Nicklaus greater than Tiger or Seve: poll

Jack Nicklaus was the runaway winner of a readers’ poll in Golf Monthly magazine to find the greatest player of the last 100 years.

Nicklaus, whose 18 major titles are a record, won 58% of the votes from a list of 20 golfers with nearest challenger Tiger Woods way back on 16% and Spanish star Seve Ballesteros, who  died in May this year, third with 8% of the vote.

“To be chosen among the many talented golfers over that time period is humbling and greatly appreciated,” said Nicklaus when told the result of a poll published in the August edition of a magazine which celebrates its centenary this year.

However, Woods, won the greatest shot of the last 100 years for his chip-in from beside the 16th green at August National as he won  the 2005 Masters.

Playing away from the hole, Woods saw his ball go up a steep slope, roll back down again and teeter on the lip of the cup before falling in.

Neither Nicklaus nor Woods, who’ve each won the tournament three  times, are playing at this year’s British Open, which starts at Royal St George’s in Sandwich, south-east of London, on Thursday.

Nicklaus, 71, retired from competitive golf six years ago at the  2005 British Open at St Andrews in Scotland.

Meanwhile the 35-year-old Woods, whose 14 majors put him second in the all-time list behind fellow American Nicklaus, is currently sidelined with a knee injury.