Tiger Woods is widely regarded as the greatest golfer of all time – and that’s a belief that is shared by one of his former on-course rivals in Fred Couples
Golfing great Fred Couples has dubbed Tiger Woods as the undeniable GOAT of golf, expressing awe at his 1997 Masters win and his continued presence on the PGA Tour.
Despite not capturing the same domination he was once known for and being selective in competitions, Woods is celebrated as the pinnacle of the sport’s history. After a series of personal and physical struggles, including back surgery and a major car crash in 2021, the iconic golfer is on track to launch his own indoor golf league by 2025, while continuing to champion the game.
Adding to Tiger’s luminary status, Couples sang praises for Woods at an event that etched another milestone into his illustrious career. As Woods was hailed at the World Golf Hall of Fame induction during 2022, Couples took to social media, revealing on X: “I’m so excited to tune in and see Tiger Woods inducted into the Hall of Fame by his daughter Sam tomorrow – just another accolade for the best I’ve ever seen.”
Woods’ record, highlighted by his 15 major victories – second only to golf legend Jack Nicklaus – supports Couples’ assertion, making it a widespread sentiment. When the talk turns to who reigns supreme in golf, with Nicklaus’ 18 majors in play, the conversation between him and Woods becomes a showcase of impressive statistics.
Aside from his impressive win tally, Jack Nicklaus’ record in major tournaments still eclipses that of Tiger Woods. Nicklaus notched up 55 top-10 finishes beyond his 18 major victories and was the runner-up in 19.
In the 1970s, Nicklaus’ dominance was such that he finished in the top 10 in 35 out of the 40 majors he played. Woods, by contrast, has 26 additional top-10 finishes and only seven second or tied for second-place finishes. However, at 48 years old, Woods holds an advantage in PGA Tour wins.
Tied for the most all-time with 82 PGA Tour victories, Woods surpasses Nicklaus by nine, and his win percentage is particularly striking. While Nicklaus competed in a whopping 584 tour events with a win rate of 12.5%, Woods has played 378 times with an impressive 21.7% win rate.
Fred Couples believes Tiger Woods is the greatest of all time ( Image: David Cannon/Getty Images)
The debate over who reigns supreme in golf has been ongoing, with various stats and stylistic arguments made. Yet, one modern-day great concurs with Fred Couples’ view.
“He has been the greatest that I’ve ever seen,” proclaimed Rory McIlroy, a four-time major champion and one of Europe’s leading golfers, back in 2017 when Woods stepped away from the tour to manage a back injury.
“I didn’t see Jack Nicklaus play. I know he has a better record, but I don’t know if he played better golf. I don’t think there’s been a single figure who’s done more in terms of bringing different groups into the game – different ethnicities and different age groups. He made golf cool when it really needed an injection of something.”
McIlroy, who recently joined forces with Woods to introduce the new TGL indoor league, also shared earlier this year how Woods was more than just a 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥hood hero to him.
“I always say this, and it sounds cliche, but I don’t take it for granted that I can wake up every day and try to live out my 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥hood dream. One of my 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥hood dreams was to meet Tiger Woods, but not only that but to compete against him and to, you know, befriend him and become close to him. I still have to remind myself of that a lot.”
