adminLONDON. — Golf legend Jack Nicklaus believes it will be “tough” for Tiger Woods to eclipse his record of 18 major victories.
Woods (43) claimed his first major since 2008 at this year’s Masters to move within three of American Nicklaus.
But having missed the cut at the PGA Championship in May, he again failed to make the final 36 holes at The Open.
“He’s getting older — we all do that,” Nicklaus told BBC Radio 5 Live. “He’s had a lot of surgeries, those things add up.”
Asked if it was now less likely Woods will break his record, Nicklaus said: “I don’t know, probably.
“I don’t want to put down Tiger by any means, because Tiger — what a work ethic he’s got and how great he’s been. What he’s done has been fantastic, and we certainly can’t fault any of that. But it’s tough (to beat the record). It’s tougher.”
Woods carded rounds of 78 and 70 for a six over total at Royal Portrush to miss the cut by five strokes.
The American, who has had back operations, complained of soreness and later said: “That’s one of the hardest things to accept, that as an older athlete you’re not going to be as consistent as you were at 23.”
Nicklaus said he had suspected Woods was “not feeling well”.
“You don’t go in to the Open Championship, particularly the last major of the year, and not really have played very much golf, and not prepared,” the 79-year-old added.
“That’s not Tiger. So he had to be hurting. And when he’s hurting, that’s got to affect his swing, it’s going to affect him mentally, and he’s going to struggle from it. — BBC Sport.
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