What Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer warned Gary Player about not long after he joined the PGA Tour

Add as preferred source on Google

It’s fair to say that Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer and Gary Player are three of the most legendary figures in the world of professional golf.

Nicklaus won 73 PGA Tour tournaments including 18 major championships, while Palmer racked up 62 wins on Tour, with seven majors to his name.

Surprisingly, Player only won 24 PGA Tour tournaments, but he did win a hugely impressive nine major championships.

Nicklaus, Palmer and Player were very close friends during their prime years, but they were fierce rivals on the course as well.

Sadly, Palmer passed away back in 2016, and Nicklaus and Player still talk very fondly about him now.

However, not long after Player came over to America to compete, his two rivals both warned him about doing something in particular.

What Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer warned Gary Player about

Player may rub some people up the wrong way with his forthright opinions.

However, he deserves to be respected for his incredible work-rate and mindset.

When writing a column for Worldwide Golf back in 2021, Player opened up on a warning that he received back in the day from Nicklaus and Player.

He said: “I had to adapt my game and make sure I was physically as fit and as strong as possible, to take on the likes of Jack Nicklaus. Both Jack and Arnold used to tell me that lifting weights was detrimental to the golf swing. It really wasn’t until Tiger came onto the scene before many Tour players started to appreciate the benefits of a structured gym programme.

“Today, players spend as much time in the gym as they do on the course. Bryson has showcased just how you can build your body through exercise to improve speed and power but Jack Nicklaus in his prime, with modern day equipment, would be matching him off the tee for distance.“

Player obviously ended up proving both of his rivals wrong.

Not only is he one of the fittest 90-year-old men you will ever see now but the game has evolved into one where you cannot achieve success without peak physical fitness.

Gary Player’s PGA Tour record vs Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer

Player more than held his own against the two Americans during the 1960s and 1970s.

Here is how all of their records compare:

Player actually won 159 tournaments worldwide, but he will probably be disappointed that he only recorded 24 PGA Tour victories.

Nicklaus’ record is truly exceptional, as is Palmer’s, and those two players, alongside Player, will always be remembered as key figures in the huge rise in popularity of the game.

The PGA Tour stars of today would not be where they are right now if it wasn’t for Player, Nicklaus and Palmer.