🇺🇸

Jack Nicklaus

United States

18 Majors

VS
🇺🇸

Arnold Palmer

United States

7 Majors

The rivalry that defined modern golf. Two legends who elevated the sport from country club pastime to global spectacle.

Career Stats Comparison

Jack Nicklaus Category Arnold Palmer
18 Total Majors 7
6 Masters 4
4 U.S. Open 1
3 The Open 2
5 PGA Championship 0
73 PGA Tour Wins 62
Yes Career Grand Slam No

Major Championships

Jack Nicklaus
18
Arnold Palmer
7

Masters

6 - 4

U.S. Open

4 - 1

The Open

3 - 2

PGA Championship

5 - 0

PGA Tour Victories

Jack Nicklaus
73
Arnold Palmer
62

Who Wins What

Nicklaus: 6
Palmer: 0
Nicklaus
Total Majors
Nicklaus
Masters
Nicklaus
U.S. Open
Nicklaus
The Open
Nicklaus
PGA Championship
Nicklaus
PGA Tour Wins

Key Head-to-Head Moments

1962 U.S. Open: Nicklaus defeats Palmer in an 18-hole playoff at Oakmont for his first major, sparking a decade-long rivalry that captivated the sporting world.
1966 Masters: Nicklaus becomes the first back-to-back Masters champion with Palmer finishing in a tie for 4th, cementing the changing of the guard.
1970 The Open: The two Americans battle at St Andrews, with Nicklaus winning in a playoff over Doug Sanders while Palmer fades on the final day.
1973 Ryder Cup: As elder statesmen of American golf, both lead the U.S. team at Muirfield, combining for crucial points in a dominant American victory.
Their Legacy: Together they transformed golf into a television sport, with Palmer's charisma and Nicklaus's dominance creating a compelling narrative that drew millions of new fans.

More Head-to-Head Matchups

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