Jack Nicklaus bids farewell to Open

The world's greatest golfer Jack Nicklaus bade a tearful farewell to the Open championship and to his beloved St Andrews on Friday afternoon when he walked up the 18th fairway to a standing ovation.

Nicklaus, 60, bowed out of the event with a second-round 73 for 6-over-par to finish with no chance of making the cut in his last Open.

But he left the door ajar to a final Open appearance when he refused to rule out returning to St Andrews  when the town hosts the tournament again in 2005.

"I wouldn't come back and play if I felt I couldn't play well and the only place I would come back to is  here. St Andrews has a very special place in my heart.

"If I come back it will be as a competitor. I'm not planning on it but if I do happen to come back it  will be a nice bonus."

The three-time Open winner, twice around the Old Course in 1970 and 1978, was clearly misty-eyed as he paused for a last photo on the famous Swilken Bridge with son Jack junior, his caddie. 

Jack Nicklaus waves farewell to the Open from the bridge on the 18th. Allsport.

"The question is not what the fans have given me but what I've tried to give them," he said.

"They've been terrific. I've always given 110 per cent and for many years that has given me some good results."
 
Nicklaus, the winner of a record 18 majors, managed to contain his emotions as he fired his approach to  the last green to within five feet. 

But he missed the birdie putt and signed off with a par, as fittingly, his heir apparent Tiger Woods limbered up on the adjacent first tee.

"He's got the baton now." said Nicklaus.

"And he's doing a pretty good job of it. He's going to be tough to beat."

Nicklaus said goodbye after his 37th Open appearance having played every year since 1962 to 1997 when he missed two years after a hip replacement.

Nicklaus' achievement in major championships is unsurpassed and he is also one of only four men -  alongside Gary Player, Ben Hogan and Gene Sarazen - to have won all four of the game's so called Majors.

Nicklaus completed the feat when he lifted his first Open title in 1966 to add to his 1963 US Masters  and US PGA victories and 1966 US Open win.

But Woods, at 24, will be two years younger than Nicklaus was in 1966 if he can lift The Open's claret  Jug this week to add to his 1997 US Masters, 1999 US PGA and 2000 US Open.

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