Jack Nicklaus, in his signature yellow sweater, opened the 90th Masters with a hook, a laugh, and some hesitation. He knows he is 86. He knows his exploits at the same course exactly 40 years earlier are a fading memory. Oh, he also had a carpal tunnel surgery a few weeks back. So, even though it’s “ceremonial,” the Golden Bear was cautious. And the moment he hit the tee shot, the fairway deep crowd knew why. 

Nicklaus, a bit hunched over, powered through his shot to kick off the Masters. However, the ball flew 110 yards, straight left toward the gallery, prompting lined-up patrons to duck and cover their heads to avoid being hit. Nicklaus, like the good sport he is, jokingly yelled “Fore” as the ball came to rest near a tree.

“I didn’t kill anybody. I barely didn’t kill anybody,” Nicklaus joked as he exited the tee. “You didn’t take a practice swing, that was your problem,” Tom Watson quipped from the side. Golden Bear replied that he forgot. You can watch the funny moment below.

Top Stories

Golf

2x PGA Tour Champ Flips the Bird in Foul-Mouthed Meltdown During Masters Round

6 hrs ago

Golf

Cops Arrest Fan at Augusta National After He Is Caught Repeatedly Harassing Patrons

20 hrs ago

Golf

Tyrrell Hatton Almost Crossed Lines With Offensive Hand Gesture at Augusta National

10 hrs ago

Golf

Bryson DeChambeau & Kevin Hart Accused of ‘Ruining’ Masters With Controversial Augusta National Move

1 day ago

Nicklaus spoke to the media afterward about the incident. The six-time Masters champion wasn’t able to bend down to tee up his ball. His caddie teed it up for him. In retrospect, he admitted he had a hunch that his tee shot might turn out to be a defiant one.

“I said, ‘Spread out on both sides,’ because I don’t want to kill anybody. If it’d been a little closer, I might have,” Jack Nicklaus said with a characteristic smile.

To be fair, he did warn the patrons, calling them to fan out and joking that he didn’t want to kill anybody. Nicklaus also revealed that he had carpal tunnel surgery. It’s a procedure on the wrist to relieve pain. Yet he decided to continue the tradition of the ceremonial first tee.

“It’s such a nice ceremony, and it’s a real honor to be invited,” Jack Nicklaus said. “I hope to be able to do it as long as I can not kill anybody.”

Jack Nicklaus has been an Honorary Starter since 2010. Gary Player joined him two years later in 2012, completing the trio of Big Three with Arnold Palmer. In 2016, Palmer decided to bow out because of health reasons. The duo continued as honorary starters since then. In 2021, Augusta paid homage to Lee Elder by including him as an honorary starter; however, Elder, the first African-American golfer to tee off at Augusta, was too frail to hit a tee shot.

A year later, Tom Watson joined as the third, and since then, these three players, with a combined 11 Masters and 140 appearances at Augusta National, have continued the tradition of Honorary Starters. Jack Nicklaus wants to do what Sam Snead did: take part in the Ceremonial Tee Shot till his last breath.

“As long as I can still hit the golf ball. I played once this year, I played in February. I played once last year. I don’t really play golf anymore. But it’s such a nice ceremony, and it’s a real honor to be invited. I hope to be able to do it as long as I can not kill anybody.”

Well, as the Honorary Starters completed their shots, Ridley announced, “The 2026 Masters is now underway. Enjoy the tournament.” Yet, while Jack Nicklaus is done with his Honorary Starter role, his job at the 2026 Masters is not done yet.

Jack Nicklaus embraces a new broadcasting role

After Nicklaus’s shot, the patrons responded to the six-time Masters winner with laughter and warm applause. This chemistry between him and the patrons at the Masters 2026 and the golf fans worldwide is exactly the reason why he is now embracing a broadcasting role, too.

The 1986 Masters winner will be part of Amazon’s inaugural Masters coverage. This year, Amazon Prime Video is debuting with a new 1:00-3:00 p.m. ET window. Fans were not happy with the coverage spanning across four different platforms. However, Nicklaus’s involvement is something to cheer about.

Hosted by Terry Gannon, the show will feature rotating guests rather than a fixed analyst, with Nicklaus as the headliner, providing insights. Additional streams include “Inside Amen Corner” led by Geoff Ogilvy, Smylie Kaufman, John Wood, Justin Kutcher, and Michael Breed.

As Jack Nicklaus steps into a fresh role with Amazon’s Masters coverage, his connection to Augusta continues to evolve even as his time on the course becomes limited. That same balance is reflected in his outlook as an Honorary Starter, helping him remain part of the Masters tradition.