Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods are the two greatest golfers of all time.

The order they end up in during debate is usually a 50/50 split, but Nicklaus more often than not has the edge over Woods due to his record haul of 18 major championships.

Gary Player said Woods was greatest golfer who ever lived but Nicklaus had the better career due to his major record.

The Golden Bear certainly didn’t have to deal with the injuries that the 49-year-old has throughout his career.

Had Tiger remained injury-free, perhaps he would have surpassed Nicklaus’ major record, but we will never know that for sure.

Jack Nicklaus said Tiger Woods outshone him with one achievement

Nicklaus was not only a sensational golfer during his prime, but one of the game’s true gentlemen as well.

Despite his incredible talent and ability, he was always an extremely humble and well-grounded man.

And he admitted that Woods was able to do something that he wasn’t able to do throughout his career.

However, there is one achievement he has which he believes Woods would swap everything for.

Nicklaus spoke out after Woods won his 82nd PGA Tour title in 2019, and passed comment on his haul of victories.

The Golden Bear said: “I don’t know how you add up tournaments anymore. Every time I go someplace, ‘winner of 113 tournaments, winner of 110 tournaments,’ I don’t know how many I won.

“Depends on how many the Tour is taking away or giving me. They changed their mind every year about what they’re going to count. So I don’t know what’s what.

“No one in the world could know how many tournaments Sam Snead won.

“So I don’t know. I mean, Tiger, on regular tournaments, Tiger is probably the winningest player there ever was. And he’s probably won a higher percentage of tournaments than anybody that ever played.
“But I never — of course I’ve always measured my life differently. I never measured it on Tour wins. I measured it on major wins.

“So major championships to me was what I always felt were the most important tournaments. And it’s something that’s — they’re the only ones you can compare back and forth – year or year, I think.

“Would 82 be a major achievement? Absolutely. No question about that.

“But you ask Tiger, which he would rather win, 82 or 18, I think you might get a different answer.”

Nicklaus makes a great point. If you offered Woods the chance to swap 40 of his PGA Tour wins for four more major championships, he would most likely jump at the chance.

What Tiger Woods said about catching Jack Nicklaus’ major record

Back in 2016, when Woods had won 14 majors, he was asked about his chances of catching and even overtaking Nicklaus’ record haul of 18.

In the interview, he was asked if he thinks he could equal Nicklaus.

Woods said: “To be honest, no… I’m going to get more [than 18].“

He went on to praise Nicklaus as the standard-bearer for all touring professionals.

“Jack has always been one of my heroes. I looked up to him,“ he said. “I wouldn’t say I lusted for his record, I just think that was the gold standard.“

Woods will tell you himself that major championships are what professional golfers should be judged on, and Nicklaus’ record of 18 remains untouched.