Woods has double edge over Nicklaus, says Casper

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Tiger Woods is superior to Jack Nicklaus in two areas of the game, according to fellow American golfing great Billy Casper.

World number one Woods and 18-times major winner Nicklaus, whose career overlapped much of Casper's, are widely regarded as the greatest golfers of all time.

"They both are just unbelievable players but Tiger has two ingredients which Jack Nicklaus didn't have," Casper, 66, told reporters on Monday at a media day for next month's Buick Open where Woods is a twice champion.

"One, Tiger has such a superior short game. Jack's short game, other than putting, was just a little above average.

"And two, Tiger's imagination to play shots that nobody else has played, try to play those shots and then bring them off is just amazing. Jack didn't have that imagination.

"A lot of us maybe try to play those shots and once in a while we bring them off," added Casper, who was speaking at Warwick Hills Golf & Country Club in Grand Blanc, Michigan where the Buick Open will be staged from June 26-29.

"But it's fun to watch Tiger accomplish these shots -- they just amaze everybody."

Casper, a three-times major winner who piled up 51 titles in a glittering PGA Tour career, gave an example of Woods's creativity from a recent Buick Invitational in San Diego.

"In the final round he hit it over the green, his third shot, caught a flier or something and the ball was sitting in the muck and the grass," recalled Casper who was considered the best putter of his era.

"And one of the commentators said: 'Well, he'll be lucky to hit the green.' The other one said: 'If he gets it within 30 feet, it'll be a miracle.'

"Well, Tiger hit the shot and he put it about a foot from the hole. He just is an incredible individual."

Woods, a 13-times major champion, won the Buick Open in 2002 and 2006.

(Writing by Mark Lamport-Stokes in Los Angeles; Editing by Rex Gowar)