The topic of who takes the title of golf's greatest-ever player has been one discussed by fans and players alike for some time, with Woods and Nicklaus often coming out on top. For many, however, it is hard to split the two, both donning quite remarkable CVs.
When it comes to Nicklaus, his success came on the major stage, having won more flagship events than any other player in history with his tally of Masters, Open Championship, US Open, and PGA Championship crowns sitting at 18.
Woods meanwhile has been unable to chase down the 84-year-old, with his major count currently standing at 15, with his last coming at Augusta National in 2019. He has however had much more success on the whole across the PGA Tour having won 82 times, a leading tally he shares with the great Sam Snead.
The latest big name to be posed the question, "Woods or Nicklaus?" was DeChambeau, and the LIV Golf star, swayed towards the 48-year-old. Featuring in a social media video for the breakaway league, DeChambeau was quizzed on who felt was a superior golfer, ranking his previous answer against another new name.
Having ranked Nicklaus above another stalwart of the game, Byron Nelson, the next was of course Woods. Offering a laugh and a wry smile, the Crushers captain eventually responded: "It has got to be Tiger!" This was then followed up with, "Tiger Woods or Bryson DeChambeau?" he again stuck with the PGA Tour star.
Like many other big names of his generation, DeChambeau has previously coined Woods as one of his heroes, having grown up watching the golfing great in his prime. Hailing both Woods and the late Payne Stewart on the back of his U.S. Open win at Pinehurst in June, the LIV competitor claimed: "Tiger is an idol of mine.
"He's my hero still. And the way he reacted on the golf course; Payne (Stewart), the way he did, and numerous others that have inspired generations… have allowed that to be unique and cool. ...I'm just passionate. I really care about doing well out here and showing the fans a side of me that was locked up for so long,”
DeChambeau claimed last year that his relationship with Woods had been left broken after the fallout between the PGA Tour and LIV, with the two stars on opposite sides of the argument. Following his major win at Pinehurst though, the 2024 champion revealed his golfing hero did reach out a few weeks later at The Open Championship.
"It is the first communication, but I'll say he's a competitor and I have a lot of respect for him," DeChambeau said at Royal Troon in July. I'm sure that winning two U.S. Opens definitely helped, I guess, for him coming up and saying congrats. I don't know what his position is, but it was very thoughtful, and I was appreciative of it.''
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