I covered my first Masters earlier this year. Jack Nicklaus was there early in the week holding a press conference as he always does during Masters week. I did not attend because I was working on several other things and was incredibly busy. An older writer asked me if I'd been in the room when Nicklaus was speaking.
"No," I said. "I was working."
"You need to be there when he's talking," said the older reporter. "It's important."
Message received.
And to hear several folks within golf talk about the first time they met Jack Nicklaus, I understand a little bit better. See, I think when you're close to a thing, you sometimes forget its importance. You grow accustomed to hearing him talk or see quote after quote from him. But Nicklaus is the greatest golfer of all time (sorry, Tiger), and he's become one of its more successful businessmen off the course as well.
The Memorial Tournament at Nicklaus' course Muirfield Village will be played this week, and a bunch of golfers and golf media folks talked about the first time they met Nicklaus. Something they'll never forget.
"It was an amazing day," said former Masters champ Mark O'Meara. "Only from the standpoint that as a young man growing up, Jack was my idol."
"I was just in awe of him," added Kenny Perry. "I always was."
Enjoy it.
