Special Sub-Topic: Who Beat Jack? Click Here To Play: Who Beat Jack?

Who beat Jack in the 1960 US Open at Cherry Hills?

Arnold Palmer. Palmer beat Nicklaus, who was still an amateur, by two shots. Nicklaus turned pro in 1962. His first professional victory was the 1962 US Open over Palmer at Oakmont in an 18-hole playoff. The real story was Ben Hogan's attempt to win his 5th US Open just two months shy of his 48th birthday. The final day, Hogan hit the first 34 greens in regulation and thought he needed to birdie one of the last two holes to tie Palmer, so he decided to go for the pin on the 35th hole. Hogan mis-hit the shot just enough for it to spin off the green into a water hazard. As it turned out, Hogan just needed pars on the final two holes to tie Palmer. If you were wondering, in 1960, they still played 36 holes on Saturday. The first US Open final round on Sunday was in 1965. This was because Ken Venturi, the winner, almost didn't finish the 1964 US Open. Venturi had a doctor follow him around the course during his final round. I don't think he knew what he was doing at times, he was just trying not to pass out.

Who beat Jack in the 1964 Masters?

Arnold Palmer. Palmer triumphed over Dave Marr and Nicklaus, by six shots. This was Palmer's final major championship victory. Palmer was nine ahead of Nicklaus after three rounds.

Who beat Jack in the 1964 Open at St. Andrews?

Tony Lema. Palmer had something to do with this. He couldn't make it, and told Tony Lema to use his caddy, Tip Anderson, who then helped Lema win his only major championship by five shots over Nicklaus. Palmer didn't make the trip to St. Andrews for personal reasons.

Who beat Jack in the 1964 PGA at Columbus?

Bobby Nichols. Bobby Nichols defeated Nicklaus and Palmer, even though Palmer became the first player to break 70 in all four rounds in a major championship. Nichols shot 64-71-69-67 (9 under), Palmer shot 68-68-69-69 (6 under). Trevino was the first to do it in the 1968 US Open. It wasn't until 1994 before Nick Price and Jesper Parnevik did it in The Open. Believe it or not, this has never happened in the Masters. Nichols credited his victory to a putter he bought for five dollars from a friend's pro shop the week before the tournament.

Who beat Jack in the 1965 PGA at Laurel Valley?

Dave Marr. Dave Marr won this one playing in the same group as Nicklaus on the final day.

Who beat Jack in the 1967 Open at Royal Liverpool?

Roberto de Vicenzo. De Vicenzo, at the age of 44, won the 1967 Open by three shots over Nicklaus who was still in his 20's. De Vicenzo had nine top 4 finishes in The Open between 1948 and 1969. Royal Liverpool (Hoylake) will host the 2006 Open, a span of 39 years in between Opens. De Vicenzo was much more widely known for his scorecard mistake in the 1968 Masters when he signed for a score higher than what he actually shot. He would have been in a playoff with Bob Goalby. De Vicenzo's famous quote? "What a stupid I am."

Who beat Jack in the 1968 US Open at Oak Hill?

Lee Trevino. Trevino gained his first major victory by four shots over Nicklaus. Trevino became the first golfer in US Open history to shoot four rounds in the 60s. Trevino wasn't the first to break 70 all four rounds in a major championship. Arnold Palmer did it in the 1964 PGA. It wasn't until 1994 before Nick Price and Jesper Parnevik did it in The Open. Believe it or not, this has never happened in the Masters.

Who beat Jack in the 1968 Open at Carnoustie?

Gary Player. Gary Player defeated Nicklaus and Bob Charles by two strokes. Player won six other titles world-wide in 1968.

Who beat Jack in the 1971 Masters?

Charles Coody. Jack was two shots back, tied with Johnny Miller. Coody and Nicklaus were tied for the lead after the third round. Coody shot 70. Miller had been leading by two with four holes left, but Coody birdied 15 and 16 to pull out the win.

Who beat Jack in the 1971 US Open at Merion?

