The Tour Championship might be over for Tiger Woods with a round still left on Sunday, but golfing legend Jack Nicklaus believes the popular American golfer will bounce back big next year as he attempts to set a new record in Grand Slam victories.
Nicklaus, whose 18 Grand Slam championship remains the gold standard in golf, is very much optimistic that the 37-year-old Woods will eventually break his record and set his status as the greatest golfer of all time.
"If you look at it realistically, Tiger's probably got another 10 years of top golf," Nicklaus told the Associated Press. "That's 40 majors. Can he win five of them? I think he probably will," he added.
Nicklaus said that the level of competition in today's game coupled with immense pressure to perform is the reason why Woods is currently dealing with the worst Grand Slam drought of his career. The Golden Bear also added that he also experienced years of Grand Slam futility in his career, including a 6-year wait for majors no. 18 at the 1986 Masters.
"I never worried about it," Nicklaus said. "I wasn't thinking about records at the time," he added.
"Woods' goal was crystal clear from the time he began and has been a focus of media and fans. His drought is one of golf's most captivating stories and something he won't escape until he breaks through again. Each time you don't win, obviously, makes it harder," Nicklaus told the Associated Press.
Meanwhile, AP Sports writer Paul Newberry believes Woods' aspirations of winning 18 Grand Slam championships might remain as they are because of his declining skills accelerated by shenanigans off the course.
Newberry went on to cite that Woods' reputation as the man to beat in almost every tournament is slowly fading away as his competitors increasingly become more confident in their chances of winning the tournament with him around.
"Once, the mere sight of Woods' name on the leaderboard would cause his rivals to shakes in their spikes. Now, he's just another guy they think they can beat - tougher than most, perhaps, but no longer a snappily dressed version of 'The Terminator'," Newberry stated in his article.
Woods shot a 69 in the third round of the Tour Championship after shooting a 71 and 73 in the first two rounds at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta, Georgia.
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