[Golf Topic] Nicklaus "Masters Postponed? Difficult to Hold Within This Year~"

[Asia Economy Kim Hyun-jun, Golf Specialist Reporter] ○…'Former Golf Emperor' Jack Nicklaus (USA, photo) predicted that "holding the Masters within this year will be difficult."

In an interview with ESPN in the United States on the 15th (Korean time), he said, "Fred Ridley, chairman of Augusta National, described it as a 'postponement,' but in reality, it is not easy to reschedule within this year," adding, "Considering the impact on other tournaments, it is better to cancel it altogether." The first major of this season, the Masters, scheduled to open on the 9th of next month, was recently postponed indefinitely amid concerns over the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in the United States.

The timing is indeed inconvenient. The PGA Championship in May, the US Open in June, and The Open in July are major tournaments held every month. In August, there are three PGA Tour Playoff (PO) events, and in September, the Ryder Cup, an intercontinental golf competition between the United States and Europe, takes place. Moving into October leads to complicated matters as it falls into the 2020/2021 season. Nicklaus said, "Postponing it was the right decision," adding, "No one would want to get infected at Augusta."

Nicklaus is the holder of the most major wins (18) in the global golf world. Starting with the 1962 US Open, he conquered all four majors including the 1963 Masters and PGA Championship, and the 1966 Open, becoming the fourth 'Career Grand Slammer' at the young age of just 26. It is astonishing that he achieved the 'Career Grand Slam' three times by winning each of the four majors at least three times. He swept six wins at the Masters alone.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.