His 87 years won’t stop Roberto de Vicenzo teeing it up in the Champions Challenge at this year’s Open Championship, while Seve Ballesteros has refused to allow multiple brain surgeries to scupper his chances of saying a fond farewell to his fans at St Andrews this year.

To describe Jack Nicklaus’ lack of commitment to the event scheduled for the eve of the 150^th anniversary Open Championship as a disappointment is an understatement to say the least.

For a man who had his swansong at St Andrews in 2005, an all-singing, all-dancing affair with his face emblazoned on five pound notes and emotional scenes over the Swilken Bridge, not to take part in the commemorative tribute to both the Open and its champions is sad, but to claim he has ‘no real desire to go there’, as he did at the Masters in April, is downright disrespectful.

Having waited as long as possible to contact R&A chief Peter Dawson with his decision, it shocked many to discover that Nicklaus had snubbed his beloved St Andrews’ special event, but equally, if not more, shocking was his decision to fly cross-continent for a sponsorship event in the UK this week.

Citing sentimental reasons for declining his invitation to the Champions Challenge – which will feature the likes of his old playing partners Arnold Palmer, Tom Watson and Gary Player – Nicklaus says he doesn’t want to ruin the memories he has of saying goodbye there in 2005.

And when Dawson, on hearing Nicklaus decline the invitation, asked him to at least come for the Champions dinner, Nicklaus’ response merited yet another inward gasp.

“It’s a long way to go for dinner.”

A long way to go for dinner with his fellow Open champions, a long way to go to celebrate the 150^th anniversary of the event which helped launch his career on the global stage – but not a long way to go for a kids coaching day at the request of his sponsors.

Could it be that Nicklaus, a player who enjoyed his biggest successes at a time where the prize funds and sponsorship deals bore little resemblance to those big-bucks agreements and purses on tour today, is simply in it for the money?

It’s hard to say, and there could be another reason – Seve Ballesteros.

With Ballesteros, a man Nicklaus counts as his close companion, saying his last goodbye at St Andrews in July, perhaps the Golden Bear can’t contemplate being at St Andrews again without being the centre of attention.

Who knows, but while Dawson empathised with Nicklaus’ reasoning, it is doubtful the fans will be quite so accommodating.