85-yo Jack Nicklaus wows fans with putting magic at Texas Open

Jack Nicklaus may have retired from competitive golf long ago but he wowed fans with a putting masterclass at the ongoing Valero Texas Open. Nicklaus, also known as the Golden Bear, has 18 major titles to his name.

In a recent clip posted by the PGA Tour, the golf legend showed that his touch on the greens is still sharp. Standing over a putt, Nicklaus said that he had no "idea" about the putt. He then analysed the slope and pointed towards the it and said:

"But I would look at this. I'd see this hill here. Looks like it's going to move off that way. Unless the grain turns it back, I would say that this putt probably goes a couple inches to the right, maybe not quite that much."

He then explained the Champion Bermuda grass and the deceptive nature of the slope, saying:

"Champion usually doesn't break as much as some of the other grasses. It's a little bit uphill right here, but that's maybe a little deceiving because that's downhill."

Nicklaus then pointed towards the ball line and said, "See where it is." He then effortlessly executed the putt, prompting laughter and cheers. At the end of the clip, he proudly said:

"By the way, that’s how you read greens."

Jack Nicklaus (middle) alongside Jordan Spieth (L) and Smylie Kaufman (R) at Valero Texas Open 2025 (Source: Getty)

Jack Nicklaus also appeared as a guest on "Happy Hour with Smylie", broadcast with Jordan Spieth and Smylie Kaufman in the second round of the Valero Texas Open 2025 at TPC San Antonio in San Antonio, Texas.

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A look at Jack Nicklaus's record on the PGA Tour

Jack Nicklaus is considered one of the best golfers of his generation. He turned professional in 1961. He played competitive golf for around three decades on the PGA Tour.

His first win on the PGA Tour came at the major championship, 1962 US Open. He won the tournament in 18-hole playoffs against Arnold Palmer. He competed in a total of 584 events on the PGA Tour and made the cut in 495 of them. He went on to win 73 tournaments and 58 runner-ups. Additionally, he has 209 top-5 finishes and 286 top-10 finishes.

He also won 18 major championships with six wins at the Masters, five at the PGA Championship, four at the US Open and three at the Open Championship. Let's take a look at his list of 18 wins in major championships:

• 1962 U.S. Open
• 1963 Masters Tournament
• 1963 PGA Championship
• 1965 Masters Tournament
• 1966 Masters Tournament
• 1966 The Open Championship
• 1967 U.S. Open
• 1970 The Open Championship
• 1971 PGA Championship
• 1972 Masters Tournament
• 1972 U.S. Open
• 1973 PGA Championship
• 1975 Masters Tournament
• 1975 PGA Championship
• 1978 The Open Championship
• 1980 U.S. Open
• 1980 PGA Championship
• 1986 Masters Tournament