The USGA has teamed with former HBO Sports President Ross Greenburg for its first film production, an hour-long documentary on Jack Nicklaus’ '62 U.S. Open victory, his first major championship. The film, titled “1962 U.S. Open: Jack’s First Major,” will air June 17 on NBC prior to the broadcast of the U.S. Open’s final round from Olympic Club (USGA). SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL's Michael Smith notes the film “tells the story of Nicklaus’ win over Arnold Palmer.” This is the USGA’s “first attempt to produce a documentary.” RBS, a USGA corporate partner from ‘08-11 and a “longtime Nicklaus sponsor, jumped onboard to fund the documentary.” Footage from '62 is “interspersed with current-day interviews of Nicklaus and Palmer to create the documentary” (SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, 4/30 issue). The AP’s Doug Ferguson noted the film “will make its international debut a week earlier on British-based Sky Sports.” There are interviews “with Dow Finsterwald, Gary Player and Billy Maxwell, who played the final two rounds of regulation on Saturday with Nicklaus, along with journalists Dave Anderson and Marino Parascenzo, who covered the 1962 U.S. Open” (AP, 4/29). Arnold Palmer Center for Golf & History Museum Dir Robert Williams said, “We have great stories to tell, and while it’s nice to build a world-class exhibit, we always knew there’d be a time to use our resources in more impactful ways to expand the reach of the USGA and the museum.” GOLF WORLD’s Dave Shedloski noted the film is “part of a long-term strategic plan to ‘virtualize’ the museum at Golf House, which underwent a three-year renovation completed in 2008” (GOLF WORLD MONDAY, 4/30 issue).
