Jack Nicklaus heads to Augusta for his 44th Masters Tournament

Jack Nicklaus, golf history's greatest champion and a six-time winner of the green jacket, returns to Augusta National this week to compete in his 44th Masters Tournament.

The Golden Bear has played a relatively full schedule thus far in 2004 to test his game and to see if he was competitive enough to go to Augusta. After playing recently in the Toshiba Senior Classic in Newport Beach, Calif., Nicklaus decided to enter the Masters.

"I did a lot of good things and I did a lot of bad things, and enough of it was good that it gave me a positive feeling," he said at Toshiba. "I can't imagine not playing (in the Masters) at this point unless I hurt myself or something."

The Golden Bear has won a record six Masters' titles, and holds or is tied for at least 65 other Masters' records. Since making his debut in 1959 at the age of 19, Jack has only missed the Masters twice in 45 years. He was unable to participate in 1999, due to left hip-replacement surgery, and in 2002 due to lower-back problems.

It was just in 1998 that Jack, at age 58 and battling a degenerative left hip, made a Sunday charge and finished tied for sixth to become the oldest top-10 finisher in Masters' history. The following January, the Golden Bear had his left hip replaced.

In 2000, Jack not only padded his record of 37 cuts made, he was just two shots off the lead during the second round. He finished the second day tied for 18th after a two-under-par 70 made him the first player 60 or older to shoot under par at Augusta since Sam Snead shot 71 in 1975 at the age of 62.

Masters coverage:

Thursday, April 8
4:00 - 6:30 p.m.  (Live coverage) USA Network
8:00 - 10:30 p.m. (Replay of first day telecast) USA Network
11:30 - 11:45 p.m. (Highlights) CBS  

Friday, April 9
4:00 - 6:30 p.m.  (Live coverage) USA Network
8:00 - 10:30 p.m. (Replay of second day telecast) USA Network
11:30 - 11:45 p.m. (Highlights) CBS   

Saturday, April 10
3:30 - 6:30 p.m. (Live coverage) CBS  

  Sunday, April 11
3:30 - 6:30 p.m. (Live coverage) CBS