A Palm Beach County jury awarded Jack Nicklaus $50 million in a defamation lawsuit against his former company.
On October 20, the jury found that Nicklaus Cos. actively participated in the publication of false information that damaged Jack's reputation and exposed him to "ridicule, hatred, distrust, suspicion, or contempt."
Nicklaus, results
What they wanted the public to believe was that Jackwas an old man who had sold out to the Saudis.
Jack Nicklaus had filed a defamation lawsuit against his former partners, including Howard Milstein, the New York banker who bought the Nicklaus empire in 2007, took control, and then presented himself as its savior.
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The Golden Bear, who helped create the modern PGA Tour, accused them of spreading false rumors about him, saying he had secretly sought to take over LIV Golf and that he suffered from dementia.
These are the people who started this rumor. This rumor is a lie. What they wanted the public to believe is that Jack is an old man who sold out to the Saudis, his lawyer, Eugene Stearns, told jurors during his closing argument.
He disputed reports that Nicklaus Cos. executives intervened to convince Nicklaus to back out of a deal with LIV. The fact is, no one intervened to save Jackfrom himself. The fact is, he didnt need saving. Thats a lie, he added.
The golf legend had already won a million dollars in a lawsuit filed against him by the company he founded (Nicklaus Companies) seeking the right to use his name and likeness. His former partners wanted to prevent him from signing his name to the courses he designs.
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The Rules of Golf are a set of standards and procedures by which the sport of golf should be played. They are jointly written and administered by the Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews, the governing body of golf worldwide, except in the United States and Mexico, which are governed by the United States Golf Association. An expert committee composed of members of the R&A and the USGA oversees and refines the rules every four years. The latest revision took effect on January 1, 2016. Amendments to the Rules of Golf are generally divided into two main categories: those that improve understanding and those that reduce penalties in certain cases to ensure balance. The rulebook, entitled "Rules of Golf," is published regularly and also includes rules governing amateur status. In Italy, the Italian Golf Federation is responsible for overseeing competitions by enforcing the rules issued by the R&A, ensuring that these rules are observed by clubs, associations, and their members, and managing the resulting sporting justice, protecting their interests abroad.
