Jack Nicklaus has been a voice of motive for skilled golf for many years. He has supplied his opinion and perspective on quite a few subjects, from course design to gear advances to rolling again the golf ball.
However he needs nothing to do with the present saga surrounding the PGA Tour and LIV Golf’s beneficiary, the Saudi Public Funding Fund (PIF).
“I dwell in Florida now. I’m not a part of the issues {of professional} golf,” Nicklaus mentioned Tuesday with amusing.
“I’ve tried to remain out of what’s going with the Tour and LIV.”
When the Memorial Event begins on Thursday, play will begin on the primary anniversary of the framework settlement set forth by the PGA Tour and the PIF.
On Jun. 6, 2023, these two sides agreed to drop their lawsuits and work in direction of uniting the skilled sport as soon as once more. In addition they established a deadline of Dec. 31, 2023, to strike a deal, however that date has come and gone with little progress.
“I feel they’re engaged on it. However I feel [the PGA Tour is] in fairly good arms,” Nicklaus mentioned.
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“A few months in the past, I referred to as [PGA Tour Commissioner] Jay [Monahan] to speak about it. I mentioned, ‘Jay, I’m nervous slightly bit about what’s occurring.’ I mentioned, ‘Are you doing all proper, or are you not?’ And he mentioned, ‘We’re doing wonderful.’ I mentioned, ‘That’s all I must know. So, so far as I do know, the Tour’s doing wonderful, and their issues are going to get labored out. How it’s, I don’t know.”
Nicklaus doesn’t wish to become involved any additional. All he wanted was a wellness examine, and contemplating he helped create the fashionable PGA Tour in 1968, he nonetheless feels invested in it. His Memorial Event is among the most outstanding non-majors yearly—an occasion obtainable solely to PGA Tour members.
However he additionally believes his protégé, Tiger Woods, will assist information issues to smoother waters. Woods, after all, joined the PGA Tour Coverage Board final August.
“Tiger has a variety of expertise, he’s been round lengthy sufficient, he’s not going to play a complete lot extra. He can nonetheless contribute,” Nicklaus mentioned.
“I feel it’s nice that he needs to contribute and be a part of it. I feel it’s nice that the fellows need him to contribute. So I’m delighted to see him on the board. He’ll make an important contribution.”
Nonetheless, Nicklaus, at 84 years outdated, additionally revealed that he doesn’t take note of the PGA Tour’s day-to-day trivia.
He has 5 kids, 24 grandchildren, and 7 great-grandchildren, all of whom rank method increased on his precedence record than the Tour.
He nonetheless runs the Memorial Event in his native Columbus, Ohio, however he doesn’t do a lot exterior of that because it pertains to professional golf. He barely even watched final 12 months’s U.S. Open, too.
“I’m attempting to be in the midst of the Memorial Event and be concerned in that,” Nicklaus mentioned.
“I feel that there are rather a lot smarter folks and rather a lot higher people who find themselves higher versed on what’s occurring than I’m because it pertains to the issues of the sport of golf. I feel that it’s in good arms and I belief them to resolve these issues as a result of I like the sport of golf, I like to see the sport of golf flourish and develop as we’ve all seen it develop for a very long time.”
Jack Milko is a golf employees author for SB Nation’s Taking part in By way of. You’ll want to take a look at @_PlayingThrough for extra golf protection. You possibly can comply with him on Twitter @jack_milko as effectively.
