Saudi Golf League Threw $100 Million At Jack Nicklaus

The fledgling, upstart Saudi-financed LIV Golf Series found out that it basically could not buy Jack Nicklaus.

Not even for $100 million.

In a recent interview with the new Fire Pit Collective (a group of established golf scribes), Nicklaus made that startling revelation:

“I was offered something in excess of $100 million 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.’”

Jack’s been dialing things back a bit and both he and wife Barbara have dedicated a lot of their time to charitable causes — especially the Nicklaus Children’s Hospital.  It’s obvious Jack didn’t want any part of the controversy, despite the money, as the Golden Bear said, he helped start the PGA Tour when he was part of the Big Three — along with Arnold Palmer and Gary Player.  Those stars could have easily started their own tour back in the 60s but put their full faith and efforts into forming the PGA Tour, which broke away from the PGA Of America in 1968.

Here’s a quick summary of how the “PGA Tour” came to be:

With an increase of revenue in the late 1960s due to expanded television coverage, a dispute arose between the touring professionals and the PGA of America on how to distribute the windfall. The tour players wanted larger purses, where the PGA desired the money to go to the general fund to help grow the game at the local level.  Following the final major in July 1968 at the PGA Championship, several leading tour pros voiced their dissatisfaction with the venue and the abundance of club pros in the field.  The increased friction resulted in a new entity in August, what would eventually become the PGA Tour.  Tournament players formed their own organization, American Professional Golfers, Inc. (APG), independent of the PGA of America.  

After several months,  a compromise was reached in December: the tour players agreed to abolish the APG and form the PGA “Tournament Players Division”, a fully autonomous division under the supervision of a new 10-member Tournament Policy Board.  The board consisted of four tour players, three PGA of America executives, and three outside members, initially business executives.

Joseph Dey, after he retired as USGA executive director, was selected by the board as the tour’s first commissioner in January 1969.  He was succeeded by tour player Deane Beman in early 1974.   The name officially changed to the “PGA Tour” in 1975.  In 1978 the PGA Tour “removed its restrictions on women.”  

In late August 1981, the PGA Tour had a marketing dispute with the PGA of America and officially changed its name to the TPA Tour, for the “Tournament Players Association”.  The disputed issues were resolved within seven months and the tour’s name was changed back to the “PGA Tour” in March 1982. 

So you can see, Jack was in the thick of things and is part of PGA Tour history in so many ways.

Jack also had a few words of advice for the “Non-Defending Champion” at this year’s PGA Championship — Phil Mickelson:

“My advice to Phil? My advice to Phil would be to be patient,” Nicklaus said. “The world is a very forgiving place. But he’s the one who has to decide where he wants to play and what he wants to do.”

Sage advice from golf’s greatest major champion.

REPORT:  Greg Norman Could Be On His Way Out As The Lamest Commissioner In The Land:

Alan Shipnuck, whose book about Phil Mickelson comes out today, is on top of another seemingly stunning report.

Per Shipnuck, Greg Norman (aka The Lamest Commissioner In The Land) could be on his way out as the front-man of LIV Golf Investments and its proposed golf series..

Shipnuck  claims that a PGA Tour player agent has confided in him that Norman is “on his way out” and will be ditched by the Saudis as CEO of LIV Golf Investments.

Shipnuck’s report states: “A prominent Tour agent recently confided that he is hearing Norman is on the outs with the Saudis, which would be another wild development in this saga.  If a leadership change is imminent with LIV Golf, that would be all the more reason for (Phil)  Mickelson to pass on the PGA Championship and take more time to assess a chaotic situation.”