On Monday, golf icon Jack Nicklaus secured a $50 million judgment in his defamation lawsuit against his former enterprise, Nicklaus Companies. He charged the company, along with two of its executives, with disseminating untrue claims about him considering a $750 million agreement to join LIV Golf.

A jury in Palm Beach County, Florida, delivered the decision, concluding that Nicklaus suffered reputational harm. The jury recognized that the 85-year-old faced “ridicule, hatred, mistrust, distrust or contempt” due to the accusations, which also suggested he had dementia and was not competent to handle his personal matters, as reported by the Palm Beach Post.

Named in the lawsuit were billionaire banker Howard Milstein, the executive chairman of Nicklaus Companies, and executive Andrew O’Brien. However, the jury found in their favor, sparing them from any additional financial penalties.

Following the jury’s decision, Nicklaus embraced his family and friends, according to the Palm Beach Post, though he refrained from commenting directly, directing inquiries to his lawyer.

“In defamation cases, especially for someone like Jack with such a stellar reputation, it’s challenging to demonstrate the damage,” said Nicklaus’ attorney, Eugene Stearns, to ESPN. “The key issue arose 3½ years ago when the company falsely announced Jack’s departure from the PGA Tour in favor of Saudi-backed golf. We’re pleased that Jack has been exonerated.”

The allegations were first made in a lawsuit the company filed against Nicklaus in New York, which spread in the media.

“These are the people who planted a story,” Stearns told jurors during the closing arguments, per the Palm Beach Post. “The story is a lie. … What that they wanted to create in the minds of the public is Jack Nicklaus is an old guy who sold out to the Saudis.”

The defendants’ attorneys said the execs never wanted to smear Nicklaus.

Nicklaus’ company, Golden Bear International, was folded into the new Nicklaus Companies in a $145 million transaction in 2007.

When Nicklaus retired from his executive role in 2017, it triggered a five-year noncompete clause that stipulated he couldn’t endorse products outside of his former company or design golf courses, per the Palm Beach Post.

Nicklaus sought arbitration in 2022 to confirm he could use his name, image and likeness again, and he was then sued by Nicklaus Companies for allegedly breaching agreements. The company’s suit included the LIV Golf accusations.