82-year-old golf legend Jack Nicklaus is being sued by his own company.

Just a week ago, reports revealed that the 18-time Major champion was the initial target, before Greg Norman, for the Saudi Golf League, and now Sports Illustrated disclosed that Nicklaus Companies have sued GBI Investors Inc. and Jack W. Nicklaus for failing “to live up to or has worked against the company directly.”

According to the summons, the “defendants (GBI and principle investor Nicklaus) are reneging on a deal worth more than $145 million, in which they agreed to transfer the exclusive rights to valuable intellectual property and services. Despite being paid an enormous sum, Defendants have wrongfully continued to use these rights, acted in bad faith, wrongfully diverted opportunities to the detriment of Plaintiff’s business.”

As stated by the summons, there are several complaints to answer, including wrongfully declaring that he (Nicklaus) still retains ownership of his “golf design services and commercial endorsements – the core businesses sold by GBI to the Company in 2007.”

The 39-page document also alleges a “direct contravention of Nicklaus’ Companies’ exclusive rights to the Nicklaus IP” after the Golden Bear had agreed to make promotional appearances at the Soudal Open, a recent event on the DP World Tour.

”Although Nicklaus Companies had been told that Mr Nicklaus was considering attending the Soudal Open as a guest, the Company was not informed of any request from the promoter of the event for an endorsement from Mr Nicklaus, any license for the promoter to use any of the Nicklaus IP to advertise or market the event, or any payment being solicited for Mr Nicklaus to provide his endorsement services or licence the Nicklaus IP.”

Further claims are that Nicklaus had not consulted with Nicklaus Companies over negotiations with a gaming company that was in the process of developing a video game based on The Masters and the Nicklaus image; that Nicklaus had risked the reputation of the company by associating himself with the Saudi-backed league over the PGA Tour and, that in 2021, “Nicklaus Companies learned that an agent of Mr Nicklaus in the Nicklaus Family Office had been negotiating with a national financial advisory group (‘Advisor’) with respect to a personal services agreement for Mr Nicklaus to market and promote the various services offered by Advisor and its affiliates—that would have meant no revenue for the Company.”

The Nicklaus Companies’ website lists New York business executive Howard Milstein as its executive chairman and Jack Nickalus II as the number two, and the six-time Masters winner responded to the board with a recent statement, stating, “The claims made by Howard Milstein are untrue. Our relationship has been a difficult one, at best. I have little doubt about the outcome, but I don’t intend to make this a public spectacle if it can be avoided.”

The plaintiffs responded with a plea for a harmonious settlement:

“We have great admiration and tremendous respect for Jack and his legacy and have tried everything to avoid taking this step. We are asking the court to sort out the legal responsibilities of the parties so that there is no confusion or misunderstanding going forward.”

“We are saddened to be put in a situation that now requires intervention from a court, but we have a responsibility to Nicklaus Companies and its employees, as well as to our customers and partners, to ensure that nothing disrupts the ongoing business of the company. We are confident that working together we can resolve this quickly and amicably.”

Depending on where and to whom the complaint was served, Nicklaus senior has between 20 and 30 days to “appear or answer” or else “judgement will be taken against you by default, in accordance with the complaint herein.”