Lee Trevino. The second time Trevino defeated Nicklaus in a US Open. This time, it was in a playoff after the "rubber snake" incident where it was first thought to be unsportsmanlike of Trevino to "scare" Nicklaus prior to their match. Actually, Nicklaus saw something in Trevino's bag and wondered what it was, so Trevino pulled it out and threw it to Jack. 1968 was the first time Nicklaus finished second to Trevino. This was the only time Nicklaus lost a major championship playoff. He won the 1962 US Open, the 1965 Masters and the 1970 Open in playoffs.

Who beat Jack in the 1972 Open at Muirfield?

Lee Trevino. Jack finished with a final-round 66 and waited for the others to fall apart. They all did, except for Trevino, who pulled off a miracle chip-in on the 71st hole for par, which helped him win by one shot. It wasn't the last time a miracle chip-in on the 71st hole helped beat Jack. Tom Watson also did it to Jack in the 1982 US Open at Pebble Beach. Trevino was upset about botching his chance to win, so he just walks up to the ball, takes one look and hits it. It goes in and Trevino is shocked. He drops his club and just laughs with a "How did that happen?" look on his face.

Who beat Jack in the 1974 PGA at Tanglewood?

Lee Trevino. Trevino beats Jack by one stroke yet again, this time with a putter he found in an attic, which goes to show that putting is more mental than anything else. Nicklaus surrounded this narrow defeat with wins in the 1973 and 1975 PGA. However, the most exciting story of this tournament was Sam Snead at 62 years old shooting a final-round 68 to finish in a tie for third place. Trevino also won the 1972 Open by one. Jack had won the Masters and US Open that year. From the 1970 Open through the 1978 Open, a span of 33 majors, Jack was out of the top 10 just two times, and in the top five 25 times. His two worst finishes were 11th and 13th. Let's see anybody try to beat that.

Who beat Jack in the 1976 Open at Royal Birkdale?

Johnny Miller. Johnny Miller won by six shots over Ballesteros and Nicklaus. Believe it or not, Ballesteros, at just 19 years old, was leading Miller by 2 and Jack by 5 going into the final round.

Who beat Jack in the 1977 Masters?

Tom Watson. Watson, leading Nicklaus by three shots going into the final round, won by two with a final round 67. A birdie by Jack at 18 would have tied Watson.

Who beat Jack in the 1977 Open at Turnberry?

Tom Watson. Yep, Watson won the 1977 Open by one shot. The Shootout at Turnberry. Nicklaus shot 65-66 the last two days, but Watson did him one better with a 65-65. As a matter of fact, they both shot 68-70 the first two rounds. It was a good thing Watson had just a two footer for birdie to win on the last hole after Jack holed a 35-40 footer for birdie after driving in the tall grass. Hubert Green, in third place, was ten shots behind Jack.

Who beat Jack in the 1979 Open at Royal Lytham & St. Anne’s?

Seve Ballesteros. Seve Ballesteros got up and down from everywhere, including a parking lot which somehow was not out of bounds, to defeat Nicklaus and Crenshaw by three shots.

Who beat Jack in the 1981 Masters?

Tom Watson. Watson defeated Johnny Miller and Nicklaus by two shots with a final round 71.

Who beat Jack in the 1982 US Open at Pebble Beach?

Tom Watson. This time, it was Watson with the miracle chip-in on the 71st hole. Nicklaus was in the clubhouse thinking that Watson would need to birdie the 18th just to tie after Watson hit his tee shot in the rough above the hole. The ball goes in the hole, Watson dances and points at his caddy Bruce Edwards "Told you I was gonna make it". Trevino first did it to Jack in the 1972 Open. Trevino and Watson were Jack's greatest major competitors. Jack finished second four times each.

Who beat Jack in the 1983 PGA at Riviera?

Hal Sutton. Nicklaus closes with a 65, but Hal Sutton hangs on to win by one shot to win his only major.

Jack came in second 19 times, but had 18 wins. Who was the most frequent runner-up in those 18 wins?

Bruce Crampton. Bruce Crampton finished second to Nicklaus in the 1972 Masters, the 1972 US Open, the 1973 PGA and the 1975 PGA. Crampton was a top-notch golfer as evidenced by his first two years on the Senior Tour when he won 11 times. Crampton's first two years on the Senior Tour were 1986 and 1987. He had retired from professional golf in 1977 and didn't really start playing again until late summer 1985 to prepare for the Senior Tour.