Jack Nicklaus’ final professional appearance came at the 2005 Open Championship at St Andrews’ Old Course.
Nicklaus’ walk down the famous 18th was one of golf’s most iconic moments, as was his birdie putt in front of thousands of on-looking fans.
Two of Nicklaus‘ Open wins came at the Old Course in 1970 and 1978, and the Golden Bear was made an honorary citizen of the town in 2022. Along with Augusta National, St Andrews is Nicklaus’ favourite venue, and it’s easy to see why the 18-time major winner chose to end his career on the famous Scottish links.
What Jack Nicklaus said about St Andrews in 2022
Before the 2022 Open – which soon-to-be LIV golfer Cam Smith won – Nicklaus discussed why he held St Andrews in such high esteem.
“But when I came here in 1964, I couldn’t believe that St Andrews was a golf course that would still test golfers of that time,” Nicklaus explained.
“Now, that’s, what, 60 years ago? Close. Anyway, I didn’t think — it still tests the golfers at this time. It’s a magical golf course.
“The conditions, the weather, where you actually choose to put the pins, whether the golf course gets dry, whether the golf course gets wet, all those things that make St Andrews a magical place.”
The Golden Bear continued: “And to believe the game of golf essentially started here, and it is just absolutely mind-boggling to me that it still stands up to the golfers of today. I tell you, if you get a little bit of weather, anytime you get it, it will tell you real fast how fast it makes you stand up to it.”
What has Tiger Woods said about St Andrews?
It’s not just Nicklaus who loves golf’s ancestral home. Tiger Woods claimed playing the famous links is “literally the best” experience in professional golf.
“Playing at St Andrews is literally the best. It’s like going back in time. It’s one of the greatest walks coming up 18, to see the whole town there. Every great player that has ever played the game has played St Andrews. You can’t say that about any other golf course,” Woods said.
It’s a similar story for Rory McIlroy and Brooks Koepka. Four-time major winner McIlroy claimed he’s grown to love St Andrews after leading the nuances of the course over time. The Northern Irishman came agonisingly close to winning at the home of golf in 2022.
As for Koepka, the LIV Golf star played the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship last year and admitted it’s a course he would happily play every day. “St Andrews, my favourite golf course in the world,” Koepka said. “I can play that every day and not get tired of it; it’s my favourite place in the entire world. The town is just so much fun.”
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