Woods started with a 78 at Royal Portrush, his highest first round in The Open
Jack Nicklaus believes that it will be "difficult" for Tiger Woods to darken his record of 18 big wins.
Woods, 43, demanded his first major since 2008 at this year's Masters to move within three of the American Nicklaus.
But after missing the cut during the PGA Championship in May, he again failed to make the last 36 holes in The Open
"He's getting older – we all do that ", Nicklaus told BBC Radio 5 Live. "He has had many operations that make sense."
When asked if it was less likely that Woods would break his record, Nicklaus said, "I probably don't know.
" I don't want to suppress Tiger in any way, because Tiger – what a work ethic he has and how good he has been. What he did has been fantastic, and we can hardly notice it. But it is difficult [to beat the record]. It's harder. "
Woods played rounds of 78 and 70 for a total of six in Royal Portrush to miss the five-stroke denomination.
The American, who had back operations, complained of pain and later said: "That is one of the hardest things to accept, that as an older athlete you will not be as consistent as when you were 23."
Nicklaus said he suspected Woods was "not feeling well" to feel. "
" You are not going to the Open Championship, especially the last major of the year, and have not really played much golf, and are not prepared, "the 79-year-old added.
"That's no Tiger. So he had to hurt. And when he hurts, it must affect his swing, it will affect him mentally, and he will have trouble with it.
"Whatever he does in the future, in the golf field, is probably really not that important. What is more important is that he is healthy and that he waves that he likes."
& # 39; New schedule works against Tiger & # 39;
The big schedule changed this year when the PGA championship moved to May, meaning that all four championships are played between April and mid-July.
"I think it will work against Tiger – unless he's really healthy," Nicklaus said.
"I don't like the new big schedule, from the point of view that if you have an injury, or if you're struggling with one tournament, the other suddenly follows too closely, to get it back.
"I am not sure if that is really a good thing for the golf game, to have all your tournaments in about three and a half months. And I don't think it's good for the other tournaments in the Tour.
"The boys have to skip a lot of tournaments – you saw that this year – boys didn't play between majors. And I think that's a shame for the Tour.
" I know the mighty dollar is important is, but I don't think it's so important that you really lose the tradition of the big tournaments that have been played for years and years. "
& # 39; I thought Shane Lowry would be a pretty good dark horse & # 39;
The moment Shane Lowry won the Open
The Irishman Shane Lowry captured the last major of 2019, while seducing the home supporters with his six-king win at Royal Portrush.
Lowry had four shots ahead in the final round – as he did at the 2016 US Open when he closed with a 76 to complete three shots behind Dustin Johnson.
This time, while his challengers fell away in the difficult circumstances, the 32-year-old calmness scored a 73 to finish at 15 below.
"I thought Shane Lowry would be a pretty good dark horse for someone to pick," Nicklaus said. "He's Irish, he won there, he won on that golf course.
" I'm sure Shane figured out why he was lost at Oakmont and he knew what to do and did it in Portrush. . And that will come in handy in the future.
"Shane is a good friend, we all love Shane here, he is a member of our Bear's Club at home. I was very happy for him. I rooted all the way down to play him good."
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