Gary Player has surprisingly claimed that a one-time major champion was actually a much better golfer than Jack Nicklaus, but did not have the mental game to realise his full potential.
Nicklaus is widely considered the greatest golfer to have ever lived. The Golden Bear won 18 major titles during his career. There are just three male players who have managed to reach double figures for major victories.
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When it comes to the conversation over the greatest golfers of all-time, the debate usually comes down to two names: Nicklaus and Tiger Woods.
But Gary Player has claimed that a golfer who only won one major was even better than Nicklaus.
Gary Player says one-time major champion was ‘much better’ than Jack Nicklaus
Speaking on Winners of the Wanamaker, Player explained what stopped Tom Weiskopf from winning the amount of majors that he should have done, given his talent level.
“For a young guy, everybody thinks just teach me how to play golf. The swing is not the thing. I played with golfers; Tom Weiskopf was much better than Nicklaus,” he said.
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“Tom Weiskopf was so good, [but] won one major, because, and he admitted it, he said he just didn’t have here [in his head] what was necessary. I loved him. What a golfer, great guy, great golf, but there was just something he didn’t have here. He should have won many majors, I’ve seen a lot of guys like that.”
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How Tom Weiskopf performed in the four major championships during his career
Weiskopf had a remarkable major record when you consider that his only victory at the four biggest events of the year came at The Open Championship in 1973.
The American finished second at The Masters on four occasions. Only Ben Hogan and Nicklaus could match that tally of runner-up finishes at Augusta National.
Unfortunately, Weiskopf was the only member of the trio to never win the Green Jacket.
He also finished in the top three at the US Open on three occasions.
Interestingly, nine of his 16 PGA Tour wins came by no more than one shot. He beat Nicklaus in a playoff at the 1975 Canadian Open, while Player was one of the names who lost out after extra holes at the Kemper Open four years earlier.
Nevertheless, Player is clearly confident that he could have easily won so much more had he had a much more robust mental game.
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