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At 89 years old, Gary Player still shoots 70 from 6,800 yards. He plays four rounds a week. And he’s delivering the most definitive greatest-of-all-time ranking golf has ever heard. The nine-time major champion isn’t mincing words as he approaches his 90th birthday. “Jack is number one, Tiger number two, and I’m number three,” Player told the Palm Beach Post. “There’s not even a question.” Player bases his entire ranking on one thing: the record book. Nothing else matters to the South African legend. Not potential. Not what-ifs. Just cold, hard numbers on paper. ADVERTISEMENT Article continues below this ad Jack Nicklaus sits atop Player’s list with 18 major championships. Tiger Woods follows with 15. But the gap extends far beyond those three majors. Nicklaus posted 19 major runner-up finishes compared to Woods’ seven. He recorded 73 major top-10 finishes against Tiger’s 41. And Nicklaus logged 286 PGA Tour top-10s while Woods managed 199. ADVERTISEMENT Article continues below this ad Player acknowledges Tiger as “the greatest player golf has ever seen.” However, he maintains a crucial distinction. Being the greatest player doesn’t equal having the best record. “If Tiger Woods had made the right choices, he would have been the greatest player that ever lived,” Player explained to Golf Digest. “But the worst saying in athletics, in sports, is if. Because if is immaterial. It’s the bottom line.” The Black Knight then makes his boldest claim. He ranks himself third all-time. Above Arnold Palmer. Above Bobby Jones. Above Ben Hogan. His justification? Nine major championships trump Palmer’s seven and Jones’s seven. Player won 165+ tournaments worldwide. That exceeds the combined national titles of Palmer, Nicklaus, and Woods. He completed the career Grand Slam on both the regular and senior tours. Nobody else can claim that feat. Read Top Stories First From EssentiallySports Click here and check box next to EssentiallySports Player has expressed frustration with how golf historians rank him, particularly when they place Palmer and Jones ahead of him. “You can’t tell me that an amateur golfer has a record that I have in golf,” Player stated. “You look at Arnold’s record, it’s not close to mine. I won more majors than Arnold. I won more tournaments than Arnold. I won more senior majors. My stroke averages were better.” ADVERTISEMENT Article continues below this ad The numbers support Player’s argument. He captured 24 PGA Tour wins and nine senior majors. Palmer managed 62 PGA Tour victories but only one senior major. Meanwhile, Player’s worldwide win total dwarfs Palmer’s international success. Player’s surprising tie verdict between peak Nicklaus and peak Woods Yet Player reveals an interesting wrinkle in his definitive stance. When asked about a hypothetical 18-hole match between peak Nicklaus and peak Woods, he hesitates. “It’s a completely different game,” Player admitted to Golf Digest. Then comes the surprising answer. “But if they both played the same game, exactly across the board, in their prime, I’d give it a tie.” This admission seems to contradict his firm’s overall ranking. How can Jack rank definitively above Tiger if they’re equals at their peaks? Player’s answer lies in longevity and consistency. Peak performance means nothing without sustained excellence. Nicklaus maintained his dominance longer. He accumulated more runner-up finishes. He delivered more top-10s across decades. The Golden Bear simply showed up and contended more often than anyone else. Player’s record-book approach leaves zero room for hypotheticals. He recognizes equal peak ability between Jack and Tiger. But career accomplishments determine greatness. And by that measure, Nicklaus wins. Tiger follows. Player claims third. The 89-year-old’s ranking remains firm, based solely on the numbers.
