Golden Bear takes final bow

AUGUSTA, Ga. — Jack Nicklaus stood alone on the ninth green, taking a long look at the cheering crowd before dipping his head and brushing away the tears.

So much of his legacy was forged at the Masters, a simple goodbye somehow seemed inadequate. This was what the 65-year-old, six-time champion wanted, though. No ceremonial last round, no grand sendoff.

A few minutes of applause, a hug from his oldest son, and then he was gone, walking off the course at Augusta National for what he said is the last time.

“I don’t think I’ll play in the tournament again,” Nicklaus said Saturday after shooting a 4-over-par 76 and missing the cut by five strokes.

“I think it’s fine to go ahead and say goodbye and so forth and so on, but I think you say goodbye when you think you can still play a little bit. I think I can play a little bit, but I can’t play well enough to be playing.”

There was a time when nobody played better. Certainly not at the Masters.

Nicklaus won six of his 18 majors here (1963, 1965, 1966, 1972, 1975 and 1986), two more green jackets than Arnold Palmer. He was the first to win in consecutive years, and still holds the record as the oldest champion for his last victory at age 46.

“It’s a special place,” said Nicklaus’ wife, Barbara. “It’s been a special place for a lot of years.”

But it’s no longer his place. The Golden Bear hasn’t made the cut since 2000, and hasn’t been in contention since he tied for sixth in 1998. Unlike Palmer, he never wanted a ceremonial sendoff, loathing the idea that he might have stayed too long.

“This is not a celebrity walk-around,” he said. “This is a golf tournament. It’s a major golf championship. If you’re going to play in this championship, you should be competitive and you should be able to compete with who is out there.”

He had planned to make 2004 his last year. But after the March 1 drowning death of his 17-month-old grandson, Jake, chairman Hootie Johnson coaxed Nicklaus into coming back one more time.

After playing several rounds with his sons the last few weeks, Nicklaus agreed.

“I think it was good for everybody,” said his wife, who walked the course with her children and some family friends. “It’s been very heartwarming. Everybody’s been wonderful, and the support has been wonderful.”

Nicklaus didn’t announce this would be his last appearance. Other players didn’t know this was his final round.

“Hopefully, he doesn’t,” Tiger Woods said when asked about Nicklaus leaving. “We didn’t give him a sendoff.”

But Nicklaus wanted to make one last run, not a spectacle of himself.