logo
Legend Jack Nicklaus blasts biggest issue with golf right now

Legend Jack Nicklaus blasts biggest issue with golf right now

Yahoo04-06-2025
A lot of things have changed since Jack Nicklaus' heyday on the golf course.
But there's one thing in particular that one of the legends of the game truly can't stand about the current era of golf.
The Golden Bear simply cannot bear to see golfers being interviewed during the middle of their rounds while on the course.
Nicklaus, 85, shared his thoughts during the second round of the Memorial tournament at Muirfield Village Golf Club — an event he hosts annually.
The incident that brought out the ire from the golf legend happened as Ben Griffen — in contention at the event and sitting at 7-under after the first round — was grabbed for a mid-round interview by Fox Sports at the 17th hole.
Nicklaus was not impressed, saying that he wants the players to be able to focus on their game and not be distracted as they contemplate their shots.
'I can't stand that, the interview on the golf course,' Nicklaus said. 'Can't stand that. Let me tell you how I think. Seriously, this is a guy who is leading the golf tournament.
'He is sitting on the edge of the rough, very difficult shot on a very difficult hole.
'And you are talking to him about stuff that totally takes his mind off what he is doing.'
Nicklaus then shared how he felt some colleagues from his era would've handled being approached while walking the fairways.
'How do you think (Ben) Hogan would respond to that question?' Nicklaus rhetorically asked. 'You would not have any teeth left if you did. He would hit you right in the face with it.'
After win at Memorial, it's time to start comparing Scottie Scheffler to prime Tiger Woods
Rory McIlroy snubs golf legend after skipping Memorial tournament
When it comes to post-round interviews, however, Nicklaus is all for seeing the golfer talk and values the work reporters do.
'I've always felt that you guys have a job to do, and gals,' he said.
'And, for you to do your job, you need to talk to me.
'Whether I played well or whether I played poorly, if you still want to talk to me, I'll talk to you. And I always have.'
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

2025 Best NFL Cornerbacks: Pat Surtain, Derek Stingley Jr. Lead Rankings
2025 Best NFL Cornerbacks: Pat Surtain, Derek Stingley Jr. Lead Rankings

