Jack will say one last goodbye at the Swilcan bridge. Andrew Redington/Getty Images

The British have finally found a way to pay back Jack Nicklaus.

In 1969, when Nicklaus was at the height of his powers, the United States met Great Britain in the Ryder Cup. It was a one-sided competition back then; in fact, the British had lost 10 of the last 11 Cups. But in '69, playing at home at Royal Birkdale and led by Tony Jacklin, who had already beaten Nicklaus both straight up and in fourball, the competition was tied, with one singles match still to be settled ---- Nicklaus vs. Jacklin, head-to-head, again.

Incredibly, Jacklin eagled the 17th hole to level the match, so with only one hole left, the whole Ryder Cup was tied. On the 18th green, Nicklaus had a four-foot putt for par, Jacklin a two-footer. Nicklaus sank his putt. Jacklin moved to his ball. Normally, any pro will sink a two-foot putt almost every time, but now this two-foot putt before the home crowd stood between Jacklin halving his match and Great Britain earning a tie and a moral victory with the big bad American juggernaut.

Nervously, Jacklin approached. Suddenly, Nicklaus waved him off, conceding the putt. The British had earned the tie. He would not allow his stalwart opponent to forfeit his glorious play on account of one nervous mistake. His teammates might be angry, but to Nicklaus, no victory was worth that. Nicklaus threw his arm round Jacklin, Jacklin round Nicklaus, and they walked off the green together as the English crowd applauded. Well, those who were not wiping away tears.

Nicklaus announced sometime ago that 2005 will be the last time he plays competitively. When the British learned that, they took the unusual step of changing the rota of their Open championships, and moving this year's Open to their dearest, oldest course, St. Andrews, so that Jack Nicklaus might play his final serious round at the place where golf was, effectively, given to the world. Not only that, but this week the Royal Bank of Scotland issued a special five-pound note with Nicklaus' likeness on it. It is not just that he is a foreigner, but he will be just the third living person in the last 278 years ---- after Queen Elizabeth and her (now late) Queen Mum ---- to merit this honor.

Of course, Nicklaus is admired in Great Britain for more than his wonderful act of sportsmanship with Tony Jacklin. He won three British Opens, two of them at St. Andrews, and although he lost by a shot to Tom Watson at Turnberry in '77, that week the two Americans provided perhaps the most brilliant -- certainly the most stirring -- competition in Grand Slam history.

Like Bobby Jones, who Nicklaus has most been compared to -- although we cannot forget Jones' own sweet tribute when he once said: "Nicklaus plays a game with which I am not familiar" -- Nicklaus' connection, his devotion, with golf -- with the institution -- goes far beyond his 18 major titles and all his other victories. As much as any single human being can, he represents golf as a player as St. Andrews does as a course. The British, who treat tradition with more honor than we, understand that better.

So this Friday, when Nicklaus reaches his last green ... it will be Friday, won't it? A 65-year-old man can't possibly make the cut at the British Open, can he? Can he? Well, on Friday or Sunday when Nicklaus stands over his final competitive putt on the 18th green at St. Andrews, they ought to just pick up his ball and say for us all: never mind, Jack, this last one's on us.