Nicklaus swears his commitment to PGA after Saudi offer

Jack Nicklaus on Tuesday reaffirmed his commitment to the PGA Tour, stating that no amount of money could persuade him to take on a leadership role with a new Saudi-backed golf series.

Earlier this month, the 82-year-old golf legend announced that he had turned down a $100 million deal to be one of the stars of the LIV Golf International Series.

Nicklaus said he met with the Saudi-funded circuit’s organizers out of courtesy while constructing a golf course for them during a press conference on Tuesday ahead of the PGA Tour’s Memorial Tournament.

Read more: Dustin Johnson to lead field for inaugural $25m LIV Golf Invitational Series

Nicklaus, on the other hand, made it clear that joining the upstart tour was never an option.

“I did it out of courtesy to them because we’re doing a golf course for them,” Nicklaus told reporters.

“I’ve got zero interest in wanting to do something like that. I don’t care what kind of money they would have thrown at me.

“My allegiance has been to the PGA Tour. I grew up on the PGA Tour. I helped found the PGA Tour as it is today.

“My allegiance is there, and it’s going to stay there.”

The introduction of LIV Golf has ruled the sport this season, with Phil Mickelson stirring up controversy after making remarks about the venture’s Saudi sponsors being “scary” and having a “terrible record on human rights.”

Read more: Justin Thomas recounts a letter from caddie Bones Mackay that inspired him to win the PGA Championship in 2022

Mickelson has not competed since making the remarks, but a plethora of other players are reportedly willing to participate in the series.

Meanwhile, Nicklaus avoided a question about whether players who joined LIV Golf would be eligible to compete in his Memorial tournament at Muirfield Village in Dublin, Ohio.

“The PGA TOUR will answer that,” Nicklaus said. “I don’t think that’s my question, frankly. We live by the rules of whatever the PGA TOUR is. That’s what we do.”

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