Nicklaus' 'big goal' is to stick around St. Andrews

Jack Nicklaus plans to bid farewell to major championship golf at the 134th Open Championship. But the Golden Bear, now 65 and out of Open exemptions after this year, hopes to say goodbye on Sunday, not Friday.

Jack Nicklaus has set a target for the Open Championship at St. Andrews, his final competitive appearance on the international major championship stage. It is not a specific score, but to make the cut over the Old Course.

"I want to finish my career on Sunday, not on Friday," Nicklaus said on Thursday. "That's my big goal."

The 65-year-old loses his Open exemption after this year, and considers it entirely fitting to be saying his goodbye to the majors at the home of golf, where he won in 1970 and 1978. He last played in the Open in 2000, also at St Andrews, and last made the halfway cut in 1997.

Also this week, the Scottish government is honoring Nicklaus by putting is face on a Scottish banknote. The paper currency, which will be unveiled at St. Andrews, will be legal tender in Scotland.

Nicklaus called the gesture "one of the most significant and memorable honors I've had in my career" and noted that "only the Queen and the Queen Mother have been on there as living people.

"I'm very, very flattered," he said, "and it's hard for me to say anything other than it's a great honor."

Nicklaus played his last U.S. Open and PGA Championship in 2000 and his last Masters this April.

When the Golden Bear steps onto the first tee of the Old Course on July 14 he will be making, almost certainly, his final appearance in The Open. The most successful championship winner of all time, with 20 major titles to his credit, has reached the upper age limit for exemption into the field.

Three of his major victories have been in The Open. His first was at Muirfield in 1966 when he beat Dave Thomas and Doug Sanders by a single shot, and he has twice been a winner at St Andrews. In 1970 he beat the unfortunate Sanders again, this time in an 18 hole play-off, and in 1978 he finished two shots ahead of a group of four players - Ben Crenshaw, Raymond Floyd, Tom Kite and Simon Owen.

Although others have won The Open more often -- in the modern era Tom Watson has claimed the title five times -- Nicklaus has a record for consistent high performance which stands alone. He was runner-up seven times, took third place three times and twice finished fourth. In a 20-year period he finished in sixth place or better 17 times.

He was 46 when he won the last of his six Masters titles in 1986 and he won four US Opens between 1962 and 1980. His first USPGA victory was achieved in 1963 and his fifth in 1980. If his two US Amateur titles are included his tally reaches 20.

Second place in the all-time medal table is held by Bobby Jones, who played all his life as an amateur. He won 13 majors - three Opens, four US Opens, five US Amateurs and one British Amateur.

Tiger Woods' victory in this year's Masters moved him into third place with 12 titles. He was the last winner of The Open at St Andrews in 2000 and has also won two US Opens, four Masters, two USPGAs and three US Amateur Championships.

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