logo
Named after Jack Nicklaus, Johnny Miller's grandson competes in the Drive, Chip & Putt

Named after Jack Nicklaus, Johnny Miller's grandson competes in the Drive, Chip & Putt

USA Today05-04-2025

Named after Jack Nicklaus, Johnny Miller's grandson competes in the Drive, Chip & Putt
Of all the competitors at the National Finals of the Drive, Chip and Putt at Augusta National Golf Club, only one of them will be named for 18-time major winner Jack Nicklaus and share the last name of a two-time major winner – Johnny Miller – to boot.
Nicklaus Miller of Provo, Utah, son of Todd, director of golf at BYU, and grandson of Hall of Famer and former NBC lead analyst Johnny, qualified for Sunday's competition in September by winning the Boys 12-13 Division in the Pacific Northwest at Chambers Bay in University Place, Washington.
'I'm really excited, especially to be able to go with my entire family and have my grandpa there,' Nicklaus Miller said. 'It should be really, really fun.'
He'll have a chance to do something his grandfather never could quite do: win at Augusta National. Fifty years ago, Nicklaus's fishing and hunting buddy, Grandpa Johnny, and his namesake dueled at the famed club – along with Tom Weiskopf – in one of the most memorable Masters in tournament history with Jack coming out on top for his fifth of what would be six Green Jackets.
Johnny came close – three times he finished second at Augusta National (1971, '75 and 1981) – but he never got both arms in the Green Jacket. Still, he won the 1973 U.S. Open and 1976 British Open among 24 Tour titles and was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1998. He and Jack developed a close friendship.
'I love Jack,' Johnny said.
'He lost his father and he looked at me as sort of a father figure in many ways, even though I wasn't that much older,' Jack Nicklaus recalled on Friday. 'But he looked at me for a lot of things.'
And when it was time for Johnny's daughter-in-law and son, Todd, to pick a name for their first son, the name Nick emerged as a favorite.
'I was like, 'I don't really love the name Nick, but if we were to name him after Nicklaus, Jack Nicklaus, and spell it like Jack Nicklaus, I'd be fine with it,' Todd recalled. 'And we talked to my dad about it and he liked it and so he called Jack and said, 'Hey, just so you know, we're naming one of our grandkids Nicklaus.' '
'It was sort of my way of honoring him,' Johnny said.
And what was Big Jack's response to Johnny?
'It's very flattering,' Jack noted, while on site at the Valero Texas Open. 'I said, 'What's wrong with Johnny? He said, 'He likes you better!' '
When Nicklaus Miller was born, the Nicklauses sent towels and some other baby gear embroidered with the Golden Bear logo and the newborn's name. Three years later, Jack and Barbara flew to Utah to introduce Johnny when he was inducted into the Utah Golf Hall of Fame. A picture was snapped of Jack, Johnny and Nicklaus.
What's it like to have a name with a combined 20 majors to its credit?
'I think it's really cool because I mean it's one of the best golfers of all time,' Nicklaus Miller said. 'And then you've got my grandpa's name, which is, just to have that name is so cool.'
Nicklaus has prepared for the Drive, Chip and Putt as if he were playing in any other tournament. But he did get a few tips from his dad and grandpa.
'He's at that age where he wants to tell me you're an old guy, quit trying to change me, you know,' Johnny said. 'I think he knows that I sort of know what I'm doing.'
Perhaps his best advice? 'Starting from a young age, he kind of told me like, 'Hey, if you put enough work in, you can do it, too,' Nicklaus Miller said.
For the DCP, his grandpa advised him to hit his low cutter, what he dubbed 'his money shot,' for his first drive and make sure he finds the grid, and then he can tee it a little bit higher and bomb away. For the chip, Nicklaus said he's still determining whether to bump it short of the green and run it up the hill or fly it over the false front.
'We've been working on a couple of different chips,' Todd said. 'I'm hoping he goes later in the rotation for the kids he's with, so he gets to watch a few of them beforehand. And then the putt we've watched the videos of past years to try to get a feel for it.'
Grandpa Johnny told him that he'd already made it through the toughest part — qualifying — and to go and enjoy the whole experience. This may be the final time that Johnny, 77, visits Augusta National.
'Unless Nick qualified to play in the Masters, I don't think he's going out there again,' Todd said. 'He's reached the time in his career that he's a 'No man.' He used to always be 'Yes,' all my life. Anything I ever asked him was, yes, I'll do it if it helps you or helps the (BYU) program or whatever helps the kids, I'll do it. But now he's like, 'Hey, I'm retired. I'm going to hang out with my kids and my family and I'm not going to travel much.'
He wouldn't miss the chance to show Nicklaus around Augusta National and watch him try to live up to not one but two famous names.
'He's at a great time where he can do magical things with golf,' Johnny said.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

In the news today: AG report on company behind ArriveCan out today
In the news today: AG report on company behind ArriveCan out today

