From the Vault: Swing Compilation: Player, Palmer, Nicklaus

I almost called this the 3rd great American Triumvirate, but that wouldn’t be correct as of course Gary Player is South African and was probably the first foreign player to be as well- known as his American counterparts. This is the era (1958-1986) of my own youth, and I remember clearly rooting for Palmer while admiring the greatness of Nicklaus. Player was more unknown to me, and I now consider him the most underrated golfer of all time. He won 9 regular Tour majors and 9 Senior majors (if you count the British Senior Open), and is one of 5 golfers (along with Nicklaus, Woods, Sarazen and Hogan) to win all 4 professional majors. Player amassed 164 professional wins, 44 more than Nicklaus and by far the most of any player in history. Palmer was known as “The King”, and he inspired a legion of golfers with his aggressive style and his connection to his fans. Palmer won his 7 majors in a 7- year period but remained a top player for years after, ultimately winning 62 PGA Tour events. Nicklaus, of course, is the greatest of all time, with 18 majors and 8 senior majors. He won his regular majors over a 25-year period, and had 19 seconds and 9 thirds as well. He ended his career with 73 PGA Tour wins and 120 wins overall. Player, Palmer and Nicklaus became known as “The Big 3”, and their stellar play was key to expanding the popularity of the game around the world.
 
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