Jack Nicklaus will miss the Masters this week for only the second time in his career because of back pains but he refuses to give up the possibility of playing it again despite his age.
He said, "I've had four scans and been told four different places to operate. My back's a mess, but most of it is muscular and I'm trying to exercise my way out of it. I don't know whether I will ever play world-class golf again and I don't care. I know what my age is but if I can play decently I would love to play here again."
He finished as high as sixth only four years ago thanks largely to a last day charge which saw him climb the leader board but acknowledges that his back trouble has left him far off that kind of form. He said, "At the moment I can only play golf the way I ski and play tennis. I don't think that's for public consumption!"
Filed by Johnny Proby
