Woods
He had the good fortune to come along at a time when media scrutiny was growing in intensity, so Woods was a known commodity when he was a teenager.

By the time he arrived on the PGA Tour in the fall of 1996, he was an industry unto himself and never did he want for popularity.

He’s been 'The Show' at every stop for nearly nine years now and one huge reason for his popularity is this — the man never sends you home disappointed.

Not only does he have the most talent, he has the most heart, too, and fans who are so often left disillusioned by pro athletes who put forth lackluster efforts relate to Woods’ intensity and no-quit mantra.

His popularity, of course, has been helped immeasurably by the aggressive PR culture we live in and whereas Nicklaus never had at his disposal high-profile endorsement opportunities, Woods has used them shrewdly to enhance his appeal.

Nicklaus
You come along as a pudgy, crew-cut former college All-America and defeat the game’s king, Arnold Palmer, in a playoff for the U.S. Open and, well, you’re off on the wrong foot.

That’s how things went at Oakmont in 1962, but Nicklaus was relentless.

Two years later, Palmer was still in his prime, but done winning majors because Nicklaus had stolen that piece of the pro golf pie.

Click below to see how today's Tiger Woods compares to Jack Nicklaus in his prime. Ball-striking Creativity Level of competition Pressure Course management Driving Popularity Putting

Clearly the best player, he was never the most popular, partly because he surpassed Palmer, partly because he was intent on the next shot, not the next set of eyes of pair of hands behind the gallery ropes.

It wasn’t until Nicklaus was some 10 years into his PGA Tour career that patrons seemed to embrace him, almost as if he had to prove he was worthy of their loyalty after they had poured so much into their love affair with Palmer.

In his golden years, Nicklaus' popularity has risen even higher.

Part 7: Pressure

MORE FROM GOLF

Golf Section Front

Rain shortens LPGA Tour Championship to 54 holes Westwood wins Dubai tourney, money titles Brooks, Fowler lead at Pebble Beach Peter Senior wins Champions Tour Q-school Latest golf videos Latest player news, rumors and more Tracking Tiger: News, features and more Tiger's triumphs: Recapping all Woods' wins Vote: When will Tiger win his 15th major? Vote, discuss: Best major of 2009? Golf Section Front   Add Golf headlines to your news reader: