Latest news with #Nicklaus
Newsweek
a day ago
- Sport
- Newsweek
The Memorial: Jack Nicklaus Details Epic Hole Out with President Ford
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Muirfield Village Golf Club is one of Jack Nicklaus's greatest designs. Its prestige has been solidified by hosting 50 editions of the Memorial Tournament, as well as other premier events, including the 1987 Ryder Cup and the 1998 Solheim Cup. Naturally, Nicklaus knows the course like the back of his hand, having designed it and played it countless times. The Golden Bear even has a favorite hole among the course's 18, where he had the opportunity to show off in front of a former U.S. president. "I suppose if there's one hole on the golf course you ask me about, I would probably say 14," Nicklaus said. "Yeah, I think 14 is a really challenging hole, it's an easy hole, it's a dangerous hole, it's a pretty hole. It's got all the elements there that you could want. I made three 3s on that hole -- or three 2s on that hole." "And I don't know any other hole that I've holed three shots from off the green to make 2s anywhere in the world. But, you know, none of 'em during the tournament, of course." "One in a pro-am playing with Gerald thought it was a good shot. [Laughing]." American golfer Jack Nicklaus and former US president Gerald Ford at the Bob Hope Classic Golf Tournament on Pebble Beach, California. American golfer Jack Nicklaus and former US president Gerald Ford at the Bob Hope Classic Golf Tournament on Pebble Beach, California. Getty Images/Hulton Archive The 14th hole at Muirfield is currently a par 4 and measures 368 yards. The main difficulty lies in a creek that bisects the fairway and continues to the right of the green. Like most occupants of the Oval Office, President Gerald Ford was an avid golfer. There are no records of his handicap during his youth, but it reached 12 after the end of his presidential term. Ford was also the first former president to join the United States Golf Association (USGA). He is said to have once outdriven Arnold Palmer and Gary Player, which is no small feat. Nicklaus played in 33 editions of the Memorial Tournament at Muirfield. He made 25 cuts, won twice, and had four other top-10 finishes. His best round at this course was a 66, which he shot on the first day of the 1986 tournament, when he finished tied for fifth place. At 57 years old in 1997, Nicklaus still managed to card two 69s, which helped him to secure a tie for eighth place. More Golf: Collin Morikawa Refutes PGA Tou Pro's Claim of Players Cheating
Newsweek
2 days ago
- Sport
- Newsweek
Jack Nicklaus Details Ultimate US Open Mic Drop on Arnold Palmer
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Jack Nicklaus's press conference ahead of the Memorial Tournament was one of the most interesting in the golf world in recent times. It included a bit of everything, from strong opinions on current affairs to historical reminiscences. Naturally, it's nearly impossible to discuss the history of golf without mentioning Arnold Palmer, especially when Nicklaus is the one talking. And that's exactly what happened. The Golden Bear spoke at the Muirfield Village Golf Club about one of the countless times they shared the spotlight. The topic arose when Nicklaus was asked to discuss Oakmont, where he won his first major championship and where the US Open will be held again in two weeks. While discussing that edition of the event, the 18-time major winner shared an incredible anecdote about Palmer: "Arnold was very gracious. He was the favorite. It was his hometown... You'll get a kick out of this," Nicklaus recalled. "I remember him coming over to me. There's a picture of Arnold walking over to me while we were warming up, and he was talking to me, and he said, 'Jack, you know, the purse today from the gate from the playoff goes to the champion, to the winner'. And he says, 'would you like to split it?'" "I said, 'Arnold, that wouldn't be fair to you, I'm just here. I may play well, but it's not fair to you'. I said, 'we should probably just play for it', because I assumed that he would probably win." "And well, of course, I won. I got the gate, $1400. [Laughing.]" Jun 1994: Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer of the USA during the US Open at Oakmont Country Club in Pennsylvania, USA. Jun 1994: Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer of the USA during the US Open at Oakmont Country Club in Pennsylvania, most of the 1962 US Open, it certainly looked as though Arnold Palmer would take the title. In fact, he was the co-leader of the event for the final three rounds, which led to the playoff with Jack Nicklaus. Meanwhile, the Golden Bear remained in contention until challenging for the top spot in the final round. He shot a 72 in the first round to tie for ninth place, then improved to tie for fourth place after shooting a 70 in the second round. On moving day, Nicklaus dropped one spot to T5 after