Jack William Nicklaus (born January 21, 1940 in Columbus, Ohio), also known as "The Golden Bear", was a major force in professional golf from the 1960s to the late 1990s, and is regarded as the greatest golfer of all time. (wikipedia)

Nicklaus took up golf at the age of ten, shooting 51 for his first nine holes. He won the first of six Ohio State Junior titles at the age of twelve. While attending Ohio State University he won the U.S. Amateur title twice (1959, 1961) and an NCAA Championship (1961).

Nicklaus began his professional career in 1962 and his record of eighteen wins in major tournaments is as yet unmatched: three Open Championships, four U.S. Opens, five PGA Championships, and six Masters. He is one of only five golfers to win all four current majors in a career, and the first of only two (the other being Tiger Woods) to have won all four majors more than once. In 1986, he became the oldest player to ever win The Masters.

In all, he had 48 top-3 finishes in majors, including 19 second places and nine thirds, 56 top-5 finishes and 73 top-10 finishes. Nicklaus's six wins at the Masters came in 1963, 1965, 1966, 1972, 1975 and 1986. His win tally is a record and he was also runner-up four times. In the 1970s he finished in the top ten every year. He appeared in the event 45 times and made the cut 37 times.In 1998, at the age of 58 he finished an impressive sixth.
(wikipedia)