Jack Nicklaus says he was offered $100m to front Saudi-backed tour

Jack Nicklaus says he was offered in excess of $100m by the organisers of the LIV Golf Invitational Series to be the face of the breakaway Saudi-backed tour.

The 18-time major and 73-time PGA Tour winner says he turned down repeated advances; Greg Norman is now fulfilling the role of chief executive of LIV Golf Investments, but it seems he was not first choice.

"I was offered something in excess of $100m by the Saudis, to do the job probably similar to the one Greg is doing," Nicklaus said in a story with Fire Pit Collective.

"I turned it down. Once verbally, once in writing.

"I said, 'Guys, I have to stay with the PGA Tour. I helped start the PGA Tour.'"

The LIV Golf Invitational Series will stage its inaugural tournament worth a record $25m at the Centurion Club near St Albans between June 9-11. In addition, five tournaments will be played in the United States and a team match play finale at Trump Doral in Miami at the end of October.

The PGA Tour has denied requests from players, including Phil Mickelson, who asked to participate in the London tournament. Players must request clearance to play in the second LIV event by Tuesday.

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Mickelson has withdrawn from this week's PGA Championship and will not defend his title, extending his break from golf since the fall-out from his explosive comments about the PGA Tour and the Saudi-backed breakaway that came to light in February.

"My advice to Phil would be to be patient," Nicklaus said. "The world is a very forgiving place.

"But he's the one - he has to decide where he wants to play and what he wants to do."

Greg Norman has branded the PGA Tour "anti-competitive" after it did not approve the