In this Washington Post column, noted author and columnist John Feinstein comments on Jack Nicklaus’ farewell to the British Open and, in so doing, observes that 2005 British Open champion Tiger Woods — while likely to break Nicklaus’ record of winning 18 major championships — has a much more difficult task ahead of him in equaling Nicklaus’ qualities as a champion:
Woods seems to think that Nicklaus’s legacy is only about numbers, that winning golf tournaments is the only thing that measures a champion. Nothing could be further from the truth, especially in golf.
Woods already holds many records. One of them, which is unofficial, is that he has been fined for using profanity publicly more than any player in history. While using profanity in the crucible of competition is hardly a great crime, it is indicative of Woods’s attitude that, rather than try to curb his use of language, he has complained that he is being treated unfairly since there are always microphones following him when he plays. Last month, during the U.S. Open, Woods missed a putt and childishly dragged his putter across the green, damaging it as he did so. When he was asked about the incident later, he shrugged and said, “I was frustrated,” (no apology) as if he was the only player among 156 dealing with frustration. In recent years he has allowed his caddie, Steve Williams, to frequently treat spectators and members of the media rudely, not only defending him but also appearing to sanction his misbehavior.
