Nicklaus says he had no interest in running Saudi Arabia league
Jack Nicklaus says he met with a Saudi Arabian group as a courtesy and had “zero interest” in running a rival golf circuit now being led by Greg Norman.
“I don't care what kind of money they would have thrown at me. My allegiance has been to the PGA Tour,” Nicklaus said Tuesday at his annual news conference ahead of the Memorial. “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.”
Nicklaus was unusually brief, with three questions related to the Saudi-funded LIV Golf Invitational series that is set to start next week outside of London and has an eight-tournament schedule, five of them in the United States.
Norman has not announced the 48-man field that will be competing for $20 million in individual play and $5 million for a team concept. The PGA Tour and European tour has denied releases to their players under threat of losing their membership.
Nicklaus had said in an interview with the Firepit Collective that the Saudi group had offered him “something in excess of $100 million,” adding the job was “probably similar” to what Norman is doing. Norman is CEO of LIV Golf Investments, which is organizing the rival league and has pumped $300 million into other Asian Tour events.
In the Firepit Collective story, Nicklaus said he turned the offer down verbally and in writing.
Tennis
NADAL TOPS DJOKOVIC IN QUARTERFINAL THRILLER AT FRENCH OPEN >> Rafael Nadal got past rival Novak Djokovic 6-2, 4-6, 6-2, 7-6 (4) in a monumental match in the French Open quarterfinals to move a step closer to his 14th championship at the clay-court Grand Slam tournament and 22nd major trophy overall.
The match began a little past 9 p.m. Tuesday and concluded more than four hours later, after 1 a.m. Wednesday.
Nadal ended the topseeded Djokovic's bid for a second consecutive title in Paris. He also made
sure Djokovic remains behind him in the Slam count with 20.
Nadal improved to 110-3 for his career at Roland Garros. Two of those losses came against Djokovic, including in last year's semifinals.
This showdown was the 59th of their careers, more than any other two men have played each other in the Open era. Nadal narrowed Djokovic's lead to 30-29.
Nadal turns 36 on Friday, when he will face third-seeded Alexander Zverev in the semifinals.
College football
SABAN ON FEUD WITH FISHER: `I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH JIMBO' >> Alabama coach Nick Saban tried to put an end to his feud with Texas A&M's Jimbo Fisher as Southeastern Conference leaders gathered for spring meetings at a resort on the Florida Gulf Coast.
“I didn't really say that anybody did anything wrong,” Saban said when asked if he had evidence that Texas A&M has been buying players with name, image and likeness compensation deals. “OK, and I've said everything I'm going to say about this. I should have never mentioned any individual institutions as I've said that before.”
Saban added: “I have no problem with Jimbo. I have no problem with Jimbo at all.”
Saban set off Fisher two weeks ago when he called out Texas A&M and other
schools while talking about the need for NIL regulation in college sports.
Soccer
AFTER CHAMPIONS LEAGUE `FIASCO,' UEFA PROBES WHAT WENT WRONG >>
The French government is blaming Liverpool fans. The English club is enraged by the “irresponsible, unprofessional” rush to conclusions. European soccer's governing body, UEFA, will now try to uncover what went wrong in the disorder and chaos in Paris at the Champions League final before Liverpool lost to Real Madrid.
UEFA is starting to gather evidence about issues outside the Stade de France that marred one of the world's biggest games in sports on Saturday.
Liverpool fans' leadership groups are already complaining about heavyhanded policing and poor organization on a troubling night that saw children and elderly people among those getting sprayed by tear gas.
NFL
JUDGE DISMISSES CASE AGAINST BRONCOS WR JEUDY
At the request of prosecutors, a suburban Denver judge dismissed charges against Broncos wide receiver Jerry Jeudy stemming from a dispute with his girlfriend that landed him in jail.
Arapahoe County District Court Judge Chantel Contiguglia closed the case after the county district attorney's office filed a motion
to dismiss the charges, said Eric Ross, a spokesman for the 18th Judicial District Attorney's Office.
Contiguglia also vacated a court hearing to enter a plea that had been scheduled for Tuesday afternoon, Ross said.
The girlfriend said she did not feel threatened during the dispute and that there was no physical contact. She asked for the charges against Jeudy to be dropped.
Hockey
WROBLEWSKI TAKES OVER AS US WOMEN'S COACH >> John Wroblewski was named the head coach of the U.S. national women's hockey team after recent success guiding the men's development program.
Wroblewski's hiring is currently limited to coaching the American women at the world championships in Denmark in August. He replaces Joel Johnson, who is stepping down after one year as part of his commitment to coach the University of St. Thomas women's program.
Wroblewski takes over an aging U.S. team that's in transition after settling for silver medals following losses to Canada at both the Beijing Winter Games in February and the world championships in August. The Americans struggled in matching the Canadians' speed and up-tempo style of play in having lost four straight in international play over the past year.