Jack Nicklaus Comments on Tiger Woods’ Health, Breaking His Record and More

Nicklaus said he told Woods, “Nobody wants their records to be broken, but I don’t want you not to have the ability to have that opportunity”.

He turned more serious when asked about Jupiter Island resident Tiger Woods, a vice captain on the Ryder Cup team who attended the dinner.

A United States journalist started rumours last week that the 40-year-old’s rehabilitation was not going to plan and he was struggling to even get out of a vehicle, but the 14-time major winner’s agent has since rubbished the report.

On Thursday night at the Palm Beach home of Jack and Barbara Nicklaus, Tiger Woods joined a group of almost 30 men either connected with the upcoming U.S. Ryder Cup team or potential players on said team.

“He looked very good”, Nicklaus said. “He looked very healthy and he misses playing”. He says he was feeling great and he was able to stand over a putt and chip now without having any leg pain. We had a lot of nice back and forth about how to play golf and this and that and so forth.

As Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer and Gary Player dominated their era of golf, Mark McCormack, who managed all three players, used his press connections to turn them into a sensation.

“He talked a lot, ” Nicklaus said. “I said, ‘Wow, you’re standing up, you’re not dead, ‘” 2016 U.S. Ryder Cup hopeful Jimmy Walker told reporters.

“I think he’s pretty private about what his situation is, and I don’t blame him, because every time he opens his mouth, there’s nothing but articles written about speculation about Tiger”.

“I talked to him for just a second”. I know they all want to play their best, but they also need to take it as a game that they prepare for and have fun in when they go play. He seems to be relevant as long as he’s not playing. And then imagine how long before the fans realize he is a 40-year-old with four surgeries on his knee and three surgeries on his back.

“As I said to (caddie) Dermot, it could have happened on worse days”.

The 18-time major victor was speaking at the Honda Classic, where Australia’s Adam Scott won with a conventional putter for the first time in more five years, closing with a level-par 70 to win by one shot from Sergio Garcia on nine under par.