Jack Nicklaus says he doesn’t consider LIV Golf players "part of the game anymore" and doesn't think they should have a route back to the PGA Tour
The 18-time Major winner is hosting one of the PGA Tour’s most prestigious events, The Memorial Tournament, this week. However, despite several world-class players being ineligible thanks to their move to the Tour’s rival, Nicklaus doesn't think it diminishes the event, with his focus on the quality of PGA Tour stars in the field.
Per Sports Illustrated, Nicklaus discussed the issue of LIV Golf with reporters outside Muirfield Village, where the tournament is being held. He said: “I don’t really consider those guys part of the game anymore and I don’t mean that in a nasty way… or really mean it that way.
“To me, this is a PGA Tour event and we’ve got the best field we can possibly have on the PGA Tour. Those who are eligible to be here. The other guys made a choice to go where they went. We don’t really talk about it."
Nicklaus then went further, saying that, even though he respects their choice, the likes of Open champion Cameron Smith and Brooks Koepka, who won the PGA Championship, shouldn’t be allowed back on the PGA Tour in future. He continued: “No, I don’t. They’ve made a choice for what they’re doing and how they’re doing it. And that’s fine. I don’t have any issue with any of those guys.
“I see six or seven of them who are members at the Bear’s Club [Nicklaus’s club in Florida]. It’s not an issue. They get along with the guys fine. It’s just where they chose to play golf. And I look at what the PGA Tour is and who the members are. And they’ve actually spurred the PGA Tour to get better."
The Memorial Tournament is one of the events that has seen benefit of those changes. It is a designated event meaning that, as well as a guaranteed top-class field, the purse is significantly higher than previous years, at $20m. Still, Nicklaus says those competing in it care more about the game than the financial rewards.
He explained: “I think the guys who have stayed on the PGA Tour for the most part are guys who play golf for the game of golf. I was all about how good I could be in the sport and the money just took care of itself. Some guys might not really care about playing golf, they’re just pretty good at it. It’s a means to an end to them. And if that’s what it is, that’s fine."
Despite Nicklaus’ strong opinion on the future of LIV Golf players, he doesn’t harbour any ill will towards them and explained he’d also sent a letter of congratulations to Koepka following his win at Oak Hill, telling him “it was a great competition," and that he "deserved it.’’
In the build-up to The Memorial Tournament, Nicklaus also turned his attention to PGA Tour stalwart Rory McIlroy, saying he is “certainly going to win some more Majors.” He'll have another chance to do that in two weeks, when PGA Tour players and LIV Golf players come together again for the US Open at Los Angeles Country Club.
