Open Anniversaries: Jack Nicklaus completes grand-slam in 1966
Tuesday 12 July 2016 11:40, UK
Open Anniversaries: In our last anniversary in the countdown to The 145th Open, we look back at how Jack Nicklaus completed a career grand slam of majors with his maiden Open victory at Muirfield - 50 years ago.
With five other majors under his belt - including a successful defence of the Masters in April of 1966, The Open was the only championship missing from the Nicklaus collection when he teed it up at Muirfield in July. At just 26, this was his third attempt at becoming the fourth man to join the elite club with Gene Sarazen, Gary Player and Ben Hogan.
It was the first time The Open had been held over four days, and with sun-baked greens and grass that grazed the knee, the Golden Bear led from the front. It was a tournament where Nicklaus took out his driver just 17 times over the four rounds, a composed one-under first round of 70 put him in pole-position alongside Englishman Jimmy Hitchcock.
During the second round a four-under 67 gave the young American the outright lead by one stroke over Peter Butler heading into the weekend, while the chasing pack lay three shots adrift after many struggled to get to grips with the conditions.
However, Nicklaus opened the door for the field when he stumbled badly on another day of high scoring on day three, and a 75 saw him slip to one under for the tournament - two behind Phil Rodgers.
But Nicklaus erased any doubts over his character or his ability to grind out a win as he conducted a masterclass in course management on the final day, using his one-iron off the tee for most of the round and avoiding the trouble.
He used his one-iron for the majority of the round to ensure he hit the narrow, unforgiving fairways, and his accuracy was rewarded with a front-nine 33 to re-assume his lead. Nicklaus slipped up after the turn and dropped three shots in four holes as Welshman Dave Thomas set the clubhouse target at one under par.
Doug Sanders missed a chance for birdie at the last and joined Thomas in the clubhouse lead, but Nicklaus then hit a stunning 238-yard five-iron to 15 feet on the 17th and converted to move back to two under.
And in front of the largest crowd in Scottish golfing history, Nicklaus closed out victory with a nerveless, cast-iron par, and the enormity of his achievement soon sunk in. "When the moment came to accept the trophy, the tears began welling up and I couldn't get any words out," he said.
"Being about to receive something that even I, never much of a self-doubter, had genuinely doubted would ever be mine was extremely emotional. Finally, I asked the people to excuse me and to let me just stand there and enjoy myself for a moment.
"It's a moment I still enjoy recalling as much as any in my career."
