{"id":234705,"date":"2025-10-30T21:05:19","date_gmt":"2025-10-30T21:05:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/234705\/"},"modified":"2025-10-30T21:05:19","modified_gmt":"2025-10-30T21:05:19","slug":"golf-legend-believes-hes-third-behind-jack-nicklaus-and-tiger-woods-in-goat-debate","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/234705\/","title":{"rendered":"Golf legend believes he’s third behind Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods in GOAT debate"},"content":{"rendered":"

If anyone is entitled to a strong opinion on the three greatest golfers of all time then it’s probably nine-time major champion and all-round golf legend Gary Player.<\/p>\n

Even if he has ruffled a few feathers on social media with his latest hot take…<\/p>\n

Gary Player has settled golf\u2019s greatest debate \u2014 at least in his eyes<\/p>\n

Player, who turns 90 this weekend, was asked to name his top three golfers of all time during a recent Q&A with Golfweek.<\/p>\n

And it’s fair to say Player<\/a> did not hold back with his order of preference.<\/p>\n

Jack NicklausTiger WoodsGary Player<\/p>\n

While a bold claim, the South African legend has never been short on confidence.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT<\/p>\n

Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT<\/p>\n

Player\u2019s career \u2014 spanning more than six decades, over 160 professional wins worldwide, and a career grand slam \u2014 gives him plenty of credibility to back it up.<\/p>\n

And when it comes to ranking greatness, he believes the answer is crystal clear: the numbers tell the story.<\/p>\n

For Player, Nicklaus stands alone at the top. Woods follows close behind. And rounding out the trio? The man known as the Black Knight.<\/p>\n

\"Player <\/p>\n

Player thinks Woods made some bad choices<\/p>\n

Nicklaus vs Woods: The numbers that matter<\/p>\n

In the endless debate between Nicklaus<\/a> and Woods<\/a>, Player has always sided with the Golden Bear.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT<\/p>\n

Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT<\/p>\n

The stats, he says, leave no room for interpretation.<\/p>\n

Nicklaus owns a record 18 major championships, 19 runner-up finishes, and an astonishing 73 top-10s in majors.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Woods, meanwhile, boasts 15 majors, 82 PGA Tour titles, and one of the most dominant peaks the sport has ever seen.<\/p>\n

But for Player, major championships remain the ultimate yardstick.<\/p>\n

Player told Golfweek<\/a>: “How I judge the best players of all time is I say, ‘there’s the record book. That’s the only way. It’s the record book that’s on paper. And Nicklaus has got the best record. There’s no question.”<\/p>\n

Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT<\/p>\n

Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT<\/p>\n

And while he admits Woods’ talent could have rewritten history, Player says potential doesn\u2019t count when it comes to legacy.<\/p>\n

Player considers Woods, who continues to recover from multiple surgeries, made some questionable choices that ultimately cost him a chance of catching Nicklaus in the major race.\u00a0<\/p>\n

“If Tiger Woods had made the right choices, he would have been the greatest player that ever lived,” said Player.<\/p>\n

“But the worst saying in athletics, in sports, is if. Because if is immaterial. It’s the bottom line.”<\/p>\n

Why Player puts himself in the top three\u00a0<\/p>\n

Few golfers have achieved what Player has. Across six continents and countless time zones, he\u2019s amassed victories that few can even imagine \u2014 including nine majors, 24 PGA Tour wins, and a proven record in senior golf.<\/p>\n

Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT<\/p>\n

Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT<\/p>\n

So, when he includes himself in his all-time top three, he\u2019s not boasting \u2014 he\u2019s making a case built on evidence.<\/p>\n

“Jack is number one, Tiger number two, and I’m number three,” Player said. “There’s not even a question.”<\/p>\n

He knows, though, that not everyone shares his ranking.<\/p>\n

“When they judge players, it’s quite interesting, they put Bobby Jones and Arnold (Palmer) ahead of me. You can’t tell me that an amateur golfer has a record that I have in golf. His record is not close to mine. You look at Arnold’s record, it’s not close to mine. I won more majors than Arnold. I won more tournaments than Arnold. I won more senior majors. My stroke averages were better. He didn’t have the record, and he was my brother.”<\/p>\n

Despite that, Player speaks warmly of Palmer \u2014 a man who, alongside Nicklaus and Player himself, helped define golf\u2019s golden age.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT<\/p>\n

Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT<\/p>\n

“But I love the fact, in a way, that they do that, because what he did for golf, and I grew up with him, he was supreme,” said Player.<\/p>\n

When it comes to the all-time major win count, Player is tied fourth alongside Ben Hogan – another player who also completed a career grand slam.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Walter Hagen is third with 11 majors, but he never completed a career grand slam.<\/p>\n

