Nicklaus went on to secure a record 18 major wins after meeting her in college, and he firmly believes that amount of triumphs would not have been possible without her.

Speaking at his annual press conference before the 2024 Memorial Tournament this week, Nicklaus reflected on his marriage. “That set the tone of my career,” he stated.

“Not everybody gets the right partner. “And I had somebody who loved me, cared for me, supported me, and you know, that was really important.

So that was a big thing to me. I don’t know that anything that was anymore important than that to me.

“I give her a lot of credit for what I’ve won because, you know, a golfer goes out on Tour and if you’re not married, if you got your family, you get support, your caddie or whoever, whoever it might be, that’s very important to you.”

Woods, who is second only to Nicklaus in major wins with 15 titles, was at the pinnacle of his game when he married Elin Nordegren in 2004. However, his personal issues and subsequent divorce in 2010 marked a period of decline in his career, reports the Mirror.

Reflecting on Woods’ journey, Nicklaus shared his perspective on the significance of a stable personal life for professional athletes – recalling his thoughts from the time.

He went on to say: “I don’t mean this in a nasty way, but I remember when Tiger was single and Tiger, then he got married and they said, ‘Well how do you think that will effect Tiger’s career? ‘ And I said, ‘Well, I think it will only be a plus.’

“I says, he’s going to get tired of coming home and telling Butch Harmon, ‘Hey, Butch, I won another one.’ He had somebody to share it with. You want to share your career and enjoy the fruits of your work.”

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Source: USA Today