carding a 72 again. The decisive round came next, in which Nicklaus fired a 69 to tie Palmer for first place. According to the rules in effect at the time, the playoff was played over 18 holes the same day of the final round. As expected, the extra round was extremely close, with the outcome literally being decided on the last hole. Nicklaus was leading heading into the 18th hole (1-under), but Palmer (1-over) still had a chance to force extra holes. However, the outcome was decided in the most unexpected way: Nicklaus bogeyed the hole, but Palmer couldn't take advantage of it and carded a double bogey, sealing a three-stroke victory for Nicklaus. Two years later, Palmer got revenge when he defeated Nicklaus by six strokes in the 1964 Masters Tournament. More Golf: LIV Golf Stars' Future a Question amid Lack of Signing Bonus
USA Today
2 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Check the yardage book: Muirfield Village for the PGA Tour's Memorial Tournament
Check the yardage book: Muirfield Village for the PGA Tour's Memorial Tournament Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio – site of this week's Memorial Tournament on the PGA Tour – was designed by Jack Nicklaus and opened on Memorial Day in 1974. Nicklaus has since completed multiple tweaks to the course and two major renovations. Muirfield Village ranks No. 10 on Golfweek's Best list of modern courses built in or since 1960 in the U.S. It is also the No. 1 private course in Ohio. It has hosted the Memorial since 1976. The course will play to 7,569 yards with a par of 72 for this year's tournament. Thanks to yardage books provided by PuttView – the maker of detailed yardage books for thousands of courses around the world – we can see exactly the challenges the pros face this week. Check out the maps of each hole in the embedded photo gallery.
Newsweek
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Newsweek
Jack Nicklaus Picks Side on PGA Tour Players Controversy Skipping Media
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The PGA Tour is in Ohio this week at Muirfield Village, home of The Memorial Tournament. It is a very special week on Tour seeing as this is the event hosted by arguably the game's greatest, Jack Nicklaus. On Tuesday, he spent a great deal of time speaking to the media during his pre-tournament press conference. Nicklaus revealed the hardest tournament he ever won and his epic hole out while playing with President Ford, among other things. But the 18-time major champion has never been one to hold back his feelings, and that was on full display again. One of the questions Nicklaus answered pertained to the recent controversy regarding PGA Tour players skipping media sessions after their round. Of course, the question stemmed from Rory McIlroy's decision not to speak after all four rounds at the PGA Championship. "I'm not going to talk for Rory or anybody else, I'll talk for myself," Nicklaus said. "I've always felt that you guys have a job to do -- and gals -- and for you to do your job you need to talk to me. And 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." DUBLIN, OHIO - JUNE 04: Jack Nicklaus shakes hands with Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland on the 18th green during the final round of the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday at Muirfield Village Golf Club... DUBLIN, OHIO - JUNE 04: Jack Nicklaus shakes hands with Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland on the 18th green during the final round of the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday at Muirfield Village Golf Club on June 04, 2023 in Dublin, Ohio. (Photo by) MoreMcIlroy entered Quail Hollow in search of his second straight major title after winning the Masters. The Northern Irishman had the best track record at that course of anyone in the field, leading many to pick him to win. Instead, he barely made the cut and was never in contention. Maybe that is why he elected not to address the media. It could also be related to the fact that McIlroy's driver was deemed "non-conforming" by the USGA. That forced the World No. 2 to switch heads right before the event. But McIlroy is far from the only player who has skipped media sessions. Collin Morikawa, another top player on the PGA Tour, opted to skip out on the media after a heartbreaking loss at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. When he did address the public a few days later, Morikawa famously claimed "I do not owe anyone anything." That prompted backlash from players and fans alike. Even though Nicklaus did not outright say that McIlroy, Morikawa, and others should speak to the media. He certainly feels like he was obligated, whether he won or not. Chalk that up as just another reason people love Jack Nicklaus. More Golf: US Open: Controversial LIV Star Qualifies, But Not Sergio Garcia
NBC Sports
3 days ago
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Jack Nicklaus on defending Memorial champ Scottie Scheffler: 'He plays a lot like I did'
