Nicklaus turned down $157m offer to front series
TORONTO: Jack Nicklaus turned down an offer worth more than $US100 million ($NZ157 million) to be the face of the Saudibacked LIV Golf Invitational Series that is hoping to challenge the PGA Tour, according to a report published yesterday.
Nicklaus, who counts a record 18 major titles among his 73 PGA Tour wins, said in an article on the Fire Pit Collective website that organisers of the series asked him to spearhead the bigmoney circuit.
‘‘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 in the report.
‘‘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’.’’
World Golf Hall of Famer Norman serves as chief executive of LIV Golf and the Australian came under fire last week when he downplayed the 2018 killing of Saudi Arabian journalist Jamal Khashoggi, saying: ‘‘We’ve all made mistakes.’’
The LIV Golf Invitational Series, which will feature an individual and team concept, is scheduled to hold its inaugural event on June 911 at Centurion Club outside London, with a total prize purse for the eightevent season of $US255 million. — Reuters