Nicklaus expects Tiger to catch him

DUBLIN, Ohio - Having gone almost two years since winning his last major title, Tiger Woods still needs five championships to break Jack Nicklaus' record of 18.

Nicklaus doesn't expect the drought to last much longer.

"I don't think my feeling has changed," Nicklaus told reporters Tuesday, two days before the start of the PGA Tour's Memorial Tournament. "Do I think Tiger will break my record? Yeah, I think he probably will. But then again, it's not just a gimme; you have to go do it. We'll watch."

The task will become tougher as pressure mounts with each passing year that Woods fails to win a major - a condition that didn't exist in his own career, Nicklaus said.

"His pressure is a lot greater simply because of the media attention today," Nicklaus said. "Times have changed. Will he have a tougher time coming down the stretch? Maybe."

Woods has scheduled a news conference for Wednesday at the Memorial.

He hasn't won a major - the Masters, PGA Championship, U.S. Open or British Open - since he captured the 2008 U.S. Open. The drought is his longest since he went 10 majors without a victory between the 2002 U.S. Open and the 2005 Masters.

With 14 wins, Woods at age 34 is two victories ahead of Nicklaus' major-winning pace at the same age. After winning the 1973 PGA Championship at 33, it took Nicklaus 11 years to win his final six majors, a stretch that ended with the 1986 Masters.

Nicklaus, 60, attributed his lack of major titles over the latter stages of his career to spending more time with his five children and developing his golf-course-design business.

"It just wasn't that big of a priority," he said. "When I look back on it, I wish I would have played harder. Then again, I look back and I'm glad I didn't, because I know my kids and I spent my time with my family."

Woods' family life has been in question since a November car accident led to his admission of marital infidelity. Since then, he has failed to win a tournament.

In this year's lone major, Woods finished fourth in the Masters in April. The event marked Woods' first tournament after the SUV crash.