Jack Nicklaus Receives Congressional Gold Medal

The House and Senate honored Jack Nicklaus with a Congressional Gold Medal on Tuesday.

“I’m very proud of what I’ve been able to accomplish in my career and in my life,” Nicklaus said in receiving the honor. “And you know the good thing about being 75 is that anything I may not likely be proud of was before the Internet was invented.”

Nicklaus adds the Congressional Gold Medal to his six Masters trophies and 12 other mementos from winning majors.

The Golden Bear noted at the ceremony that he has been privileged to meet seven presidents and play golf with three.

Nicklaus joins athletes such as Jesse Owens, Joe Louis, and Jackie Robinson, and distinguished Americans such as Jonas Salk, John Wayne, Charles Lindbergh, and Norman Schwarzkopf, as a recipient of the award. Along with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the Congressional Gold Medal ranks as the highest honor given to civilians by the U.S. government.