Golden Bear just doesn’t cut it anymore

Charlie Mulqueen

It's not that I don't respect what Nicklaus has done in the game. Any winner of 18 major titles, miles ahead of anybody else, deserves to be regarded as golf's greatest player, but that's where I pick my argument.

Nicklaus ceased winning majors as long as 19 years ago. In the intervening years, he has never been in the winner's enclosure.

He last completed 72 holes in the Masters in 2000 when he tied for 54th; it's 1998 since he did so in the US Open and then he shared 43rd place. 1997 was his most recent weekend appearance in the British Open but that was in 60th place, and you must go back to 1995 when he went the distance in the US PGA he shared 67th place.

Nicklaus is way past his sell-by date. He insists he wouldn't be at St Andrews this week but for his abiding love for the place and that this will definitely be his last time to compete in the Open.

You'd have to trust him this time, although he has made similar noises in the past only to discover a reason to change his mind.

This is indeed rich from a man who declares that he "will never become a ceremonial golfer", a clear dig at people like his eternal rival Arnold Palmer, another old gent who doesn't appear to know when it's time to call it a day.

Nicklaus is now halfway into his 66th year, has been suffering from back trouble for many years and any resemblance between the swing of his heyday and what we see today is purely coincidental.

However, Jack just can't pass on the worship he worship that attaches itself to gets wherever he goes.

It may be recalled how British Open Championship press officer David Begg refused overtures to invite him to the media centre six or seven years ago, citing that he was no longer a major contender and added, perhaps unfortunately, that "anyway you may hang on every word of Jack Nicklaus but I don't".

Begg was pilloried in the tabloids and a few broadsheets.

These people can't get enough of Nicklaus and were among those who produced DVDs, special magazine supplements and glowing 2,000-word articles of praise to mark his last appearance in the Open.

They'll be there again at the front of the room this morning when Jack comes calling for, presumably, his ultimate Open Championship interview.

They'll ask carefully phrased questions and will be treated to longwinded and self-serving responses. Jack will milk the situation for all it's worth.

Nicklaus, who played a practice round with fellow St Andrews winner Nick Faldo yesterday, admitted he will be very emotional when he makes the final walk across the Swilcan Bridge up the 18th hole.

"The galleries will be very nice and that's one of the reasons I picked St Andrews to end my competitive career," said Nicklaus, who will have his son Steve as his caddie this week.

"With what it has meant to me I thought it was the appropriate place to finish my career." Nobody can argue with Jack Nicklaus' amazing achievements since he captured the first of his two US amateur championships in 1959.

He retained that title the following year when, while still an amateur, he almost added the US Open as well. He made amends, however, in that event in 1962, '67, '72 and '80, while he captured the Masters on six occasions, 1963, '65, '66, '72, '75 and '86; the Open three times, 1966, '70 and '78 and the US PGA in 1963, '71, '73, '75 and '80.

On top of that, he has 73 US Tour wins 10 on the Champions Tour, 11 internationally and nine others (including six World Cups, four in partnership with Palmer).

Furthermore, it is incomprehensible to me that Nicklaus was refused the Freedom of St Andrews by the local council earlier this year. Having always trumpeted his love for the place, he has done more for the borough than anybody since the days of Old Tom Morris back in the 19th century.

He is here this week because the R&A a body which found an unwritten rule to keep Englishman Greg Owen out of this week's tournament kept changing the qualification to encourage Arnie and Jack to keep coming.

His presence means that people like Greg Owen and the hugely promising Nick Dougherty are omitted entirely. And that cannot be right.