니클라우스 “우즈 회복, 시간문제” "타이거 우즈가 전성기 시절의 컨디션을 회복하는 것은 시간문제라고 봅니다." '골프의 전설' 잭 니클라우스(미국)가 16일 오랜 기간 슬럼프를 겪고 있는 '골프 황제' 타이거 우즈가 예전의 명성을 되찾을 것으로 내다봤다. 니클라우스는 자신의 이름이 붙은 인천 송도 잭 니클라우스 골프장에서 열리는 시니어투어 송도IBD 챔피언십을 참관하기 위해 방한했다. 니클라우스는 이날 대회 개막에 맞춰 열린 기자회견에서 "우즈가 지금은 힘들어하고 있고, 건강을 회복하고 게임 감각을 찾는 것이 중요하지만 원래의 모습으로 돌아갈 것"이라고 예상했다. 또 "우즈에게 가장 필요한 것은 정신을 차리는 것"이라며 "재능은 그대로 있기 때문에 결국은 마인드의 문제"라고 지적했다. 니클라우스는 메이저대회에서 18차례나 정상에 올라 최다 우승 기록을 갖고 있고, 그 뒤를 14차례 우승한 우즈가 쫓고 있다. 니클라우스는 현재 가장 두각을 나타내는 골프 선수가 누구인지를 묻는 말에는 "5년 전에 질문받았으면 우즈라고 했겠지만 지금은 로리 매킬로이(북아일랜드), 키건 브래들리, 웹 심슨(이상 미국) 등 재능 있는 선수들이 많다"고 진단했다. 이어 "골프계에는 재능 있는 선수들이 한 번에 많이 등장했다가 별로 없다가 하는 사이클이 있는 것 같다"며 "지금은 재능있는 선수들이 많은 시기"라고 말했다. 현재 약진하는 20대 선수들과 우즈를 비교해 달라는 물음에는 "그 선수들이 우즈의 전성기 때처럼 잘할지는 시간이 지나야 알 수 있을 것"이라고 답했다. 지난해 11월 개장한 18홀 규모의 잭 니클라우스 골프장을 직접 설계한 니클라우스는 "어제 골프 코스를 둘러봤는데 작년보다 상태가 훨씬 나아졌다. 그린도 좋고 러프도 거의 완벽하다. 벙커도 잘 정돈돼 있었다"며 "선수들이 도전 의식을 갖고 즐기면서 시합할 수 있을 것"이라고 말했다. 또 "굴곡이 있는 그린을 어떻게 공략하느냐가 승부를 가를 것"이라며 "홀마다 거리가 잘 배분돼 아이언 샷이 정확하면 좋은 플레이를 할 수 있을 것"이라고 덧붙였다. 니클라우스는 "현재 아시아 쪽에서 골프가 성장해 골프 코스를 디자인할 기회가 많다"고 했다. 그는 2016년 브라질 올림픽에서 골프가 정식종목으로 채택되면서 골프에 관심을 두는 나라가 많아졌다며 앞으로 세계적으로 골프 붐이 일 것으로 전망했다. Nicklaus still contends Woods can win 18 or more majors By Associated Press September 16, 2011 8:02 AM ET . INCHEON, South Korea – Jack Nicklaus said Tiger Woods can still beat his record of 18 major championships – provided he can stay in control of his mental game. Nicklaus said that Woods can achieve the feat “if he gets the five inches between his ears squared out.” . “I mean Tiger has a great work ethic, he’s a great competitor, the most talented kid on the planet right now,” Nicklaus told The Associated Press in an interview Friday. “He’s not going to go away.” Woods has 14 major titles, but has not won any tournament since revelations of infidelities in 2009 led to the collapse of his marriage and a break from the sport. This season has been partly derailed by injuries, but Nicklaus also praised the decision by U.S. captain Fred Couples to include Woods in the 12-member Presidents Cup team that will take on non-European players in Australia in November. “How could you not pick him,” Nicklaus said. “I mean he’s Tiger Woods, he’s the best player in the game. He may not be playing his best today, but he’s still Tiger Woods.” Nicklaus made the comments while in South Korea to attend a Champions Tour event played on a course he designed. He also said it is crucial for golf to stage a successful tournament at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro to help the game grow further internationally. “Golf is now an Olympic sport,” Nicklaus said. “And we’ve got to keep it in the Olympics. We’ve got one shot in 2016.” Nicklaus expressed concern, however, about the slow progress in constructing the facilities for the event, but remained hopeful that he will be awarded the task of designing the course together with former women’s great Annika Sorenstam. Golf is returning to the Olympics as a sport for the first time since 1904, with the tournament held in the seaside region of Barra. A course needs to be built by 2015 when test events begin. “I’ve led my game and (Sorenstam) has led the women’s game and I think we both have the ability more so than anybody else to put something together that would fit what they need,” he said. Others who have expressed interest in designing the course include Arnold Palmer, Gary Player, Nick Faldo and Greg Norman, who would team up with Lorena Ochoa. Nicklaus stressed that the Olympics will be the biggest golf event organized in Brazil, and officials must realize they’re facing a tight deadline. “You’ve got to get ready for it, prepare for it. And to get people to understand the sense of urgency is very difficult,” he said. “And the sense of urgency needs to be there, otherwise the success of an event is in jeopardy.” Regarding the state of the game in the United States, Nicklaus said the economic slump has taken a harsh toll. “It’s absolutely just murdered the game in the United States,” he said. “Clubs are all having trouble, people don’t have spendable income, too many people are out of work, we have all of the problems you have with a bad economy.” Nicklaus said much needs to be done to help grow the sport in the U.S. That includes making it more attractive to youngsters, who in the age of video games tend to have shorter attention spans. “The game of golf takes a long time and that’s part of the problem,” he said, referring to the four or five hours needed to play. Nicklaus advocates making the game easier for young people at an early stage. Other sports allow children to play with modified equipment and rules, such as smaller balls and lower baskets. “Kids have gotta have some success, they have success early in these other sports, but they don’t get this success early in golf,” he said. Nicklaus’ many course designs around the world are part of the legacy he’s leaving to the sport. He added he’s working on developing equipment to help make it easier for young people to play in public parks. Rate this Story