It’s been 57 years since Jack Nicklaus made his pro debut, but for a man widely regarded as the greatest player of all time, a quick look at his first paycheck remains rather mind-boggling.
On Jan. 8, 1962, Nicklaus finished in a tie for 50th at the Los Angeles Open, netting him a grand total of $33.33 in prize money.
The 18-time major winner first shared a photo of the check on Instagram five years ago:
Nicklaus broke through later in 1962, defeating Arnold Palmer in a Sunday playoff at Oakmont to win the U.S. Open, taking home a whopping $17,500 in the process.
Based on those numbers, it would make sense to be concerned about the 78-year-old’s financial well-being - but fear not, he’s going to be just fine.
Nicklaus went on to win 73 times on Tour, making a total of $5.7 million over the course of his career. According to Forbes, he’s earned more than a $1 billion through his business empire that includes golf course design, real estate, wine, ice cream, clothing, golf academies and more.
