Jack Nicklaus hits out at LIV Golf

Jack Nicklaus has slammed LIV Golf, insisting that the Saudi-funded golf league has been bad for the game.  

Eighteen-time major champion Nicklaus made the remarks during an appearance on Sir Nick’s Round Table Chats, a new YouTube show hosted by six-time major champion Sir Nick Faldo. 

“I don’t fault the guys who have gone to LIV,” said Nicklaus. “You have to make a choice, between playing golf for a short period time, for a lot of money, to put away for your family, or do you have the loyalty to play regular golf, then the senior tour and into retirement. 

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“It’s a quick hit and that’s their call, and I don’t fault that. But I don’t think it’s been good for the game of golf, the PGA Tour was forced to react and I don’t like the way we’ve automatically created a secondary tour within the main tour, we’ve created a second layer.  

“But times change though, so you go with the times. The future of LIV will depend on how these legal cases are handled.” 

Nicklaus reportedly held multiple meetings with LIV officials in the league’s embryonic stages. 

LIV officials have previously told bunkered.co.uk they intended to offer the 83-year-old equity in a team that he would be the owner of and which would be called the ‘Golden Bears’ in a nod to Nicklaus’ nickname and brand.  

The prospect of naming the individual champion’s trophy after him was also on the table. However, after deliberation, he formally rejected the offer from LIV in May 2021. 

“It’s money trying to buy the game,” added Nicklaus. “Somebody said they’re trying to buy the ability to sit on the veranda at Augusta National sipping Mint Julep with the membership and be accepted.  

“It’s trying to gain acceptability within the mainframe of the game of golf. 

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“My lifetime earnings including both tours was about eight million or something like that – 10 guys make that now every year! There’s a lot to be said about today’s era, but I wouldn’t trade what I did – I loved it. 

“The game of golf we played was because we loved the sport, we never played for money – money was a side thing that because we won on the golf course we could use our names to go and make a living – today the guys make a living on the golf course, which we didn’t.” 

LIV Golf’s second season got under way in Mexico just over a week ago.

Michael McEwan is the Deputy Editor of bunkered and has been part of the team since 2004. In that time, he has interviewed almost every major figure within the sport, from Jack Nicklaus, to Rory McIlroy, to Donald Trump. The host of the multi award-winning bunkered Podcast and a member of Balfron Golfing Society, Michael is the author of three books and is the 2023 PPA Scotland 'Writer of the Year' and 'Columnist of the Year'. Dislikes white belts, yellow balls and iron headcovers. Likes being drawn out of the media ballot to play Augusta National.

Deputy Editor