Nicklaus says goodbye to a world of memories
Updated: April 14, 2005, 6:43 PM ET
By Gene Wojciechowski | ESPN The Magazine
AUGUSTA, Ga. -- Jack Nicklaus finished in the red Saturday, but only if you count the color of his tear-stained eyes, not The Masters leaderboard.
After 45 tournament appearances at Augusta National, six of them ending with Nicklaus slipping into something green and comfortable, the winningest player in Masters history was reduced to dabbing his eyes and literally waving goodbye to a place he calls one of his two favorite courses in the world. This is what happens when age, a rain-soaked 7,290-yard track, and only a month's worth of preparation conspire against you.
Nicklaus most likely played his final competitive round at Augusta National on Saturday.
Nicklaus is 65, which makes his rounds of 77-76 respectable enough, but much too high to make Saturday afternoon's cut. Numbers have no feelings, so Nicklaus' tournament ended after his 9-over 153, four long strokes from the cut line. Let the record show that he cranked up the Golden Bear time machine on that final hole, pured a 6-iron from 158 yards to four feet, but, sigh, missed the birdie putt. Hard to sink those suckers when your tear glands are acting like bilge pumps.
Did you see him? The greatest player to ever grip a golf club couldn't get a grip on his emotions. He began to crack ever so slightly during the 6-iron moment with his oldest son Jackie, who caddied for him this week, as well as in 1986, the year Nicklaus won his sixth and last green jacket.
"It's really been sweet," said father to son, as they stood in the fairway.
Jackie told his old man that he loved him, which on the tear-jerker scale of 1 to 10, is a This-Is-Spinal-Tap 11. But the adoring Masters patrons did what they could to honor him, too. As he moved toward the ninth green, Nicklaus, his voice cracking, turned to Jackie Jr. and said, "I can't speak."
When they arrived on the green, "tears were pouring out of his eyes," Jackie said.
Almost six weeks ago, Nicklaus wept for his 17-month-old grandson, who drowned in a hot tub accident. The thought of golf, of playing at Augusta, was beyond insignificant.
But his own sons, including little Jake's father, Steve, urged him to play. Masters chairman Hootie Johnson had also pleaded for his return, "one more time." So Nicklaus came back, but he had unwelcome company in the form of steady rains that softened the fairways, reduced roll to near-zilch, and effectively ended his chances of being anything but a nostalgia piece.
That's OK. Long before there was Tiger Woods, there was Nicklaus. And 36 holes of Nicklaus still is better than 72 holes of just about anybody else.
As Nicklaus struggled to control his emotions on the No. 9 green, playing partnerJay Haas walked over to say something. But Haas was battling his own tear ducts.
"Oh, cut it out, will ya?" Haas said to Nicklaus. "I've got to putt this."
"I know you do," said Nicklaus, "but I want you to make it."
Quintessential Nicklaus class.
After Nicklaus tapped in his own par putt, he handed the ball to Jackie.
"Keep the ball, keep the glove," he said. "I don't want to see it on eBay tomorrow."
Afterward, Nicklaus spoke about The Masters in the past tense. Sure, if he could increase his swing speed by 10 mph and convince Hootie to shorten Augusta National's holes by 30 yards or so, he'd be back. "But I don't think that's going to happen," he said.
Sure it will -- right after Martha Burk is named the club's next chairperson.
Jackie, his Masters white overall pants legs splattered with mud, stood under the historic oak tree behind the stately clubhouse and predicted that his old man will return next year. Fact, or wishful thinking?
"I know my dad," said Jackie.
Knows him so well that he offered a "guarantee" that come next early spring, Nicklaus will start practicing for another Masters appearance.
After his greenside farewell and news conference, Nicklaus made a brief appearance on the clubhouse balcony overlooking tree-lined Magnolia Lane. Several photographers waiting below began clicking away.
Jackie parked the white Cadillac courtesy car near the clubhouse entrance and then fetched his father. Minutes later, Nicklaus, his eyes still red and puffy, strode toward the STS. He stopped one last time.
• The rains have passed and conditions Sunday should be nearly pristine. The National Weather Service forecast calls for mostly sunny with highs in the mid 70s and northeast winds of 5 to 10 mph.
• Leaderboard | Recap | Full coverage ESPN.com at Augusta National • Harig: Pressure's on for DiMarco • Maisel: DiMarco in the driver's seat • Sobel: Tiger roars back to life • Wojciechowski: Jack's fond farewell • Alternate Shot: Will DiMarco win? More from Augusta National • Golf Digest: Day 3's winners and losers • Golf World: The rainy season • Golf Digest: Day 3 photo gallery ESPN Motion • Woods chases DiMarco  • Highlights from soggy Day 2 • A bizarre Day 1 for players SportsNation • Give us your take on the Big Four |
"Jackie says you'll be back," I said.
"Oh, I have no intention of coming back," Nicklaus said.
Another reporter, Greg Stoda of the Palm Beach Post -- sort of the hometown newspaper for Nicklaus -- pumped him for a definitive answer. Nicklaus gave it to him. "I'm not going to play again," he said.
Nicklaus was reminded that Hootie would surely call next year, asking the Golden Bear to return for the 20-year anniversary of his sixth Masters title.
"He might," said Nicklaus.
Might? And the azaleas might bloom here. And the dogwoods might blossom.
"Guys, I don't want to play golf anymore," he said. "I don't really want to play golf anymore."
He answered several more questions, asked if we had everything we needed, then slipped behind the wheel of the car. He signed several caps and golf balls, rolled up the window and then drove slowly down Magnolia Lane.
Fans lined parts of the circular driveway and began applauding as Nicklaus drove past. You wondered, as the car disappeared toward Washington Road, if behind those windows Nicklaus was reaching for a Kleenex.
Or maybe, just maybe, he was reconsidering.
Gene Wojciechowski is a senior writer with ESPN The Magazine. His book "Cubs Nation: 162 Games. 162 Stories. 1 Addiction." will be released by Doubleday on April 12, but can be preordered now by clicking here.
