Although Jack Nicklaus was born and bred in Ohio, he put on some of his greatest golfing magic shows and fairway fireworks in his adopted state of Florida.
Sure, we all know that he and Barbara brought up their children in Palm Beach County, which also is the long-time headquarters for his vast business operations.
But such Florida golf writers as myself best remember his shotmaking achievements in the land of resort paradises and ocean-aroma. So, to the man often described as "a legend in his spare time," we say, "thanks, Jack, for a career full of golfing memories."
It was this reporter's fortune to have covered Nicklaus' first triumph on Florida soil --the 53rd PGA Championship at Palm Beach Gardens in February, 1971.
Beginning his 10th season as a touring professional, Nicklaus had won more than 30 times around the world, including eight major championships. But never had he won in the Sunshine State. The Florida floodgates were about to open.
Residing just minutes from the PGA Championship venue, Nicklaus led from start to finish and became the first golfer to win all four majors -- at least twice. That same year, he won the Walt Disney Classic at Orlando and, with Lee Trevino as his partner, won both the team and individual World Cup titles, also in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.
I'll let the statisticians figure out the exact number of Nicklaus Florida victories. But I can tell you he won three straight Walt Disney World Classics, two Doral Opens, two Inverrary Classics, two Tournament Players Championships in Florida (and one in Atlanta), the GTE Suncoast Seniors Classic at Tampa, a PGA Seniors Championship at Palm Beach Gardens, and he captained a winning Ryder Cup team, also at Palm Beach Gardens.
But of his biggest eye-popping spectaculars in Florida -- those of Tiger-like dramatics -- one that comes quickly to mind was during a Nicklaus loss ... to Tom Weiskopf in the 1978 Doral Open.
Weiskopf took a two-shot lead into the final round, four over Nicklaus, and was in total command of the tournament until the par-5 10th hole. From 60 yards away, Nicklaus holed out a wedge shot for an eagle-3, pulling within two shots of his Ohio rival. Two holes later, at the par-5 12th, Nicklaus holed out another 60-yarder for another eagle.
But somehow Weiskopf hung on gamely with a birdie at the same hole and a one-stroke victory over the Golden Bear.
Just one week earlier, during the Inverrary Classic at Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Nicklaus trailed Grier Jones by four shots with five holes to play. He then proceeded to birdie No. 14 through No. 18, chipping in twice on national television to nip Jones for the title by one stroke.
Said Trevino, who has staged a few Florida theatrics of his own: "Those five consecutive birdies to win at Inverrary is like Reggie Jackson hitting three consecutive home runs in the World Series (or) Leon Spinks beating Ali. It was the most remarkable thing I have ever witnessed in my life."
When Ed Fiori was playing with Nicklaus at Doral a week later and saw him sink 60-yard wedge shots for eagles on two of three holes, he said of his pairing, "I wanted to see how God does it."
During one of those Inverrary Classics in the mid-70s, Nicklaus played in a Wednesday pro-am with U.S. President Gerald Ford. Despite the pressure of being followed by hordes of both Nicklaus and Ford fans and being under the watchful eye of untold numbers of Secret Service agents, Nicklaus shot a textbook, course-record 63.
It was impossible for a reporter in those days to chronicle Florida professional golf without spending half his time in press room interviews with Nicklaus. He was leading or in contention at every tournament he entered.
During one series of 12 pro tournaments I covered for the Orlando Sentinel or Palm Beach Post, Nicklaus was the winner or runner-up in half of them.
Post-tournament interviews revealed such personal and arcane data as the following: Nicklaus' right leg is shorter than the left, and he once wore a lift in his shoe to counter the imbalance. Every time he teed it up in competition, he kept three pennies in his pocket as ball markers that he invariably placed tails up. When he had an early tee time, breakfast consisted of cheese omelettes. Any other food caused his stomach to growl before completing a round. The reason he wore white shoes or white-topped shoes? They were easier to align while addressing a golf shot.
But who's to say those glorious moments are merely memories. Just because a new kid on the block is performing fairway miracles doesn't mean Jack won't regain his magic touch -- as he has done so many times before.
Play it again, Jack.
