Nicklaus will be just the third American in history to be given the honor. Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports

Jack Nicklaus to be named honorary citizen at St. Andrews ahead of Open Championship

By Chelena Goldman | Last updated 7/11/22

Jack Nicklaus is already considered one of the greatest golfers to ever set foot on the links. The 82-year-old retired pro will get another special recognition on Tuesday ahead of the Open Championship at St. Andrews when he will be made an honorary citizen in Scotland ahead of the event.

Nicklaus will be just the third American in history to be given the honor. The only other two people were Benjamin Franklin in 1759 and golfer Bobby Jones in 1958. Nicklaus won three Opens during his career, two of which were played at St. Andrews.

"When I stepped on [the course] in '64, all of a sudden to step out of the clubhouse, step here, look at the first tee, look at what was there, see the town, see everything, I fell in love with it immediately," Nicklaus said during a news conference on Monday, via ESPN. "And I've had a love affair with it ever since."

"It's great to be back"

Three-time Open Champion, @jacknicklaus is delighted to be back at St Andrews for #The150thOpen pic.twitter.com/XclV86so0G
— The Open (@TheOpen) July 11, 2022

"I always said St. Andrews looked like an old gray town until the Open came around," Nicklaus continued. "All of a sudden, it just lit up like a light, and it was beautiful. And St. Andrews the week of the Open Championship is always beautiful. I imagine actually probably from anybody who makes a pilgrimage here to play this golf course feels that way."

Festivities at St. Andrews ahead of the Open Championship include the Celebration of Champions, which included former Open winners such as Tiger Woods. Nicklaus did not participate, joking that he hadn't even brought his clubs to Scotland.

The 150th Open Championship gets underway on Thursday.

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