Fox News

time4 hours ago

  • Fox News

2025 Best NFL Cornerbacks: Pat Surtain, Derek Stingley Jr. Lead Rankings

The NFL preseason is nearing its end and the regular season is right around the corner, which means it's almost time to blare the FOX NFL theme song. Entering the 2025 season, the FOX Sports NFL Staff is ranking their top 10 players at select positions. Here are their top 10 cornerbacks. Eric D. Williams: One of the more underrated players nationally, Lenoir is special as a slot defender for the 49ers but can also lock up receivers on the perimeter. According to Next Gen Stats, Lenoir did not give up a touchdown pass and totaled two interceptions in 317 coverage snaps at slot defender in 2024, holding opposing quarterbacks to a 63.6 passer rating. Over the last three seasons, San Francisco has recorded 53 interceptions, tied for the league lead over that time with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Lenoir gives the 49ers an elite player at all three levels of their defense, joining linebacker Fred Warner and defensive end Nick Bosa. Carmen Vitali: Johnson got paid by the Bears this offseason with a relatively team-friendly deal while he could be on the cusp of his best season yet. Under Dennis Allen's new scheme, Johnson will be able to prove his position as a true lockdown man corner, something he's been begging for for years. Johnson's reputation as one of the best corners in the league has come while primarily playing in more zone-heavy defenses and look at what he's been able to accomplish. This year should up his stock even more. Eric D. Williams: Seattle's versatile defensive back is one of the hardest-hitting defenders in the league at just 185 pounds. Witherspoon is as effective playing sticky coverage on receivers on the perimeter and wreaking havoc as a slot defender near the line of scrimmage. A two-time Pro Bowler in his first two seasons in the league, Witherspoon has totaled 26 pass breakups and four sacks during his time as a pro. However, just one interception in two seasons is a little concerning for someone with Witherspoon's playmaking ability. The ascension of Witherspoon as a top-tier player in the league should coincide with Mike Macdonald creating one of the best defenses in the NFL in the Pacific Northwest. Greg Auman: Ward's one of the few things to be excited about in Cleveland – three Pro Bowls in the last four years, led the NFL in passes defended last season. The Browns had the No. 1 defense in the NFL in 2023 and took a major step back last season – if there's a gripe with Ward, it's that he's never had more than three interceptions in a season, and Cleveland's defense ranked last in the NFL in interception percentage last season, at 0.78 percent. If things are to turn around in 2025, it's more likely on the defensive side than with middling quarterbacks on offense. Greg Auman: Nickel corners don't get love the way their outside counterparts do, but Humphrey got first-team All-Pro honors last season as the best slot corner in the league. He had six interceptions as a key cog in Baltimore's elite defense, and that secondary is even more loaded with the additions of Jaire Alexander and Malaki Starks. With another season like last year, he'll be in the top 10 for career active interceptions, building on a resume that at age 29 includes four Pro Bowl nods in the last six seasons. Can that defense be what propels Lamar Jackson and Baltimore over the hump to a Super Bowl appearance? Henry McKenna: The secret is out. He has played just 20 NFL games. He has hidden away on an unimpressive Patriots defense for the last two years. And he has just three career interceptions. But if you know, you know. With rare size, speed and awareness, Gonzalez is one of the league's most dominant shut-down cornerbacks. He might have an even more dominant year in 2025, in part because his schedule features just three of our top 10 receivers. Henry McKenna: He was once the league's best slot cornerback before moving outside. And once there, he earned the title as one of the league's best cornerbacks. Period. That doesn't happen often. It's a testament to McDuffie's intelligence and athleticism. And let's not forget how complicated Steve Spagnuolo can make his defense for the top players with unique disguises that require immense discipline. Yup, McDuffie is a special and unique talent. Henry McKenna: For the last two years, Sauce was our No. 1 cornerback. And he fell in part because of the strong play from the other stars in the league — but also because of the systemic failure of the Jets. New York fired GM Joe Douglas and coach Robert Saleh. And interim coach Jeff Ulbrich couldn't hold up the defense in the same way. Gardner suffered ever-so slightly, which was just enough of a margin for three corners to unseat him in these rankings. Ben Arthur: It's not a coincidence that in 2024, his first 17-game season, Stingley was a first-team All-Pro selection. The superior talent has always been evident, dating back to his spectacular true freshman season at LSU in 2019. It's been his health that has come into question — he missed 14 games his first two NFL seasons (2022-23). Henry McKenna: To open the season, Surtain had DK Metcalf, George Pickens and Mike Evans from Weeks 1 to 3. They combined for seven catches for 75 yards. That is just plain nasty. There were some tough outings, including against the Cincinnati Bengals. But Surtain finished the season allowing just 40 catches on 55 targets for 396 yards for two touchdowns and four interceptions. That's about as dominant as a guy can be in today's pass-happy NFL. 2025-26 NFL Defensive Player of the Year Aidan Hutchinson, Lions: +650 (bet $10 to win $75 total)Micah Parsons, Cowboys: +750 (bet $10 to win $85 total)Myles Garrett, Browns: +850 (bet $10 to win $95 total)T.J. Watt, Steelers: +950 (bet $10 to win $105 total)Will Anderson Jr., Texans: +1300 (bet $10 to win $140 total)Jared Verse, Rams: +1500 (bet $10 to win $160 total)Maxx Crosby, Raiders: +1600 (bet $10 to win $170 total)Nick Bosa, 49ers: +2000 (bet $10 to win $210 total)Jalen Carter, Eagles: +2200 (bet $10 to win $230 total)Trey Hendrickson, Bengals: +2200 (bet $10 to win $230 total) These rankings were compiled by: Ben Arthur (@benyarthur)Greg Auman (@gregauman)Henry McKenna (@McKennAnalysis)Eric D. Williams (@eric_d_williams)Ralph Vacchiano (@RalphVacchiano)Carmen Vitali (@CarmieV) Check out all of our Daily Rankers. Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily!

