The debate of Jack Nicklaus vs Tiger Woods hasn’t found its end yet, with the golf world still split over who truly deserves the GOAT crown. But setting stats aside, a shared rival of both legends has offered some fascinating insight that clearly overcasts one GOAT over the other. Surprisingly, the rival has played with the two and, as a result, defeated them during their prime.
Recently, on the GOLF’s Subpar podcast, Colt Knost and Drew Stoltz invited the legendary golfer who clinched 14 PGA Tour titles in his career. Hal Sutton, a name that made the top names fear with his exceptional ball striking and a strong head that even pressure conditions couldn’t shake. Being a player in both golfers’ eras, he has defeated them both. First, Jack Nicklaus at the 1983 PGA Championship, which got him the nickname of “The Next Nicklaus.” Later, he won against Tiger Woods at the 2000 THE PLAYERS Championship, marking a historic comeback.
Because he has been among the only few golfers to play against both, Colt Knost asked him the controversial question. He asked, “If I were to ask you to break it down like the difference between Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods, what would you say?” Finally, the one who saw them closely answered the question that every golf enthusiast had in mind. Away from the stats, Sutton has an interesting fact to share for that.
He said, “Well, I mean, we’re talking about two different eras here. You know, they both managed their balls incredibly. They were both among the longest players of their time. Big drivers, both of them were great long iron players, middle iron, short iron.” Undoubtedly, the overall package of their game led them to still lead with the most titles. Nicklaus has 18 major titles, and Woods has 82 total PGA Tour wins.
However, there was one thing that kept Woods ahead of ‘The Golden Bear,’ which Sutton mentioned. He added, “Probably, you know, Jack, I would say Jack’s pitching the ball and chipping the ball weren’t in Tiger’s league. I mean, I’m just being honest.” For Nicklaus, the best sand save rate achieved was 47.8% in 1982, which placed him 79th on the list. While for Woods, there have been many instances where he has saved the game despite the harsh ball lie. The most historic one is the 2000 Bell Canadian Open. He shot a 6-iron from 218 yards, carrying the ball over water to land 18 feet away from the flag.
The surprising insight is something that was never considered. This would add to the never-ending debate. But this wasn’t the first time someone had taken Woods’s side. As earlier, Lou Stagner shared ‘Mr. T’ having an edge over ‘The Golden Bear.’
Lou Stagner shared stats backing Tiger Woods’s dominance
At the beginning of the 2025 season, the debate between the two got attention after Lou Stagner shared a post. Stagner is a former golf coach at Princeton University and the golf voice for analytics. Additionally, he is a brand ambassador for major golf brands like Titleist.
So, talking about the two he posted on X, for Jack Nicklaus, he wrote, “Jack Nicklaus was a great champion. No doubt. The best of HIS time. But he played in an era with significantly weaker, shallower fields. Back then, there was very little money in professional golf. That meant fewer elite athletes chose golf as a career. Many top amateurs never turned pro because the financial upside just wasn’t there.” Stating the facts, as earlier, the game of golf was not as competitive as it has become now. Even with the tech evasion, the improvement, analysis, and many other factors have evolved, making the game even intense.
Further talking on the same lines, he shared for Woods. He wrote, “Tiger Woods, on the other hand, competed in, and dominated, the deepest, most talented fields the game had ever seen. He didn’t just benefit from the growth of the game; he caused it. Tiger attracted global talent, massive sponsorship, and turned golf into a sport that elite athletes actually wanted to pursue.” Having the advancement in equipment, golf courses, players, and the competition. The game was brought into the spotlight by Tiger Woods. It is historically proven that Woods’ appearance brought in more players and spectators to the course. In 2001, the number of active players was close to 600. Whereas by 2019 it had grown close to 1300, which is a 118% growth.
But his thoughts on backing the golfer led to a debate in the comment section, which still has no end. However, with two renowned names taking Woods’s side. Do you agree with them? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.
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