Jack Nicklaus Wins $50M Defamation Lawsuit Over Proposed LIV Golf League Move

Former professional golf icon Jack Nicklaus won a $50 million defamation lawsuit against Nicklaus Companies, a Florida jury ruled this week.

The 85-year-old filed the lawsuit, claiming that defendant Howard Milstein and other company partners spread false information about a $750 million deal for the golfer to join the LIV Golf League.

The jury found the Nicklaus Companies had damaged the former golfer’s reputation and exposed him to “ridicule, hatred, mistrust, distrust or contempt.”

Milstein and company executive Andrew O’Brien will not be held personally liable for the damages.

“It’s always hard in a defamation case to prove damages to reputation, because, in particular, for a guy like Jack, it’s always such a good one,” Nicklaus’ attorney, Eugene Stearns, said on Monday to ESPN. “But I think what was important was the dispute that arose three and a half years ago when the company told the world that Jack was selling out to the PGA Tour for the Saudi golf, when it was not true. So we’re happy that Jack’s been vindicated.”

Nicklaus is regarded as one of the best golfers of all time. During his career, he’s won multiple events at the Masters, PGA Championship, U.S. Open and The Open Championship. In 1974, Nicklaus was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame.