Who is better, Nicklaus or Anderson?
Jack Nicklaus leads with a GOAT score of 95.0 against 85.5 for Willie Anderson — a gap of 9.5 points on GOAT Rank's weighted model.
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Nicklaus vs Anderson
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Quick answer
GOAT Rank currently ranks Jack Nicklaus above Willie Anderson: 95.0 vs 85.5. Jack Nicklaus leads on Longevity, Honours, Statistics. Willie Anderson leads on Peak.
How the GOAT Score is calculated →GOAT verdictgoatrank.world
NicklausWinner
95.0Nicklaus wins: Dominance, Longevity, Honours, Statistics
Anderson
85.5Anderson wins: Peak
Candidates
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Time range
Showing full careers. Pick a window to recalculate the selected period.
Category radar
Verdict
Weighted GOAT score
🇺🇸 Jack Nicklaus
95.0
Nicklaus leads in 4 of 5 weighted categories.
1. Jack Nicklaus
2. Willie Anderson
Category breakdown
Season form · Form index per season
Career timeline · Form index per season
Cumulative output season by season — the shape of each career against the other.
GOAT pace tracker
Through age 22 · Form index per season
1. 🇺🇸 Jack Nicklaus3 wins
1 season by age 22 · 3 per season
Setting the pace at age 22
No verified birth date for Anderson — shown in the pro-debut view instead.
Every career is cut at the season the athlete turned 22, so a rookie today is measured against exactly what a legend had banked by the same birthday.
| Metric | NicklausRetired | AndersonRetired |
|---|---|---|
| Major championships | 18 | — |
| PGA Tour wins | 73 | — |
| Weeks at world No. 1 | 0 | — |
| Player of the Year awards | 5 | — |
| Career prize money (M$) | 5.7 | — |
| Major runner-up finishes | 19 | — |
| US Open titles | — | 4 |
| Consecutive US Open titles | — | 3 |
| Western Open titles | — | 4 |
| Professional wins | — | 11 |
| Top-5 US Open finishes | — | 8 |
| Dominance w25% | 94 | 92 |
| Peak w20% | 92 | 94 |
| Longevity w20% | 99 | 66 |
| Honours w20% | 99 | 88 |
| Statistics w15% | 90 | 86 |
Fan vote — data vs the people
GOAT Rank · the data
Nicklaus95.0
Anderson85.5
FAQ
Where does Anderson beat Nicklaus?
Anderson scores higher on peak. Nicklaus leads on dominance, honours, statistics, longevity.
How is the Nicklaus vs Anderson score calculated?
Both are scored on peak, dominance, honours, statistics, longevity within their sport. Nicklaus: 95.0, Anderson: 85.5.
What do you think?
0 commentsMake your case for Nicklaus vs Anderson. The scoring is published in full — if you can point at the pillar or the weight you disagree with, we read it. Read the methodology paper.