Season of farewell

The legendary Jack Nicklaus is finally bowing out after dominating the game for four decades

Arnie. Seve. And now, Jack. This seems to be the season legends are taking leave or at least fading away from the world stage they dominated for long. And even No 1 woman player Annika Sorenstam is talking about leaving golf to start a family.

Currently, Annika is only thinking aloud, so there is still some time to say goodbye to her. But right now, it's time for Jack Nicklaus, the Golden Bear, to take a bow.

At 64, the man, who has more Majors "" 18 "" than any other golfer in history and whose records Tiger Woods is chasing forever, has been hit by hip and back problems. His scores are something which he's embarrassed about.

Legends are an enigma. They hate coming at the back of the pack. But they also hate giving up. They are always looking for that right moment. They want to leave on a winning note. And if they do win, defying all odds, they feel it is not time yet to leave.

Their goodbyes take a long time in happening. It happened with Arnold Palmer. He started talking about it more than 10 years before he finally decided to take a "farewell" at the Masters this year. He even missed the cut, but the ovation for him on Friday evening was as big, if not bigger, than what first-timer Phil Mickelson got on Sunday.

Finally at 74, Arnie, after playing the game at the highest level for almost six decades and 50 years at the Masters, played his last stroke and waved to his loyal fans. But it took him 10 years to accept the inevitable. He played his last US Open in 1994 and the last British Open in 1995.The curtain call at Masters came only in 2004.

Seve Ballesteros, that Spanish legend who gave European golf pride and a leg to stand up against the might and dominance of the US, too has accepted that severe arthritis might mean he can no longer play the game.

Seve was the youngest legend to call it a day. His last victory, his 50th on the European Tour and the 87th of his career, came nine years ago at the Spanish Open when he 38 years old.

Harsher critics might say that he hardly ever makes cut, duffs more than a beginner and his putts no longer have the magic. But Seve is Seve. As Arnie was Arnie and Jack is Jack.

Nicklaus last won a Major in 1986, when at 46, he won his sixth and last Masters. The year 1991 was the last time he made the cut in each of the four Majors. His best finish since then has been a sixth place at 1998 Masters. In fact, the only top 10 he has had since 1991. He also had a sixth place at 1990 Masters.

This year after shooting two 75s and missing the cut in April, he told the media, "It probably will be my last Masters."

He used to joke: "Everyone always wanted to play like Nicklaus, and now they can." And the latest addition to that: "Now they really can."

Nicklaus watchers say he has been talking about moving on for more than ten years. Every now and then he admits that there are things other than golf that he wants to do.

He repeated that last week. "I've had enough of golf. I want to do other things," said Nicklaus (again) this week. "Frankly, I've lost my desire for the game. I'm not competitive any more and winning is all I play for. Also, I've been coming into press rooms for 40 years to speak to you guys. It's time to do other stuff."

He made his latest pronouncements at the time of hosting this year's Memorial, which ends this weekend. He is playing it himself and will probably make the cut, too. But for a man accustomed to winning, making cuts is not even remotely satisfying. He no longer wins, and the effort on the course is becoming more exacting.

Legends don't like coming in as one of the earliest groups on weekends. They cannot bear to see the stage that was once theirs by right being taken over by someone.

Maybe the most important thing that Nicklaus mentioned was 'desire' He said, "I've lost my desire for the game". It is not that they are no longer good, it is just that they are not.

After almost 40 years on courses around the world, and with 73 PGA wins and 18 Majors, including one at 46, Nicklaus has too many aches now. He cannot practice enough to play the way he wants to and the way he expects himself to. If Nicklaus can't be Nicklaus "" he doesn't want to play.

There is every chance that Nicklaus might come to the Masters one last time. The guys at Augusta have already prepared for a "Jack Nicklaus Day", but the Golden Bear might even say goodbye on Wednesday itself after the par three tournament.

He has already told Masters chairman Hootie Johnson that he does not want an Arnold Palmer-type "farewell day". He is not as sentimental as Palmer. Because he is Nicklaus. Hard and practical. Just as he was on the golf course.

Arnold Palmer once said, time is not a professional golfer's friend. Spot on. It is brutal and keeps reminding you that it's time to move.

Recently, when news came in about Seve's crippling arthritis, Montgomerie: "Some people are so comfortable with a club in their hands, it looks odd when they aren't holding one. Seve is one of those people."

You can say the same for Arnie or Jack. And it will indeed look odd, when Jack holds a fishing rod and waits for the trout.