Masters 2020: Jack Nicklaus declines to talk about President Trump, how to 'accept defeat'
AUGUSTA, Ga. — Jack Nicklaus believes the Masters is no place for politics.
The six-time Masters champion opened the Masters on Thursday morning with a ceremonial tee shot alongside fellow legend Gary Player. Afterward, he and Player spoke for nearly an hour on topics ranging from fitness to Augusta history to Player’s attempts to help integrate his native South Africa.
But one topic was off-limits for Nicklaus: President Trump.
Jack Nicklaus backed President Trump in 2020 election
Nicklaus endorsed the president recently in a social media post less than a week before the election, saying, “He has delivered on his promises. He’s worked for the average person. In my opinion, he has been more diverse than any President I have seen and has tried to help people from all walks of life — equally.”
Get out and vote. I did! pic.twitter.com/IfQb3NeSO3
— Jack Nicklaus (@jacknicklaus) October 29, 2020
Election results to date have decisively pointed to Joe Biden as the winner of the 2020 election, although Trump has yet to formally concede. Trump and his allies claim voting fraud has warped those results, although election representatives in all 50 states have indicated there have been no irregularities that would have affected the election’s outcome.
Nicklaus sticks to sports at The Masters
Nicklaus knows a thing or two about coming close and falling short; he finished second in majors a record 19 times. Asked specifically about whether he had advice for Trump on how to “accept defeat,” Nicklaus dismissed the question.
“I think I’ve said enough about that,” Nicklaus replied. “I don’t think this is a place for politics.”
The Masters continues through Sunday.
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Jay Busbee is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Follow him on Twitter at @jaybusbee or contact him with tips and story ideas at jay.busbee@yahoo.com.
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