Yahoo

time8 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

In the news today: AG report on company behind ArriveCan out today

In the news today: AG report on company behind ArriveCan out today Here is a roundup of stories from The Canadian Press designed to bring you up to speed... AG report on company behind ArriveCan out today The latest probe into the company behind the controversial ArriveCan app is among four reports being released today by Canada's auditor general. Karen Hogan looked into all contracts awarded and payments made to GC Strategies for its work on the app to determine whether they were in line with government policy and whether the government got value for taxpayers' money. In September, the House of Commons unanimously agreed to ask Hogan to look into the contracts and her report is set to be tabled in the House around 10 a.m. ET. ADVERTISEMENT As of March 2024, GC Strategies — a two-man team which last week was banned from entering into contracts or real property agreements with the federal government for seven years — had received $100 million in federal government contracts since 2011. Hogan's previous report on the app's development found it did not deliver the best value to taxpayers and concluded that three federal departments disregarded federal policies, controls and transparency in the contracting process. Here's what else we're watching... Panthers rout Oilers 6-1, lead Cup final 2-1 Taking advantage of the Edmonton Oilers' worst performance in several weeks, the defending Florida Panthers pounced on mistakes to win 6-1 in a rout Monday and take a 2-1 series lead in the Stanley Cup final. Brad Marchand became the oldest player to score in each of the first three games of a final, while Sam Bennett added his NHL playoff-leading 14th goal after making a big hit on Edmonton's Vasily Podkolzin that contributed to the turnover to spring him on a breakaway. ADVERTISEMENT Marchand and Bennett have combined to score eight goals for Florida, which was dominant in just about every way. And it was not just Bennett and Marchand. Carter Verhaeghe and Sam Reinhart each got his first goal of the series, Aaron Ekblad scored to chase Skinner, and Evan Rodrigues added the exclamation point in the waning minutes. At the other end of the ice, Sergei Bobrovsky earned the 'Bobby! Bobby!' chants from a fired up Florida crowd. The two-time Vezina Trophy-winning goaltender known as 'Bob' was on his game for the very few quality chances the discombobulated Oilers mustered, making 32 saves. Australia sends help to battle Canadian wildfires As wildfires continue to burn from northwest Ontario to British Columbia, Canada is getting help from near and far, and very far. Southern Highlands - New South Wales Rural Fire Service in Australia says a 96-personnel-strong Australian contingent of firefighters and specialists have deployed to Canada for five weeks. ADVERTISEMENT The service says the deployment is in response to a request from the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says in a tweet that, "When our mates need help, Australia is there." A post on social media platform X from the official account for the Australian High Commissioner to Canada, Kate Logan, says the crews "are on their way to support their Canadian colleagues battle wildfires in Alberta." Submissions continue at hockey players' trial Defence lawyers for five former members of Canada's world junior hockey team are set to continue their final submissions to the judge presiding over the players' sexual assault trial today. Court heard submissions Monday for lawyers representing Michael McLeod and Carter Hart, and counsel for the remaining three accused will get a turn before prosecutors present their submissions. ADVERTISEMENT McLeod's lawyer, David Humphrey, argued the complainant has presented an "entirely unbelievable and unreliable" version of the events at the heart of the trial. McLeod, Hart and their former teammates Alex Formenton, Dillon Dube and Callan Foote have pleaded not guilty to sexual assault. The charges relate to an encounter with a woman in a London, Ont., hotel room in June 2018, at a time when many of the team's members were in town for events celebrating their championship win. Cleanup rules hurting Alberta renewables: report A report says new cleanup rules for renewable energy sites are hurting the competitiveness of Alberta's industry. Business Renewables Centre-Canada analyzed the reclamation security requirements for renewables in 27 jurisdictions and found Alberta's are now the most costly. Under a code of practice for solar and wind projects published last week, the Alberta government says operators must provide an estimate for the cost of dismantling turbines and panels, removing underground concrete infrastructure, hauling waste away, replanting vegetation and other items. A 30-per-cent security is required upfront, rising to 60 per cent after 15 years to ensure there is enough money for proper cleanup at the sites' end of life. BRC-Canada says Alberta's upfront security requirement is unusually high and the rules don't take into account the salvage value of the concrete and metals that could be sold to recoup cleanup expenses. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 10, 2025. The Canadian Press

Panthers rout Oilers 6-1 in Game 3 to take a 2-1 lead in the Stanley Cup Final
Panthers rout Oilers 6-1 in Game 3 to take a 2-1 lead in the Stanley Cup Final

