Overview
- Nicklaus called Gary Player’s self-assessed top three—Nicklaus, Woods, Player—“pretty good assessment,” offering a brief endorsement of the order.
- Player, days from turning 90, reiterated that his rankings are determined strictly by achievements on paper, saying there is “not even a question” about Nicklaus at No. 1.
- Explaining Woods at No. 2, Player said Tiger “would have been the greatest” with different choices, though he dismissed hypotheticals as irrelevant to the record.
- Reports highlighted the comparative ledger: Nicklaus owns 18 majors with 19 runner-up finishes and 55 additional top-10s, while Woods has 15 majors, seven runner-ups, and the all-time 82 PGA Tour wins to Nicklaus’s 73.
- Coverage also notes Woods has not competed since July 2024 after multiple surgeries, including a ruptured Achilles in March and another procedure in early October 2025, leaving his return uncertain with PGA Tour Champions signaling openness to a future start.