$400M-worth golf legend sounds off on amateur golfers’ prize money rule change

Jack Nicklaus, the legendary golfer with an estimated net worth of $400 million (via Celebrity Net Worth), has voiced criticism of the NCAA's recent prize money and NIL rule changes for amateur golfers.

The 18-time major winner, Jack Nicklaus, popularly known as 'The Golden Bear', revealed that these developments risk undermining the integrity of both college athletics and the game of golf. he said(via ASAP Sports):

“Do I like it? No. My feeling is I do not like what’s going on in college athletics today. I don’t think a lot of people like what’s going on, particularly. I think the athletes like it. I don’t like the idea that you’ve got the best team money can buy. I don’t like that. We’re all caught up into it. All the colleges are caught up into it. I don’t think they can figure out a way to get out of it. I hope they do."

“Athletes have never been able to receive any money where they can go home for a weekend or take a girl out on a date or they couldn’t have a job while they were working. That’s part of their deal. I don't like that part of it. I think athletes should get a stipend of some kind. I don’t know how much. That probably depends on what the situation is,” he added.

The NCAA's policy change now allows college and junior athletes to profit from endorsements and sponsorship while maintaining their amateur status. Nicklaus won the US Amateur twice before turning professional in 1961. In 1962, he beat Arnold Palmer in a playoff to win the US Open at just 22.

Over the next two decades, Jack Nicklaus secured 18 major titles, including six Masters and five PGA Championships.

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Jack Nicklaus reflects on Oakmont pressure and his iconic US Open wins

At 85, Jack Nicklaus remembers his 1962 win, where he won half of his record 18 major titles. Speaking at this year's US Open, Nicklaus said:

"I was talking to some of the guys in the locker room a few minutes ago. I said, Well, putting is the key out here. I three-putted the 55th green. I had one three-putt that week, and I'm still ticked off I three-putted that one. That was sort of my mindset."

"Basically, you had to figure these greens out and not let them get to you, and be patient. One-under par won the tournament, and one-under par doesn't win a lot of tournaments today, but it did then," Nicklaus added.

With that, here's the updated leaderboard for the 2025 US Open after two rounds:

• Sam Burns (-3)
• 2 - J. J. Spaun (-2)
• 3 - Viktor Hovland (-1)
• T4 - Adam Scott (E)
• T4 - Ben Griffin (E)
• T6 - Victor Perez (+1)
• T6 - Thriston Lawrence (+1)
• T8 - Russell Henley (+2)
• T8 - Brooks Koepka (+2)
• T8 - Si Woo Kim (+2)
• T8 - Thomas Detry (+2)
• T12 - Emiliano Grillo (+3)
• T12 - Max Greyserman (+3)
• T12 - Adam Schenk (+3)
• T12 - Christiaan Bezuidenhout (+3)
• T12 - Tyrrell Hatton (+3)
• T12 - Jason Day (+3)
• T12 - Chris Kirk (+3)
• T12 - Carlos Ortiz (+3)
• T12 - Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen (+3)
• T12 - Keegan Bradley (+3)
• T12 - Sam Stevens (+3)
• T23 - Nick Taylor (+4)
• T23 - Jon Rahm (+4)
• T23 - Denny McCarthy (+4)
• T23 - Collin Morikawa (+4)
• T23 - Scottie Scheffler (+4)
• T23 - Cameron Young (+4)
• T23 - Jhonattan Vegas (+4)
• T23 - Daniel Berger (+4)
• T23 - Aaron Rai (+4)
• T23 - Rasmus Hojgaard (+4)
• T23 - Trevor Cone (+4)
• T23 - Taylor Pendrith (+4)
• T23 - Robert MacIntyre (+4)
• T36 - Ryan Fox (+5)
• T36 - Jordan Spieth (+5)
• T36 - Sungjae Im (+5)
• T36 - Matthieu Pavon (+5)
• T36 - Mackenzie Hughes (+5)
• T36 - Tom Kim (+5)
• T36 - Maverick McNealy (+5)
• T36 - Johnny Keefer (+5)
• T36 - Chris Gotterup (+5)
• T45 - Matt Wallace (+6)
• T45 - J. T. Poston (+6)
• T45 - Corey Conners (+6)
• T45 - Michael Kim (+6)
• T45 - Marc Leishman (+6)
• T45 - Tony Finau (+6)
• T45 - Justin Hastings (a) (+6)
• T45 - Jordan Smith (+6)
• T45 - Xander Schauffele (+6)
• T45 - Rory McIlroy (+6)
• T45 - Niklas Norgaard (+6)
• T45 - Ryan Gerard (+6)