McGovern: Nicklaus set the bar for modern Tour players

Jack Nicklaus, born Jan. 21, 1940, turned 75 last week.

Seventy-five.

There's no way that seems possible.

He doesn't look 75, and seeing as how he still plays tennis, fishes, continues to design golf courses all over the world and is a spectator for the activities/games of his 22 grandchildren, including Florida State tight end Nick O'Leary, he doesn't act 75, either.

But if you do the math, it computes, and if you've followed the timeline of golf history, that adds up, too.

So how could he have gotten to be that old, when I can't remember him being anything but so young?

There's the 1-iron -- kids, ask your parents, or grandparents -- he hit to within 5 inches at the par-3 17th hole at Pebble Beach on his way to winning the 1972 U.S Open championship

The 40-footer up the hill for birdie at the par-3 16th that helped him hold off Johnny Miller and Tom Weiskopf and win the 1975 Masters

The sheer joy he exhibited when he won the 1980 U.S. Open at Baltusrol, which put to rest the notion that he was washed up

And the eagle at 15, the near-ace at 16 and the birdie -- "Yes, sir!" -- at 17 that led to what might be the most compelling, exciting and unexpected final round in major championship history, Nicklaus' victory in the 1986 Masters.

At age 46.

It's hard to believe that was nearly 30 years ago.

Well, in the meantime, just about everything about golf has changed -- the equipment, the technology, the players' training regimens, the players' fashion sense, the sophistication of statistics, the sheer volume of statistics, the increase in purses, the addition of entourages, the absence of polyester, the way we can watch on TV and on our smartphones and on our tablets.

Nicklaus changed over the course of his career, too. He had two distinctly different body types -- he came by his nickname of Fat Jack honestly -- and a hairstyle that went from slicked-back to stylish. His wardrobe also underwent a necessary upgrade.

But amidst all that change, involving Nicklaus and the game of golf through the decades, one thing has remained constant since that day in April 1986: 18, the number of major championships he won.

It's the only measuring stick in golf that really matters.

Eighteen is to golf what 61 was to baseball: Reach that number and you're guaranteed greatness; surpass it and you're the greatest.

So we can thank Nicklaus for saving us the time and the trouble of having a debate, because until someone gets to 18 or beyond, the greatest golfer of all time is not up for discussion.

And we're not likely to have that discussion, at least in the near future, because time is not on Tiger Woods' side.

Woods' singular focus, since he was a kid, has been breaking Nicklaus' record, and for a while, it looked as if he were a good bet.

But now, not so much.

The combination of injuries, surgeries, swing remakes and age have made him more of a longshot than a sure shot.

Going back to 1960, just 9 percent of major championship winners have been 40 or older.

Woods, who owns 14 majors, turned 39 -- an old 39 -- Dec. 30.

So the Golden Bear figures to be the game's gold standard for a while.

But he's also made an impact for reasons other than winning tournaments. His class, integrity and willingness to give back have equaled his accomplishments on the golf course.

You'd be hard-pressed to come up with another athlete, in any sport, who performed as well and behaved as honorably. He was humble in victory and unbelievably gracious in defeat.

Nicklaus set the bar for all who have followed him. Today's players may not come close to matching his resume, but they can surely aspire to mirror his character and sportsmanship.

What could be better for the game?

Or a more fitting birthday tribute to him.

This article was written by Mike McGovern from Reading Eagle, Pa. and was legally licensed through the NewsCred publisher network.