Jack Nicklaus, 85, was awarded $50 million by a jury in West Palm Beach, Florida. The award stemmed from a defamation suit against Jack Nicklaus’ former company, Nicklaus Companies LLC.[1] The suit detailed allegations that the company defamed Nicklaus and interfered with his contractual rights, and the litigation started in 2022 when Nicklaus’ former company first filed a lawsuit.[2] Howard Milstein, the owner of Nicklaus Companies and Andrew O’Brien, an executive of the company, were named individually as defendants, but were not found personally liable.[3]
Nicklaus Companies filed a lawsuit earlier this year against Nicklaus, which was dismissed by a New York judge.[4] The lawsuit attempted to prevent Nicklaus from using his name, image, and likeness to promote his golf course design business.[5]
Nicklaus originally left the company in 2017 after selling the rights to his golf courses, club brand and clothing line, and then stepped down from the board in 2022.[6] There was a five year non-compete clause in place after he departed from the company, and then the company filed a complaint because they believed Nicklaus diverted business away from the company for personal gain.[7]
Nicklaus Companies alleged in the most recent suit that Nicklaus “engaged in business activities damaging to the brand and other intellectual property owned by the company”, causing “financial and reputational” harm. [8] The jury ultimately found that Nicklaus Companies defamed Nicklaus by suggesting falsely that he had “aligned in conversations with LIV Golf and other Saudi-backed ventures.”[9] Nicklaus and his attorneys successfully argued that Nicklaus Companies had falsely claimed that Nicklaus met with LIV Golf to discuss a $750 million deal to become the face of LIV and leaked that story to the press.[10]
This verdict is especially large and surprising for a defamation case, especially one that involves a celebrity. Defamation cases are harder to prove when the subject of the defamation is a celebrity.
[1] Powell, Zach, Jack Nicklaus awarded $50 million in defamation lawsuit involving his former company, The Athletic (Oct. 21, 2025)
[2] Id.
[3] Fischer, David, Golf legend Jack Nicklaus wins $50M verdict in defamation lawsuit against former business partners, AP News (Oct.21, 2025)
[4] Id.
[5] Id.
[6] Kalland, Robby, Jack Nicklaus wins $50 million in defamation lawsuit against Nicklaus Companies over false LIV Golf claims, CBS Sports (Oct. 21, 2025)
[7] Id.
[8] Powell, supra note 1.
[9] Id.
[10] Kalland, supra note 6.
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