2025 Tour Championship odds, DFS picks: Can anyone challenge Scottie Scheffler?
2025 Tour Championship odds, DFS picks: Can anyone challenge Scottie Scheffler?

New York Times

time8 hours ago

  • New York Times

2025 Tour Championship odds, DFS picks: Can anyone challenge Scottie Scheffler?

The PGA Tour season comes to an end this week at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta. The story of the season has been Scottie Scheffler's dominance, and he clinched his fifth win at the BMW Championship last week. Scheffler's chip from off the green on 17 has been replayed more than any other shot of this year's tour. Scheffler's two-season run can only be compared to the greatest ever to play the game. His 12 wins during the 2024 and 2025 PGA Tour seasons have only been matched by Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus. Advertisement Scheffler will be looking to defend his Tour Championship title from 2024 this week, but he will have a tougher time doing so as everyone in the field will be starting the tournament on level terms. The old system was underwhelming for both fans and players. This new system isn't perfect, but at least the best players in the world will have a tougher challenge to test who is at their best to end the season. And, yes, East Lake Golf Club should prove to be a strong test for the players this week. A few recent updates: The 14th hole at East Lake Golf Club has been changed from a Par 5 to a Par 4, and the rough has been lengthened a bit. The greens should be more settled after the changes that Andrew Green put in place in 2024. The key stats I will focus on include driving accuracy, strokes gained on approach, strokes gained on approach from 125 to 150 yards, 3-putt avoidance and strokes gained on difficult Par-70 golf courses that are over 7,400 yards. I will be using weighted strokes gained this week with the stacked field and the challenging course. I will play around with the number of rounds a bit, as I want to play the players who are at their best at this moment. Course: East Lake Golf Club Location: Atlanta Designer: Tom Bendelow (redesigned by Donald Ross, George Cobb, Rees Jones and Andrew Green) Par: 70 Length: 7,490 yards Average green size: 6,238 square feet Past champions: 2024 Scottie Scheffler, 2023 Viktor Hovland, 2022 Rory McIlroy, 2021 Patrick Cantlay, 2020 Dustin Johnson, 2019 Rory McIlroy Rory McIlroy (+850) is looking for his fourth Tour Championship win this week. Scheffler is the betting favorite with very short odds; when the best golfer in the world is a less than 2-to-1 favorite to win a golf tournament, you have to find some value in other spots. McIlroy had some rust to his game last week at the BMW Championship, but seemed to knock it off by the fourth round when he managed to drive a Par-4 green with a 3-wood. He will need to be a little sharper with his wedges to win this week, but I wouldn't be surprised if he wins. Advertisement Viktor Hovland (+2200) has been on fire since his poor first round at the FedEx St. Jude Championship. He has gained over nine strokes combined on approach over his last two tournaments, and he has been positive with the putter for four straight tournaments. He may not be on Michael Kim's Christmas card list this year (knocked Kim out of the Tour Championship with a birdie on the last hole at the BMW Championship), but he would be on mine if he could pull out a win this week. Tommy Fleetwood (+800) doesn't have a win on the PGA Tour, and that is not going to change this week. Fleetwood has been excellent down the stretch of the season and sits second in my power rankings and in my strokes gained weighted over his last 36 rounds. Fleetwood has gained over 10.3 strokes combined on approach over his last two tournaments. He has gained over 15 strokes putting over his last three tournaments. If it weren't for some late Sunday meltdowns and bad luck, he would be coming into this week with multiple wins on tour