tour.
He won 160 tournaments world wide.
Final Thoughts From Gary Player
Final thoughts from Gary Player...
”The judges put Bobby Jones and Arnold Palmer ahead of me. You can’t tell me an amateur golfer (Jones) has a better record than mine. Look at Arnold’s record. It’s not close to mine.
I won more Majors than Arnold. I won more tournaments than Arnold. I won more Senior Majors and my stroke averages were better.
In 1953 when I started my lifelong fitness regiment, I was condemned’.
Arnold, my brother said, ‘you can’t do this weight training’.
Bobby Jones said, ‘You can’t do all this weight training, you’re going to get muscle bound. You won’t win tournaments after 35’.
Well, they’re all dead’ Player said with a laugh ‘and I’m still going”.
He has his sights on a new goal...living to 100.
God bless you Mr. Player. I hope I live long enough to see you accomplish your goal.
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