NBC Sports

time4 hours ago

  • NBC Sports

Panthers rout Oilers 6-1 in Game 3 to take a 2-1 lead in the Stanley Cup Final

SUNRISE, Fla. — Taking advantage of the Edmonton Oilers' worst performance in several weeks, the defending Florida Panthers pounced on mistakes to win Game 3 in a 6-1 rout Monday night and take a 2-1 series lead. Brad Marchand became the oldest player to score in each of the first three games of a final, while Sam Bennett added his NHL playoff-leading 14th goal after making a big hit on Edmonton's Vasily Podkolzin that contributed to the turnover to spring him on a breakaway. Marchand and Bennett have combined to score eight goals for Florida, which was dominant in just about every way. 'We ended up playing what Florida kind of wanted,' said Oilers goalie Stuart Skinner, who got pulled after allowing five goals on 23 shots. 'They were great tonight.' And it was not just Bennett and Marchand. Carter Verhaeghe and Sam Reinhart each got his first goal of the series, Aaron Ekblad scored to chase Skinner and Evan Rodrigues added the exclamation point in the waning minutes. 'We're a very deep team,' Marchand said. 'That's one of our strengths is the depth of the group from the front end to the back end to the goaltending.' At the other end of the ice, Sergei Bobrovsky earned the 'Bobby! Bobby!' chants from a fired up South Florida crowd. The two-time Vezina Trophy-winning goaltender known as 'Bob' was on his game for the very few quality chances the discombobulated Oilers mustered, making 32 saves. 'Nothing's going to be perfect in the way we play,' Reinhart said. 'This time of year, you need some world-class goaltending and that's what we get consistently.' Perry - at 40 the oldest player in the series - beat Bobrovsky with some silky hands for a power-play goal, keeping up this final being a showcase of cagey veterans along with Marchand. Connor McDavid could not get his team on track, and Edmonton took 15 minors - led by Evander Kane's three plus a misconduct to add up to 85 penalty minutes - including a brawl that ensued with less than 10 minutes left. Trent Frederic and Darnell Nurse, who fought Jonah Gadjovich, got misconducts that knocked them out of a game with an outcome determined long before. 'Emotions in all these games are extremely high,' Marchand said. 'This is the time of year you want to be playing, and you're enjoying every minute.' After the final looked as evenly matched as can be with Games 1 and 2 each needing extra time, overtime and then double OT, Game 3 was a lopsided mismatch. The Oilers came unglued to the point Jake Walman resorted to squirting water on Panthers players on their bench from his spot on the visiting side. The teams have some extra time off before Game 4 on Thursday night, when the Panthers have the chance to take a 3-1 lead and move to the verge of going back to back. 'Game 4 is a really big game,' McDavid said. 'It's a big swing game.'

Jason Kelce Reveals the Truth on Major Personal Decision
Jason Kelce Reveals the Truth on Major Personal Decision

Yahoo

time4 hours ago

  • Yahoo

Jason Kelce Reveals the Truth on Major Personal Decision

Jason Kelce Reveals the Truth on Major Personal Decision originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Jason Kelce has been doing a lot since he retired from the Philadelphia Eagles in 2024. Since then, the Super Bowl-winning center has gotten himself a deal with ESPN as a football analyst, which also gave birth to his own talk show on the esteemed sports network, "They Call It Late Night With Jason Kelce." Advertisement On top of that, the 37-year-old also runs a very successful podcast with his brother, Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs, entitled "New Heights." Kelce has also ventured into multiple businesses. Apart from being a part-owner of Cincinnati, Ohio-based alcoholic beverage company Garage Beer, the NFL icon also decided to invest in his passion for golf. In May, Kelce was officially announced as a part-owner of the Sullivan County Golf Club in Liberty, New York. The seven-time Pro Bowl center joined actor Bill Murray and entrepreneur Mike Madden, the son of NFL legend Mike Madden, among others, as part of the golf club's high-profile ownership group. In a recent interview, Kelce opened up about his major personal decision to invest in Sullivan County. According to the former Eagles star, it was renowned golf writer and editor Tom Coyne who paved the way for him. Advertisement "So Tom and I played golf and did a podcast that he has," Kelce said, via kelcebrothers on Instagram. "And we just kind of got to know each other through that. "And, you know, I've been getting more involved with golf. I'm doing some stuff with my nonprofit, Underdog ... But (I've) been working with Tom and doing some things on that front. Jason Kelce on the ESPN postseason countdown set.© Kirby Lee-Imagn Images "And then he all of a sudden tells me, 'Hey, do you want to go play a hoopie with Bill Murray?' I'm like, '(Expletive) Yeah, I want to go play a hoopie with Bill Murray.' And that's when we kind of got to talking. "It sounded like this nine-hole course up in the Catskills in Sullivan County was going to be pretty killer. ... From there, we kind of came together, and now we've got a golf course." Advertisement While it was not disclosed how much Kelce invested in this new business venture, there's no denying that purchasing a stake in a golf course had to burn a hole in his pockets. However, as Kelce said during the announcement, his relationship with the sport of golf has grown over the past few years, and he came to the conclusion that it was due time to make "a long-term commitment" by putting his money where his mouth is. Related: Jason Kelce's Family's Behavior Around Taylor Swift Revealed Related: Travis Kelce, Jason Kelce Make Big Announcement on Tuesday Related: Travis Kelce Strongly Denies Jason Kelce's Accusation About His Wife This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 10, 2025, where it first appeared.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store