(NEXSTAR) – Augusta golf fans are celebrating the 40th anniversary of Jack Nicklaus' historic 1986 victory as the 2026 Masters Tournament approaches. Nicklaus remains the only player to win six green jackets at the tournament, and holds the record for the most major championship titles with 18. In the final round of the 1986 tournament, Nicklaus shot a 65 to finish seven under par. He also became the oldest champion in the history of the event at 46 years old. Nicklaus now serves as an honorary starter for the tournament. The 40th anniversary of the 1986 win often renews the debate regarding whether Nicklaus or Tiger Woods is the greatest golfer in history. While Woods has more total tour wins, Nicklaus holds the lead in major championships with 18, compared to 15 for Woods. Andrew Marden and Brad Means of Nexstar's WJBF preview the 2026 Masters by looking back at the legendary 1986 Masters Tournament and its impact on the sport of golf. All facts in this report were gathered by journalists employed by Nexstar. Artificial intelligence tools were used to reformat from a broadcast script into a news article for our website. This report was edited and fact-checked by Nexstar staff before being published.