[IMAGE: Andy Lyons + Getty Images]
Jack Nicklaus has always been a straight shooter.
On the eve of his $30m Memorial tournament in Ohio this week, the 18-time Major champion is still taking aim with the best of them.
His target on this occasion? LIV Golf, or more specifically, the players who can no longer take part in his star-studded tournament, or any PGA Tour event since they signed with the Saudi-backed league headed up by his long-time friend Greg Norman.
When asked about the glaring omissions in this week’s field, namely new PGA champion Brooks Koepka, the Golden Bear wasted little time to make his thoughts clear on the matter.
“I don’t even consider those guys part of the game anymore,” Nicklaus told media at Muirfield Village.
“I don’t mean that in a nasty way. This is a PGA Tour event and we have the best field we can possibly have for a PGA Tour event for those who are eligible to be here.
“The other guys made a choice of what they did and where they’ve gone and we don’t even talk about it.”
‘Jack’s Place’ has a long history of attracting one of the strongest fields in golf. The Memorial’s recent elevation to PGA Tour ‘designated event’ status now guarantees a $US20 million purse for players.
Seven of the world’s top-10 players will tee off this week. It’s a deep field that includes 22 of the season’s 27 winners. That, it seems, is enough to satisfy the man many consider to be the greatest player of all time.
“For all intents and purposes, all the top players in the world are here,” adds Nicklaus.
