Back in America, Jones overcame the professionals who sought to defeat him at the US Open, with a consummate five-shot victory that left one hurdle to overcome: the US Amateur, held at Merion.
The subject of his grand slam was the only topic of discussion amongst fans and media alike; the country was gripped by his efforts. Again, matchplay was the format. Imagine the pressure he was under in every match!
Despite a few scares, Jones progressed to the final, where around 15,000 fans followed him to a convincing 8-and-7 victory. It was the culmination of a lifelong dream. With nothing left to prove, Jones promptly retired.
Considering Tiger is currently four years older than Bobby was when he retired, who knows what he would have achieved had he continued? Of the 30 majors he entered, Bobby won 13 and finished second another seven times—not bad, considering his first major was at the age of 13.
He went on to be instrumental in the foundation of Augusta National and the Masters Tournament, arguably the greatest tournament in the world today. To the best of my knowledge, he is also the only person ever to receive two ticker-tape parades in New York City.
Tiger is often lauded for the impact he has had on the sport of golf, but Bobby had an impact on a nation. In the midst of the Great Depression, he inspired people to believe that anything could be achieved.
Successful in sport and academia (although his business ventures didn’t always pan out), it was a terrible shame that, for the last 23 years of his life, Bobby had to cope with the effects of Syringomyelia – a spinal disease that slowly caused paralysis. He died, wheelchair-bound, in 1971.
If Tiger is to be the greatest ever, you feel he has to not only match Nicklaus’ Major haul, but also Jones’ incredible Grand Slam. While the first part looks attainable, completing the ‘Impregnable Quadrilateral’ does not.
The mental strength and stamina, never mind the retention of such a high level of technical ability required for such a year-long pursuit, make it extremely unlikely it will ever be done again. If anyone can do it, Tiger can, and it would indisputably cement his position as the best ever.
You get the feeling, though, that, if he were around to witness it, Bobby would be the first to offer Woods his congratulations. Perhaps therein lies the real greatness of the man.
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