Jack Nicklaus reveals details of private chat with Tiger Woods

Jack Nicklaus has dished on what Tiger Woods said to him before the 87th Masters.

02 May 2023

Jack Nicklaus reveals details of private chat with Tiger Woods

Tiger Woods isn't done yet, according to legendary golfer Jack Nicklaus.

In comments to Golfweek, Nicklaus has explained he regularly talks to the 15-time major champion.

According to the Golden Bear, he doesn't know a great deal about what Woods has been through.

But he knows one thing: Woods wouldn't have undergone his most recent surgery had he not had the intentions of battling on.

Woods looked in absolute agony during the 87th Masters in April.

He kept alive his remarkable cut streak - 23 in a row - tying Gary Player and Fred Couples but once again it was a gruelling expedition.

It was shortly after the first major of the year that Woods revealed he went under the knife once again.

GolfMagic has already written this extensive article about his latest injury, answering all your questions.

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Nicklaus told the publication:

"I don't know a whole lot about what he's been through.

"He's showed a lot of guts and courage to play and try to be part of what’s going on with the way he's been. He's actually swinging pretty well; he just can't walk.

"We talk quite a bit. He said, 'I'm really playing well. I'm hitting the ball great. My short game's great. My putting's good.' He said, 'I just can't walk.' And he says, 'If it helps where I can walk, I'm willing to do it.'

"He wouldn't be having the operations if he wasn't interested in wanting to continue to play. He's a very motivated and dedicated young man to continue to play the game of golf."

Related: Who is Tiger Woods' caddie?

Take a look at a list of Tiger Woods' injuries over the years:

1994: Woods had two benign tumours and scar tissue removed from his left knee
2002: Woods had fluid removed from inside and outside his ACL as well as benign cysts removed from his left knee
2007: Woods ruptured his ACL
2008: Woods underwent arthroscopic knee surgery as well suffering stress fractures in his left tibia. Woods had surgery to repair his left ACL and was out of action for eight months. In December 2008, he ruptured his Achilles tendon while jogging.
2010: Woods suffered a neck injury, an inflamed facet joint
2011: Woods strained his left Achilles and also withdrew from The Players after spraining his MCL in his left knee and was out for two months.
2012-13: Woods suffered tightness to his Achilles in March 2012. In 2013, he strained his elbow. In August 2013, he tweaked his back. It was the memorable moment in which the golfer fell to his knees and grimaced in agony.
2014-15: Woods had several back spasms that forced him out of several tournaments. He also underwent two microdiscectomy surgeries and didn't return for 16 months.
2017: Woods had his fourth back surgery.
2019: Woods suffered a neck strain which ruled him out of the Arnold Palmer Invitational. It didn't stop him from winning the 2019 Masters, though.
2020-21: Woods had his fifth back surgery, removing a bone fragment that was pinching a nerve.

Tiger Woods girlfriend now