DUBLIN, Ohio — Scottie Scheffler already received a handshake and a trophy from Jack Nicklaus for winning the Memorial last year. Now comes some of the highest praise of all from the tournament host. 'He plays a lot like I did,' Nicklaus said. Nicklaus, whose 18 professional major championships remain the gold standard in golf, said he never went to a tournament thinking it was his to win. Golf required preparation. It was a process of hitting fairways and greens, always improving. 'I have always tried to feel like I was climbing a mountain,' Nicklaus said. Scheffler has shown a lot of that in his three years on top of golf's mountain. He speaks endlessly about being prepared when he stepped onto the first tee, having a plan for every hole and limiting mistakes. It has carried him to 18 titles worldwide, including the PGA Championship two weeks ago for his third major. Scheffler leads the PGA Tour in the statistic that measures tee to green, as he has each of the last two years. 'He hits it left to right, keeps the ball in play, is long when he wants to be long, hits a lot of greens,' Nicklaus said, an assessment of Scheffler that was every bit the way the Golden Bear was in his prime. 'What I like is he does it with ease,' Nicklaus said. 'He never looks like he's frustrated about doing anything. He's very calm about it. It reminds me of the way I played. I tried to be very calm about, never got flustered.' The 50th edition of the Memorial starts Thursday with Scheffler trying to join Tiger Woods as the only repeat winners at Muirfield Village. The field for this $20 million signature is stacked, as usual, but is missing Masters champion Rory McIlroy, who chose not to play for the first time since 2017. Looming in two weeks is the U.S. Open at Oakmont, reputed to be among the toughest tests in the land. Scheffler made his U.S. Open debut at Oakmont as an amateur in 2016, opened with a 69 and then missed the cut. But that's too far down the road. He's a shot-by-shot, hole-by-hole, week-by-week thinker. He doesn't look back, either, even if he is the defending champion. 'I am focused only on one shot at a time, but you're always positioning yourself on a hole,' Scheffler said. 'I would say it's basically playing one hole at a time. When I step up on the first tee tomorrow, I'm going to remind myself that I'm prepared, I'm ready to play in the tournament. Now it's all about going out and competing.' Muirfield Village is lush as ever, with rain over the last two weeks and a little bit more over the last two days certain to make it long and soft. Golf Channel Staff, The winning score under par has been in single digits each of the last two years — Scheffler finished at 8-under 280 to win by one in 2024, Viktor Hovland was 7-under 281 and won in a playoff the year before. 'It is always hard. It does feel like that,' Max Homa said. 'It will be interesting to see the scores the next couple days to measure it because the last few years I've been here, I feel like it's just been incredibly firm, and that's been the test. With such difficult greens, it's been impossible to leave the ball in a good spot at times. 'But this year, the rough feels like a U.S. Open a bit more,' he said. 'I had a couple lies today that you are just trying to get it 70 yards down the fairway.' Scheffler's preparation includes getting some rest. He is in the midst of one of his busier stretches this year. He won in Dallas by eight shots, had one week at home, then won the PGA Championship by five shots and tied for fourth at Colonial the next week. This is his third straight week, and then he has the U.S. Open. 'Rested enough,' Scheffler said. Nicklaus started this tournament in 1976 — he was 36 and would go on to win four more majors before scaling back — and stays active reworking the course, constantly talking to players about what they like and what can get better. 'He wants this golf course to be the best test of golf, and so the last couple years he's just been sitting in player dining basically asking guys what they think of the course,' Scheffler said. 'I think for a man that has the experience he has in the game of golf, for all the stuff he has accomplished, for him to be sitting in dining asking the current guys how he can improve his tournament I think is really cool.' Nicklaus was all about the big tests. He is known as one of the greatest clutch putters of all time, but the Golden Bear never enjoyed tournaments that were decided on putting. Much like Ben Hogan before him, he thought the test should start from the tee box. 'Making putts is all part of the game,' Nicklaus said. 'And as long as it's not a putting contest, that's what I don't like. I was very much about fairways and greens. If you asked Scheffler, I'm sure he's all about fairways and greens. And I've never talked to him about it.' Nicklaus has seen plenty of Scheffler, mainly last year when he won the Memorial.
