Larry Nelson

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Jack Nicklaus

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Jack Nicklaus was the Tiger Woods of the 1960s and 1970s. A gifted amateur athlete, Nicklaus was one of the top golfers in the country, finishing his career with 73 PGA Tour wins. In 1962, Nicklaus became the youngest golfer to win the U.S. Open. His intense rivalry with Arnold Palmer transformed golf into an exciting spectator sport.

Nicklaus, always a gracious signer, has a very strong collector base. Throughout his pro career, Nicklaus has typically met the demand posed by collectors, signing at tournaments and via the mail. Periodically, Nicklaus turned to using an autopen machine to sign his name.

His autograph is an impeccable "Jack Nicklaus." As a young pro, his signature was large and flamboyant. Through the years, his signature has become condensed, but is still legible. Highly desired by collectors are single-signed Masters pin flags and golf balls. Nicklaus has become reluctant to sign premium items in recent times. On occasion, you can spot an authentic example on the Internet.

Jack William Nicklaus (January 21, 1940-) is arguably the greatest golfer that ever lived with a record 18 Major championship titles as well as 115 professional wins, 73 of which were PGA Tour victories, and who also redefined the professional golfer physique as a much bigger and more powerful competitor. Jack started playing golf at age ten and won the Ohio Open at the age of sixteen. He won 27 Ohio events from age 10 to 17 before attending the Ohio State University. At Ohio State in 1957, Jack competed in his first of 44 consecutive United States Opens and then won the 1959 and 1961 U.S. Amateur tournaments while also leading the Buckeyes to the 1961 NCAA Championship. He was the first played to win an NCAA Championship and U.S. Amateur in the same year. Jack went pro in 1962, collecting his first victory as the United States Open at Oakmont over golfing legend and local boy, Arnold Palmer. He won two more tournaments that season en route to the PGA Rookie of the Year award. His 1962 season was the precursor of what was to come for the next 40 years. The 1960s saw Nicklaus, Palmer and Gary Player dominate the PGA Tour earning the name the “Big Three” as the games popularity increased due to television coverage and popularity of the game. In 1963, Jack won his first of six Master Tournaments (1963, 1965, 1966, 1972, 1975, 1986) and his first of five PGA Championships (1963, 1971, 1973, 1975, 1980). Jack Nicklaus won at least one tournament each year from 1962 to 1978, focusing primarily on Major tournaments as he added four U.S. Opens (1962, 1967, 1972, 1980) and three Open Championships (1966, 1970, 1978). He is one of the most recognizable athletes in the World as well as one of the most beloved.

Nicknamed The Golden Bear for his blonde hair and burly build, Nicklaus was one of the few athletes in history to be known simple by his first name, Jack. Just like Mickey Mantle, Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, and Jack’s contemporary, Arnold Palmer. Jack’s career extended well into the 1990s on the Senior PGA Tour as he won 21 tournaments into his late 50s. Throughout his playing career, Nicklaus was one of the greatest ambassadors of the game, but also built an empire off the course. His Nicklaus Design firm has designed over 300 golf courses worldwide with nearly 100 more in development. The Nicklaus Golf Equipment Company, founded in 1992, has also been a leading manufacturer of clubs, accessories and apparel worldwide. Jack has been the poster boy for the PGA Tour and the game of golf, helping young golfers learn the game and developing youth programs for interested children. Prior to the emergence of phenom Tiger Woods in the late 1990s, Jack was unquestionably the greatest golfer of all-time. With Jack’s blessing and support, Woods has the opportunity to surpass his 18 Major championship victories, having already surpassed his career PGA Tour wins total, taking over second place behind Sam Snead (83). Jack Nicklaus ended his competitive career with 73 PGA Tour victories, 18 Major championship wins and 22 Senior Tour victories. He was the PGA Tour money leader eight times, won the PGA Player of the Year Award five times, was the 1975 Bobby Jones Award winner, the 2000 Payne Stewart Award winner and was the first recipient of the ESPN Lifetime Achievement Award in 2008. He won six Ryder Cups, captained the team twice and the President’s Cup team four times. Jack Nicklaus was a member of the inaugural class inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1974.