this season. Betting him this way, we can root for Fleetwood without the inevitable heartbreak. Russell Henley (+1200) comes into this week third on the PGA Tour in proximity to the fairway while hitting the fairway with his drives at almost a 68 percent pace. He has had an excellent season, and his finishes in the playoffs would have been a little better if he had been a little hotter with the putter. He has gained strokes on approach in six straight tournaments. Scottie Scheffler ($13,900) has five wins on the PGA Tour season and is the defending champion coming into this week. He will have Tedd Scott back on his bag this week after winning last week for the first time without Scott on the bag. Fading Scheffler with his form is almost impossible to do. He would have to be priced in the 15k range for me to even think about it. Tommy Fleetwood ($9,900) See above. Advertisement Russell Henley ($9,600) See above. Viktor Hovland ($9,400) See above. Sam Burns ($8,500) gained strokes across the board here in 2023, and he gained over four strokes on approach here last year. Burns has gained strokes on approach in four straight tournaments and is on an absolute heater with the putter, gaining over 12 strokes combined putting in his last two tournaments. J.J. Spaun ($8,100) is making his Tour Championship debut, but the 2025 U.S. Open winner can't be overlooked. He has gained almost 12 strokes combined on approach in the last two weeks and has been a hot putter away from winning. He is well inside the top of my model and is coming in at a nice salary-relief price. Cameron Young ($7,900) has had an excellent end to the PGA Tour season with a win at the Wyndham and then two straight top-11 finishes in the playoffs. He has gained over 12 strokes combined off the tee in his last three tournaments and is one of the hottest putters on the PGA Tour. He struggled with his approach shots and around the greens in his only trip here in 2022, but should have a better showing this week with his current form. Sepp Straka ($7,600) is a must-play every time he is priced in this range. Straka has had such a strong season, and hopefully the issues he had to deal with off the course last week won't affect him this week. He has gained over eight strokes combined on approach in his three trips to East Lake. He will need to drive the ball better than he has at past Tour Championships to make some noise this week. Maverick McNealy ($7,300) gained strokes across the board on Sunday at the BMW Championship, which led to a very nice third-place finish. He is also making his debut at the Tour Championship this week, but could make some noise with his current form. Harris English ($6,900) is priced too low to ignore with how he has played this season. The issue is that he has struggled with his approach shots during the playoffs, which has kept him from having a good end to the season. He has never driven it well here in three trips. I'm going to play him a little less than what it seems the public is this week. Advertisement Akshay Bhatia ($6,700) almost choked his way out of making it to East Lake on Sunday. He couldn't hit a green or make a putt to save his life down the stretch, but somehow made his way to the Tour Championship. I think he will play well this week after getting through all of that pressure on Sunday. It should free him up for a nice finish to the season. His overall game fits this course really well, and his price is nice. Shane Lowry ($6,400) gained strokes everywhere except around the green here last year when he finished T9. He has been struggling a bit to end the year, but this course suits his game pretty well. We need to save some money somewhere, and Lowry seems like a decent choice. I want to play Sungjae Im ($6,200) so bad, but I can't after he lost over 10.7 strokes on approach last week. (Photo of Scottie Scheffler: Kevin C. Cox / Getty Images) Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Play today's puzzle

