News from Augusta

Nicklaus honoured with plaque

8th April - Jack Nicklaus is rarely at a loss for words but the golfing legend could not complete a brief speech Tuesday, overcome with emotion during the dedication of a plaque in his honour at Augusta National.

The Nicklaus Plaque, enumerating a multitude of achievements by the Masters' greatest champion, is affixed to a drinking fountain between holes 16 and 17 and was dedicated in advance of the Golden Bear's 40th successive appearance in the tournament.

"Forty years is a long time," a reflective Nicklaus, 58, told reporters later in the interview room. "I was the youngest and I was the oldest. A lot of things have happened over 40 years in coming to Augusta."

Much of it is etched on the plaque, but all of it is written in the record books of the Masters Tournament.

In 1963, the 23-year-old Nicklaus won his first Masters title and became the tournament's youngest champion.

Twenty-three years later, Nicklaus became the Masters' oldest champion with a stirring back-nine charge on an April Sunday in 1986 that the Golden Bear rates as his top Masters memory.

In between came four other triumphs at Augusta National --in 1965, when he set tournament scoring records for low total and margin of victory, in 1966 when he became the first repeat champion by winning a three-way playoff, in 1972 when he matched Arnold Palmer's then-record of four Masters titles, and in 1975 when he won an unprecedented fifth.

Of all the glorious times at Augusta, Nicklaus said the unexpected 1986 victory when he fired a six-under 30 at age 46 on the last nine to beat Seve Ballesteros, Greg Norman and Tom Kite, was the biggest thrill.

When a reporter wondered how fresh his memory is of that fabulous charge, Nicklaus snapped: "What club and yardage would you like? I'm serious."

When Nicklaus steps to the tee on Thursday for the tournament's first round, he will be playing, incredibly, in the 153rd consecutive major championship for which he is eligible.

But the Golden Bear, who tied for 39th place in last year's Masters, makes no promises about extending his mind-boggling streak past this June's U.S. Open at the Olympic Club in San Francisco.

Nicklaus has steadfastly insisted that he will retire from the major championships when he feels he can no longer compete at a reasonable level.

"I've said many times that I will play golf as long as I can successfully compete," Nicklaus noted. "To walk up the 18th fairway at noon on Sunday is not a big joy to me just to make a cut. That's not competitive.

"For me to be competitive, to have a chance to win, that's what's burned my fires all my life. And when you can't light those fires, then I think maybe it's time to throw a little bit of water on them and say let somebody else do that."

Nicklaus said he would make a decision on whether he will play at this year's British Open at Royal Birkdale and the PGA Championship at Sahalee Country Club in Washington state based on how he does at the Masters and the U.S. Open.

"I don't really expect to play like Jack Nicklaus at 35. I play like him at 58. I think he plays reasonable," said golf's greatest winner, with 18 major professional titles to his credit.

"But when I'm not even playing that way, then it makes it, you know, not a whole lot of fun."