Golf icon Jack Nicklaus has secured a £37million ($50million) victory in his defamation battle against the company bearing his name, with a Florida jury ruling on Monday that Nicklaus Companies damaged his reputation through false statements.
The 85-year-old sporting legend brought the lawsuit after the firm spread untrue claims suggesting he had entertained a lucrative offer to become the face of the Saudi-backed LIV Golf League.
The six-person jury determined that the company had subjected Nicklaus to public ridicule and contempt through their actions.
The verdict represents a significant vindication for the 18-time major champion, whose stellar reputation had been called into question by his former business associates.
Jack Nicklaus was accused of negotiating a secret deal to join LIV Golf
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The defamation case centred on allegations that Nicklaus had secretly negotiated a £600 million agreement to join LIV Golf, claims his legal team proved were entirely fabricated.
Court documents revealed that company executives had falsely suggested Nicklaus was considering abandoning his PGA Tour legacy for Saudi money, then deliberately spread these falsehoods to media outlets.
More damaging still were assertions questioning the golfing great's mental capacity, with defendants allegedly claiming he suffered from dementia and needed "the keys taken away," according to Nicklaus's attorney Eugene Stearns.
The jury found these statements had exposed Nicklaus to "ridicule, hatred, mistrust, distrust or contempt," awarding damages that exceed five times his entire career tournament earnings.
Jack Nicklaus was exposed to "ridicule, hatred, mistrust, distrust or contempt", a jury found
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The business relationship between Nicklaus and the company began in 2007, when he received £115 million for exclusive rights to his course design services and branding privileges.
The arrangement soured when Nicklaus stepped down from his executive position in 2017, triggering a five-year restriction preventing him from independently designing courses.
As this non-compete period approached its conclusion in 2022, Nicklaus sought arbitration to confirm his freedom to use his own name commercially.
The company responded by filing suit in New York, accusing him of contract breaches and alleging the secret Saudi negotiations.
These accusations prompted Nicklaus to launch his defamation claim in 2023, setting the stage for Monday's jury verdict.
Evidence presented in court showed that Nicklaus had indeed met Saudi representatives in 2021, but solely to discuss designing a golf course in the Kingdom.
The Saudi-backed LIV Golf tour has been controversial
| PAOnly during this meeting did he learn of their desire for him to lead LIV Golf, an offer he immediately rejected.
"According to Nicklaus, he had no interest in the offer and declined because he felt the PGA Tour was an important part of his legacy," court documents stated.
Stearns celebrated the verdict, telling ESPN: "We're happy that Jack's been vindicated."
Whilst the jury found Nicklaus Companies liable for the full amount, they cleared billionaire banker Howard Milstein and executive Andrew O'Brien of personal responsibility.