Top 10 College Football Quarterbacks in 2025: Arch Manning, Cade Klubnik Lead List
Top 10 College Football Quarterbacks in 2025: Arch Manning, Cade Klubnik Lead List

Fox News

time21 hours ago

  • Fox News

Top 10 College Football Quarterbacks in 2025: Arch Manning, Cade Klubnik Lead List

Week 0 of college football is here, meaning we can officially debate teams' rosters. There are no more transfers to impact teams this season, depth charts are more settled and we can zero in on the most important position in sports — quarterback. There has been a lot of movement in the offseason with QBs heading to different schools, as well as some recruits coming into the fold for programs. Heck, some are growing through the program and are moving up the depth chart just from graduations in front of them. Whatever the reason, we can now officially rank QBs with a reasonable guess as to what they are walking into, team and conference-wise. FOX Sports Research ranked the top 10 quarterbacks ahead of the 2025 season. Let's take a look: Last season was something of a breakout campaign for Hoover, when he tossed 27 touchdowns against 11 interceptions. Moreover, he nearly hit 4,000 yards, finishing just 51 short of that number. That yardage mark was seventh among all QBs last season and his 303.8 pass yards per game was sixth in the nation. The one concern is his ball control. He lost six fumbles a year ago. Overall, he had four games with multiple turnovers, something TCU can ill-afford if they want to compete in the Big 12. After putting up 24 passing touchdowns as a redshirt freshman with the Sun Devils, Leavitt is ready to jump to the next level. Although his 24 passing TDs don't wow you, he only had six interceptions and didn't lose any fumbles. If your QB can take care of the ball, you will always be in the game, but being in the game isn't going to cut it in 2025. If Arizona State is going to compete for another CFP berth, Leavitt will need to hit the 30 touchdown mark and keep his turnovers down. This is a bet on the potential of Lagway more than anything. Last season, he didn't even throw 200 passes over the whole season and completed less than 60 percent of them. That is not going to get it done in the SEC, but the physical tools are remarkable. The potential showed up in a big way in the games against Ole Miss and Florida State last season when he combined for 406 passing yards and four passing touchdowns. Carson Beck joins the list from a new school this year with his transfer to the ACC to join Miami. Beck seemed like a sure-fire first-round pick a year ago, but things didn't quite go as expected. Even saying that, though, he put up some solid numbers. He threw for nearly 3,500 yards to go with 28 passing touchdowns. That was a solid season, but his 12 interceptions and three fumbles lost were a big problem. If he can control his turnovers – something that should be easier in a weaker conference – then he could be among the nation's best. Seemingly a lock to enter the NFL Draft after last season, Allar stunned everyone with his choice to return in hopes of pursuing a national title (and maybe becoming the No. 1 pick in 2026). Either way, Penn State lucked out big time. Last season, against tough competition in the new-look Big Ten, he combined for 30 touchdowns and had just nine turnovers. The key is playing within himself. Last season, Penn State was 10-0 when he had at least one passing touchdown and one or fewer interceptions. Famous for getting an enormous offer to leave South Carolina, Sellers decided to stay with the Gamecocks for 2025. This season, it's fair to expect him to take a massive leap forward. In 2024, South Carolina went 5-1 when he had multiple touchdown passes, something he no doubt will need to build upon if they are going to compete in the brutal SEC. A big transfer into the SEC, Mateer put up big numbers for Washington State last season, tossing 29 touchdowns to go with 15 rushing touchdowns. A combined 44 touchdowns? To give that context, he was the only QB last season to have at least 25 passing touchdowns AND double-digit rushing touchdowns. That is a ridiculous number, but now he gets tested in the SEC with the Sooners. No doubt, one of the favorites for a Heisman bid is Garrett Nussmeier, who finished tied for 10th in the nation last season with 29 passing touchdowns and is playing in an offense that is very friendly to QBs. Moreover, he was one of just six quarterbacks in the country to post 4,000 or more passing yards, something he should have no problem doing again. His 12 interceptions are a concern, but if he can lower that to single digits, it could be a special year. Arch is perhaps the most talked-about college QB ever, with the amount of experience he has, but he has talent. There is no denying it. Coach Steve Sarkisian is the perfect coach to work with Manning, and we got a glimpse of his potential, most recently in the team's fifth game last year against Mississippi State, when he passed for 325 yards with two passing touchdowns and completed 84 percent of his passes. If he can build on that early, he could take the No. 1 spot. Speaking of gaudy numbers, Klubnik threw for 36 passing touchdowns and added seven rushing touchdowns to his numbers last season. That placed him third in the entire country in touchdowns responsible for, while also only throwing six interceptions. He took care of the ball and was still able to sling it all over. If he can match that or surpass that this year, Clemson has a great shot at a CFP berth, and an excellent chance at the Heisman. 2025 Heisman Trophy odds: Arch Manning, Texas: +650 (bet $10 to win $75 total)Garrett Nussmeier, LSU: +850 (bet $10 to win $95 total)Cade Klubnik, Clemson: +950 (bet $10 to win $105 total)Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State: +1100 (bet $10 to win $120 total)LaNorris Sellers, South Carolina: +1600 (bet $10 to win $170 total)Julian Sayin, Ohio State: +1600 (bet $10 to win $170 total)Drew Allar, Penn State: +1600 (bet $10 to win $170 total)DJ Lagway, Florida: +1800 (bet $10 to win $190 total)Dante Moore, Oregon: +2200 (bet $10 to win $230 total)John Mateer (Oklahoma): +2500 (bet $10 to win $260 total)Sam Leavitt (Arizona State): +2800 (bet $10 to win $290 total)Carson Beck, Miami:+3000 (bet $10 to win $310 total) Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store