Miami, Oct 22 (AP) – Professional golf legend Jack Nicklaus has secured a substantial USD 50 million verdict in a defamation lawsuit he filed in Florida against his former business partners.
A six-person jury in Palm Beach County determined Monday that the Nicklaus Companies tarnished the 18-time major champion's reputation, exposing him to ridicule, mistrust, and contempt. Although Nicklaus Companies owner and executive chairman Howard Milstein, along with executive Andrew O’Brien, were also named as defendants, the jury did not hold them personally liable.
Eugene Stearns, Nicklaus’s attorney, highlighted Nicklaus’s legacy, praising his contributions not only as a legendary athlete but as an exemplary individual.
“He deserved better treatment, and we’re gratified that the jury addressed these distressing issues," commented Stearns.
The lawsuit alleged that Nicklaus, 85, was defamed by claims initiated by Milstein and O’Brien at the company. They allegedly circulated false reports that Nicklaus was considering a USD 750 million deal with the Saudi Arabia-backed LIV Golf League and suggested he was suffering from dementia, questioning his mental capacity to manage his affairs.
In defense, attorneys for Nicklaus Companies contended that the executives had no intention of defaming Nicklaus and maintained that the matter was essentially a business conflict. They argued that no damage was inflicted on Nicklaus’s reputation, and questioned why a company bearing the golfer’s name would disparage him.
Attorneys for Nicklaus Companies did not immediately respond to inquiries for comment on Tuesday evening.
Earlier in the year, a New York judge dismissed a lawsuit by Nicklaus Companies against Nicklaus, which sought to stop him from using his name, image, and likeness to promote his golf course design business.
Nicklaus became part of Nicklaus Companies in 2007 after a USD 145 million deal, but eventually parted ways, opting to design golf courses independently. While Nicklaus can now design courses under his own name, Nicklaus Companies retains rights to market clothing and equipment featuring the "Jack Nicklaus" logo.
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