\"Rory <\/p>\n

Rory McIlroy joined the career grand slam club in 2025<\/p>\n

Only six players in the history of the game have completed the career slam in the modern era – Sarazen, Hogan, Player, Nicklaus, Woods and Rory McIlroy – the latter who achieved the feat at The Masters in April this season.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT<\/p>\n

Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT<\/p>\n

Men’s major championship winning golfers<\/p>\n

Rank<\/p>\n

Golfer<\/p>\n

Winning span<\/p>\n

Masters<\/p>\n

U.S. Open<\/p>\n

The Open<\/p>\n

PGA<\/p>\n

Total<\/p>\n

1<\/p>\n

Jack Nicklaus<\/p>\n

1962\u20131986<\/p>\n

6<\/p>\n

4<\/p>\n

3<\/p>\n

5<\/p>\n

18<\/p>\n

2<\/p>\n

Tiger Woods<\/p>\n

1997\u20132019<\/p>\n

5<\/p>\n

3<\/p>\n

3<\/p>\n

4<\/p>\n

15<\/p>\n

3<\/p>\n

Walter Hagen<\/p>\n

1914\u20131929<\/p>\n

0<\/p>\n

2<\/p>\n

4<\/p>\n

5<\/p>\n

11<\/p>\n

4<\/p>\n

Ben Hogan<\/p>\n

1946\u20131953<\/p>\n

2<\/p>\n

4<\/p>\n

1<\/p>\n

2<\/p>\n

9<\/p>\n

4<\/p>\n

Gary Player<\/p>\n

1959\u20131978<\/p>\n

3<\/p>\n

1<\/p>\n

3<\/p>\n

2<\/p>\n

9<\/p>\n

6<\/p>\n

Tom Watson<\/p>\n

1975\u20131983<\/p>\n

2<\/p>\n

1<\/p>\n

5<\/p>\n

0<\/p>\n

8<\/p>\n

7<\/p>\n

Harry Vardon<\/p>\n

1896\u20131914<\/p>\n

0<\/p>\n

1<\/p>\n

6<\/p>\n

0<\/p>\n

7<\/p>\n

7<\/p>\n

Bobby Jones<\/p>\n

1923\u20131930<\/p>\n

0<\/p>\n

4<\/p>\n

3<\/p>\n

0<\/p>\n

7<\/p>\n

7<\/p>\n

Gene Sarazen<\/p>\n

1922\u20131935<\/p>\n

1<\/p>\n

2<\/p>\n

1<\/p>\n

3<\/p>\n

7<\/p>\n

7<\/p>\n

Sam Snead<\/p>\n

1942\u20131954<\/p>\n

3<\/p>\n

0<\/p>\n

1<\/p>\n

3<\/p>\n

7<\/p>\n

7<\/p>\n

Arnold Palmer<\/p>\n

1958\u20131964<\/p>\n

4<\/p>\n

1<\/p>\n

2<\/p>\n

0<\/p>\n

7<\/p>\n

The Big Three and the legacy that lives on<\/p>\n

In the 1960s, Nicklaus, Palmer, and Player were the heartbeat of golf \u2014 rivals on the course, but partners in building the sport into a global spectacle. Together, they won over fans across continents and laid the foundation for today\u2019s game.<\/p>\n

Player\u2019s record remains extraordinary: nine majors (two more than both Palmer and Bobby Jones), and a career that produced more worldwide victories than any other professional in history.<\/p>\n

Palmer\u2019s 62 PGA Tour wins from 703 starts are remarkable, but Player\u2019s 24 wins in 449 starts showcase a career of incredible efficiency and consistency.<\/p>\n

\"Jack <\/p>\n

Jack Nicklaus<\/p>\n

Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT<\/p>\n

Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT<\/p>\n

Still competing in mind and spirit<\/p>\n

As he prepares to celebrate his 90th birthday this Saturday, Player remains as outspoken and driven as ever \u2014 still preaching discipline, fitness, and mental toughness as the keys to longevity.<\/p>\n

His self-belief hasn\u2019t dimmed with age, and neither has his passion for the game that made him a household name.<\/p>\n

Ask him again to name the best three golfers of all time, and you\u2019ll get the same answer \u2014 without hesitation.<\/p>\n

“Jack is number one, Tiger number two, and I’m number three. There’s not even a question.”<\/p>\n

In Gary Player\u2019s world, greatness isn\u2019t a matter of opinion \u2014 it\u2019s written in the record books.<\/p>\n

Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT<\/p>\n

Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT<\/p>\n

Subscribe to our Newsletter<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"If anyone is entitled to a strong opinion on the three greatest golfers of all time then it’s…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":234706,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[39],"tags":[5904,101,56,54,55],"class_list":{"0":"post-234705","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-golf","8":"tag-golf","9":"tag-sports","10":"tag-uk","11":"tag-united-kingdom","12":"tag-unitedkingdom"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/234705","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=234705"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/234705\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/234706"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=234705"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=234705"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=234705"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}