The U.S. Open’s top 10 players for peak performance
By Bill Felber
4. Jack Nicklaus, -1.57 peak (1971-1980)
Like Woods’ rating, Nicklaus’ rank as only the U.S. Open’s fourth best player for peak performance is probably surprising. After all, he won four Open championships.
As much as anything, his standing is a testament to the three guys ahead of him. It also has to do with how long Nicklaus was successful: His four titles covered an 18-year span, with no more than two of them encompassing the same 10-year peak.
Statistically, Nicklaus’ Open prime came between 1971 and 1980. He won twice during that decade: 1972 at Pebble Beach and 1980 at Baltusrol.
The remarkable thing about the 1970s version of Nicklaus was his consistency. Never during that decade did he finish worse than 11th in an Open. He was a playoff loser to Lee Trevino in 1971 and tied for fourth behind Johnny Miller at Oakmont in 1973.
Perhaps what costs Nicklaus an even higher spot on the list is his failure to mount more serious challenges during the 1970s. Although a top 10 finisher nine times during that decade, the aforementioned four top fives were his only finishes above sixth.
For the decade as a whole, his average finish was 3.5 strokes behind the champion, with no finishes more than 10 strokes off the winning pace.
That’s very good. There is, however, better.