Jack Nicklaus’ major championships record seems like it will stand for a long while yet.
Tiger Woods was always seen as the one player capable of surpassing Nicklaus’ total of 18 majors. But after years of injuries and surgeries, that chase now feels out of reach.
He had been expected to return to the sport in 2026, but has since revealed he’s undergone a seventh back surgery, keeping him out indefinitely. It’s likely he’ll stay on 15 majors – an incredible achievement by any measure, even if it falls short of Nicklaus.
When he won the US Open in 2008, Woods looked nailed on to add at least five more majors. Since then, he’s managed just one – the 2019 Masters. That sudden drop-off caught many by surprise.
It’s led some to question whether Woods ever truly reached his full potential in golf. His dominance in the early 2000s was extraordinary, and there’s an argument that even 15 majors don’t fully reflect how good he was at his peak.
But Rick Shiels has flipped that conversation around by casting a different light on Nicklaus’ career.
Rick Shiels wonders if Jack Nicklaus ever truly reached his ceiling
Nicklaus’s 18 major titles stand as a record few expect to ever be matched. But with 19 runner-up finishes to his name, there’s an argument he left even more on the table.
Shiels spoke about this very topic, questioning whether Nicklaus could have accomplished even more in his career.
Speaking on The Rick Shiels Golf Show podcast, he said: “Are we going to look back at this and feel like [Woods] did not fulfil his potential?
“Between 1997 and 2008 you can’t argue, he won so much it was ridiculous. But that 11 year span between 2008 and 2019 where he didn’t win and he had all of the drama, and the time out of the game, and all these other things and shenanigans off the golf course.”
“He has won 82 official PGA Tour events, tied with Sam Snead also on 82. He should have smashed that record. You could argue. Did Jack Nicklaus not even fulfil his potential? I know that sounds ridiculous. He won 18 tournaments. The amount of times he came second was staggering, absolutely staggering.”
Phil Mickelson and Rory McIlroy fell short of what was expected
There are examples of this littered throughout the modern game. Rory McIlroy was tipped to break Nicklaus’ record when he won his fourth major championship in 2014. Who would have expected his next to be 11 years later, when McIlroy finally won the Masters at Augusta?
Tommy Fleetwood is also a classic example. It took him 164 events before Fleetwood won the Tour Championship, claiming his first win on the PGA Tour. He had 30 top-five finishes during that time, and in another life, Fleetwood could already be a multiple-time winner.
Mickelson’s career grand slam hopes slipped away on the final hole of the 2006 US Open. It’s just not realistic for us to analyze careers like that. Nicklaus finished second 19 times at major championships, but isn’t that something that should be celebrated rather than criticized? 19 times he remained in contention and pushed the winner all the way.
READ MORE: Luke Donald gives his verdict on Rory McIlroy as a future Ryder Cup captain
If you wanted to win a major back then, you had to get past Nicklaus first. He was always right there, making it clear it wouldn’t be easy.
Woods built his legacy on unmatched drive and commitment, though it came with physical consequences later on. But without putting himself through all that, would he have ever reached 15 majors?
When you look at players like these two, sometimes it makes more sense to appreciate what they did accomplish instead of focusing on what they didn’t quite reach.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
