Jack Nicklaus Wins $50 Million Defamation Case

Golf icon Jack Nicklaus was awarded $50 million on Monday in a defamation lawsuit against his former business, Nicklaus Companies. He claimed that the company and two executives had circulated false information suggesting he was contemplating a $750 million deal with LIV Golf.

A jury in Palm Beach County, Florida, determined that Nicklaus’ reputation had indeed suffered. The verdict noted that the 85-year-old experienced “ridicule, hatred, mistrust, and contempt” due to allegations stating he was suffering from dementia and was incapable of managing his affairs. This information was reported, among other outlets, by the Palm Beach Post.

While the jury ruled in favor of billionaire banker Howard Milstein, the executive chairman of Nicklaus Companies, and another executive, Andrew O’Brien, they did not have to pay additional damages.

The Palm Beach Post also mentioned that Nicklaus shared an emotional moment with family and friends right after the verdict, but he deferred legal questions to his attorney.

“Proving reputational damage is tough, especially for someone like Jack, since he’s quite esteemed,” said Nicklaus’ attorney, Eugene Stearns. He added that the significant issue stemmed from a controversy that began three and a half years prior when the company misleadingly stated that Nicklaus had abandoned the PGA Tour for golf ventures in Saudi Arabia. “It was important that Jack was cleared of these allegations,” he remarked.

The allegations initially arose from Nicklaus Companies’ lawsuit against him in New York, and they gained widespread media attention.

During closing arguments, Stearns told jurors that the executives were the ones who fabricated the damaging story, aiming to paint Nicklaus as someone who sold out for money. The defense, however, argued that there was never an intention to slander Nicklaus.

In 2007, Nicklaus’ company, Golden Bear International, was merged into the newly formed Nicklaus Companies in a $145 million deal. In 2017, after stepping down from his executive role, a five-year non-compete clause went into effect, restricting him from endorsing products or designing golf courses outside of his former company. Nicklaus sought arbitration in 2022 to regain the right to use his name and image, which led to a breach of contract lawsuit against him from Nicklaus Companies that also mentioned LIV Golf.