The Nicklaus-Jacklin Award has returned ahead of the 2025 Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black.
There is no sporting event, no event in general, in the world like the Ryder Cup. It stands alone.
Part of the lore behind the Ryder Cup is the intensity of it all. The United States squares off against Europe in a battle that is bigger than any individual and that transcends golf in a lot of ways. Major Championships are all incredible, but like most things in golf they are individual accomplishments. The Ryder Cup is played for and ultimately won in the name of something bigger than any single person. It is about who you are and who you belong to.
The Ryder Cup carries a high level of intensity obviously, but it also carries a high level of prestige and honor. Many have come through and won it and done so with extreme dignity and grace. That is golf in its purest sense.
The Nicklaus-Jacklin Award presented by Aon is and was designed to honor these overall qualities. Ultimately it honors the player who best represents the spirit of the Ryder Cup and it is back for 2025 and for all of the glory that we will see at Bethpage Black.
Justin Rose received the award following the 2023 Ryder Cup where he and his fellow Europeans emerged victorious in Rome. His overall story was told in a documentary that can be seen below.
Obviously the 2025 winner of the Nicklaus-Jacklin Award will be chosen at the culmination of the Ryder Cup. It stands to reason that Justin Rose is rooting for another European to win it, but if Captain Keegan Bradley has anything to say about it then an American will take it home.
This year’s Ryder Cup has had a build up like no other and is surely going to deliver well over our expectations. It goes without saying that the Nicklaus-Jacklin Award will as well.