07The Bear’s Busy week
Nearly seven years after he hit his last shot in competition, Jack
Nicklaus continues to be a headliner in golf. last Monday the
golden bear visited his hometown of Columbus, Ohio, to host
a charity luncheon on behalf of his and wife barbara’s philanthropic endeavor, the Nicklaus Children’s health Care Foundation, and they raised $275,000. appropriately, he received
word the same day that the U.s. house of representatives
had voted 373-4 to award him the Congressional gold Medal
for his humanitarian work and his excellence in the game.
(george bush awarded Jack the Presidential Medal of Freedom
in 2005.) The next morning Nicklaus sat in the clubhouse of
his boyhood golfing home, scioto CC, for the announcement
that the club would host the 2016 U.s. senior Open to mark its
centennial. “I’ve just got to get my game back in shape for it,”
Nicklaus 72, quipped, obviously kidding. Instead, he’ll serve
as honorary chairman. so, the beat goes on for the bear, who
helped usher golf back into the Olympics in ’16 and remains
a formidable course designer. he continues to host a popular
Pga Tour stop, the Memorial, and next year he’ll be the de
facto host when the Presidents Cup comes to Muirfield Village
gC. Oh, and if that’s not enough, on Friday, Jack and barbara
announced the opening this summer of the Miami Children’s
hospital Nicklaus Outpatient Center, further impacting their
adopted hometown. so, gosh, give the guy a medal. Congress
is fixing to do just that, with the senate expected to take up the
measure soon. —Dave Shedloski (@daveshedloski)
