By DOUG FERGUSON, AP
Last updated: 6:54 am
July 19, 2008
Posted: 4:38 am
July 19, 2008
SOUTHPORT, England - Jack Nicklaus noticed some old faces atop the leaderboard during a brief visit to British Open yesterday, making him wonder if younger players have too much money and not enough desire.
Nicklaus' private jet arrived as 53-year-old Greg Norman was on his way to another round of even-par 70 to take a one-shot lead. Tom Watson, a 58-year-old with five claret jugs, opened with a 74 in the worst of the weather at Royal Birkdale, and 49-year-old Tom Lehman also had 74 in the first round.
As for the youth?
"If they don't win, they still walk home with a big check," Nicklaus said. "They don't have to do some of the things the Watsons had to do, the Normans, the Lehmans, and that's to gut it out."
The winner of the British Open will earn about $1.5 million, more than 25 percent of Nicklaus' career earnings on the PGA Tour.
"When I started on tour, maybe one or two guys might have made enough money to make a living," Nicklaus said. "Now there's a couple of hundred guys who make a living playing golf."
What worries him is that easy money means players aren't working as hard as they should.
"Is that producing better golfers?" Nicklaus said, pausing and shrugging his shoulders. "I don't know. The question was asked because you see all the older guys, all guys who have had to gut it out in tough conditions. The kids today play perfect conditions every week. If they don't like what's going on, they're finishing 10th or 15th and still make a check.
"I don't think it makes them as tough."
