• Nicklaus hooked by final round, heaps praise on young stars

    Patrick Reed praised by Jack Nicklaus
    Reed acknowledges the Augusta patrons

    Jack Nicklaus, golf’s most successful player in terms of Majors won, heaped praise on Patrick Reed and those who ran him closest after Sunday’s final round at The Masters.

    Nicklaus, who along with Gary Player and Tom Watson thrilled the patrons during Wednesday’s Par 3 contest, admitted that he wasn’t planning on watching the entire performance unfold on his most famous stomping ground but was captivated by Reed and his fellow young stars’ duel.

    ‘I was just going to sit down for a few minutes to watch, but then ended up staying and watching every minute of it. That’s how exciting it was. Great play. Great tournament. Great entertainment. Great fun to watch!’ he wrote on Twitter.

    The Golden Bear won six times at Augusta National, including one as a 46-year-old in 1986 to take his Major tally to 18, four ahead of Tiger Woods.
    He was quick to congratulate the newest member of the Champions Dinner, saying: ‘How good was @PReedGolf?! He was good — very good — because he needed to be really good today. There were some of the best players in the world on that leaderboard and chasing him today’.
    While the Green Jacket went to Reed, Nicklaus singled out runner-up Rickie Fowler and one-time co-leader Jordan Spieth for special praise.
    ‘@RickieFowler was fantastic! He did everything he had to do. I am really happy for Rickie. He played great this weekend, and he played well enough today to win a major championship. Unfortunately for Rickie, Patrick played just a little better.

    ‘And @JordanSpieth, wow. He played an unbelievably great round. Those 3 young men coming down stretch were sensational! That was one of the best @TheMasters I’ve ever seen!’

    The next Major, the US Open, takes place at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in New York starting on 14 June where Brooks Koepka defends his title.

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