Jack of our hearts

58 and still grinding, Nicklaus validates USGA's decision

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Posted: Saturday June 20, 1998 06:30 PM

Nicklaus: "A 65 was on my mind all day long until I passed it with my 17th tee shot." (AP)

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- Jack Nicklaus describes the U.S. Open as 72 holes of bad breaks with an occasional surprise.

Here's one of them: At age 58, Nicklaus was still around on the weekend, still grinding away trying to get into contention, still believing he could win again if everything fell into place.

It didn't on Saturday at The Olympic Club.

"I visualized a 65," Nicklaus said. "I shot a 73. A 65 was on my mind all day long until I passed it with my 17th tee shot."

Even so, the one decision by the USGA that no one could complain about was offering a special exemption to Nicklaus to play in his 42nd consecutive U.S. Open, and 146th consecutive major.

Nicklaus has threatened to end the Cal Ripken-like streak one of these days, but he continues to show that there's no reason to stop now.

At Augusta National, where Nicklaus has won the Masters six times, he was in contention Sunday until failing to make birdie on the 16th hole. He wound up tied for sixth, the oldest player to finish in the top 10 in the Masters.

"Nothing he would ever do would surprise me," said Tom Sipula, who was paired with Nicklaus on Saturday. At 27, playing in his second Open, Sipula shot 78.

That Nicklaus could move into contention in the U.S. Open was nearly inconceivable. But then, what were the odds of him even making the cut.

By his own admission, Nicklaus no longer has the strength to handle the clumpy, gnarly rough that taxes the slightest mistakes. But he may never lose the flair for drama.

He made the cut only by rolling in about a 35-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole on Friday, the ball pausing at the lip and then taking one more turn almost by command.

And Nicklaus looked like he might make the most of it on Saturday. He saved par with a two-putt from 40 feet off the green on No. 2 and hitting a wedge to four feet on No. 5.

And the gallery roared when he holed a 15-foot birdie putt on the sixth hole that put him 1-under for the day.

"I thought with two rounds below par, I might be able to have a shot or to at least be in contention," Nicklaus said. "But I didn't do it, so I'm not there."

The round began to fall apart with a three-putt from about 30 feet on No. 8 and a double bogey on the 10th, when Nicklaus' drive landed next to a beer can against a vine bush.

He goes into the final round at 10-over 220, no chance of winning but still giving the gallery something to cheer about.

Nicklaus gets a ceremonial ovation just for showing up at the green, even if he is still grinding away. He'll decide in a couple of weeks whether to extend his streak by playing in the British Open at Royal Birkdale.

"Am I looking forward to Birkdale?" Nicklaus asked incredulously. "I'm looking forward to tomorrow."

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