Multiple major champion Jack Nicklaus says he only proceeded with his defamation claim against his former company for the sake of his family.
Last week, a jury in Palm Beach County found that Nicklaus Companies – the firm he founded and later sold – defamed the Golden Bear over false claims.
Those false claims included the wild allegation that Nicklaus, 85, had considered a $750m offer to be the face of the PIF-backed LIV Golf.
Other claims included that Nicklaus was no longer fit to manage his affairs and was suffering from dementia.
The claims were made in court documents and repeated elsewhere.
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A six-person jury ruled on 21 October that the company’s actions damaged the his reputation and exposed him to “ridicule, hatred, mistrust, distrust or contempt”.
Nicklaus’s former business partners Howard Milstein and Andrew O’Brien were cleared from personal liability.
The legendary golfer initially declined to comment on the verdict that awarded him $50m in damages.
But now he has broken his silence, telling the Palm Beach Post he only proceeded with the legal action for the sake of his family.
He said: “My legacy that I will have through the years will be very important to my family. I’m 85 years old, how long will I be around?
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“I don’t know. It’s not about me. It’s about the future and family. But basically [the result is] a big load off my shoulders.”
The dispute followed a separate legal battle in which a judge ruled Nicklaus was free to use his name, image and likeness again (NIL).
Nicklaus resigned from the company that bears his own name in 2017 but was bound by a five-year non-compete clause that prevented him from taking on his own golf course design projects.
When that expired in 2022, Nicklaus sought arbitration. Nicklaus Companies responded by suing him in New York, alleging he was secretly entertaining LIV and diverted business opportunities.
Nicklaus added: “My NIL is very important to me, it’s very important to my family.
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“Sometimes you got to stand up for it and go through what you have to go through.
“Life changes for all of us as we go along. I’ve been very blessed. Allowed me to win a few golf tournaments, make a name for myself. Protect that. It’s very important.”
Nicklaus added: “The proceedings, the judge, the jury were great. I’m happy with the outcome.
“Obviously, there’s going to be probably appeals and that stuff.
“This will continue to go on for awhile.”
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