Jack Nicklaus Reveals He Turned Down $100m+ Saudi Offer
The Golden Bear implied that he was offered the chance to head up LIV Golf
Jack Nicklaus was offered "in excess of $100m by the Saudis" according to an interview with the Fire Pit Collective's Michael Bamberger.
An article titled 'Trumped' on the change of 2022 PGA Championship venue from Trump Bedminster to Southern Hills Country Club features quotes from Jack Nicklaus who discussed the move and revealed why he turned down over $100m to head up LIV Golf - the organisation behind the new eight-event Invitational Series - we assume.
“I was offered something in excess of $100m by the Saudis, to do the job probably similar to the one that Greg [Norman] is doing,” Nicklaus said. “I turned it down. Once verbally, once in writing. I said, ‘Guys, I have to stay with the PGA Tour. I helped start the PGA Tour.’”
The Saudi-backed LIV Golf Invitational Series, headed up by Greg Norman, begins in England next month, with eight tournaments taking place in 2022 across England, USA, Thailand and Saudi Arabia. The first seven events carry $25m purses before the $50m Team Championship at Trump National Doral.
Nicklaus also described stripping Trump Bedminster of the 2022 PGA Championship as "cancel culture" and called Donald Trump a "formidable figure in the game."
The tournament was moved from Bedminster to Southern Hills following the US Capitol Hill riots on 6th January 2021.
“I like Seth Waugh,” Nicklaus said on the PGA of America's decision to strip Bedminster of its first ever men's Major championship. “Seth didn’t need this job. He took the job because he thought he could give the PGA of America some good guidance. And I think he’s doing that.
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"But this move is cancel culture. Donald Trump may be a lot of things, but he loves golf and he loves this country. He’s a student of the game and a formidable figure in the game. What he does in the future in golf will depend on what the cancel culture will allow him to do.”
Elliott Heath is our News Editor and has been with Golf Monthly since early 2016 after graduating with a degree in Sports Journalism. He manages the Golf Monthly news team as well as our large Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages. He covered the 2022 Masters from Augusta National as well as five Open Championships on-site including the 150th at St Andrews. His first Open was in 2017 at Royal Birkdale, when he walked inside the ropes with Jordan Spieth during the Texan's memorable Claret Jug triumph. He has played 35 of our Top 100 golf courses, with his favourites being both Sunningdales, Woodhall Spa, Western Gailes, Old Head and Turnberry. He has been obsessed with the sport since the age of 8 and currently plays off of a six handicap. His golfing highlights are making albatross on the 9th hole on the Hotchkin Course at Woodhall Spa, shooting an under-par round, playing in the Aramco Team Series on the Ladies European Tour and making his one and only hole-in-one at the age of 15 - a long time ago now!
Elliott is currently playing:
Driver: Titleist TSR4
3 wood: Titleist TSi2
Hybrids: Titleist 816 H1
Irons: Mizuno MP5 5-PW
Wedges: Cleveland RTX ZipCore 50, 54, 58
Putter: Odyssey White Hot OG #5
Ball: Srixon Z Star XV
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