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The Memorial Tournament, sometimes branded as the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday, is an annual PGA Tour golf tournament held at Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio, a suburb of Columbus. The tournament was founded in 1976 by Jack Nicklaus, who also hosted and won it in 1977. It is played on a Nicklaus-designed course and includes a yearly induction ceremony honouring past golfers.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | Memorial Tournament |
| Other names | Memorial Tournament presented by Workday, Memorial |
| Year founded | 1976 |
| Founder | Jack Nicklaus |
| Location | Muirfield Village Golf Club, Dublin, Ohio, US |
| Course designer | Jack Nicklaus |
| Course type | Nicklaus-designed, par-72 course |
| Course length | 7,072 yards (6,467 m) |
| Annual induction ceremony | Yes |
| Number of players | 73 (in 2024) |
| Charitable initiatives | Yes |
| Golf journalism award | Yes |
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What You'll Learn
The Memorial Tournament
The tournament has three main goals: to honour the memory of individuals living and deceased who have distinguished themselves in golf; to showcase the world's best golfers competing on one of the most challenging courses in the world; and to benefit charities in the greater Columbus area, including the Nicklaus Children's Health Care Foundation and the Nationwide Children's Hospital.
The tournament has a rich history, with notable winners including Roger Maltbie, who won the inaugural tournament in 1976, defeating Hale Irwin in a four-hole aggregate playoff. Jack Nicklaus won the following year, and other notable winners include David Graham (1980), Kenny Perry (1991), Paul Azinger (1993), Tom Lehman (1994), and Tiger Woods, who became the first Memorial winner to successfully defend his title in 2000 and won again in 2001.
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Founded by Jack Nicklaus
The Memorial Tournament, also referred to as simply the Memorial, is a PGA Tour golf tournament founded in 1976 by Jack Nicklaus. It is played on a Nicklaus-designed course at Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio, a suburb of Columbus.
Nicklaus founded the tournament with three goals in mind: to honour the memory of individuals living and deceased who have distinguished themselves in golf; to showcase the world's best golfers competing on one of the most challenging courses in the world; and to benefit Greater Columbus Charities, including the Nicklaus Children's Healthcare Foundation and the Nationwide Children's Hospital.
The Memorial Tournament is one of only five tournaments given "`invitational`" status by the PGA Tour, allowing for a reduced field of players. Nicklaus himself was honoured in 2000 with a plaque installed near the clubhouse at Muirfield, and his wife Barbara was honoured in 2025.
The golf course at Muirfield Village was designed by Nicklaus and opened in May 1974. Two years later, it hosted the first Memorial Tournament, which was won by Roger Maltbie. Nicklaus went on to win the tournament himself in 1977, defeating Hubert Green by two shots. He became the first two-time Memorial winner in 1984, defeating Andy Bean in a sudden-death playoff.
The Memorial Tournament has become a prestigious event, attracting the world's top golfers and benefiting various charitable organisations. Nicklaus' legacy is honoured through the tournament he founded, which continues to shape the sport's landscape.
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Muirfield Village Golf Club
The Memorial Tournament is hosted annually at the Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio, a suburb of Columbus. The golf club was founded by Jack Nicklaus, who won his first Open title in 1966 in Muirfield, Scotland, after which the club is named. The land for the golf club was acquired in 1966, and construction began six years later, with the club officially opening in May 1974. The par-72 course was 7,072 yards (6,467 m) long, which was considered a considerable length for the mid-1970s. Nicklaus has regularly made changes to the course to accommodate new technology, make the course more enjoyable for members, and offer a tougher challenge for professionals.
Muirfield Village is an upscale golf-oriented community and is considered one of the wealthiest and most notable neighbourhoods in Central Ohio. It is home to many local CEOs and celebrities, including Jack Hanna, Urban Meyer, Jason Day, and several Columbus Blue Jackets players. The community master plan and site development were designed by Bassett Associates of Lima, Ohio. The village functions as its own taxing unit, with the power to raise money for street lights, landscaping, and other municipal-like functions. It has its own neighbourhood council for residents to participate in.
The Memorial Tournament is a PGA Tour golf tournament founded in 1976 and hosted by Jack Nicklaus. It is played on a Nicklaus-designed course at Muirfield Village Golf Club. Nicklaus himself was the tournament's honoree in 2000, and his wife Barbara was honoured in 2025. The tournament is one of only five tournaments given "invitational" status by the PGA Tour, and consequently, it has a reduced field of players. The tournament has three main goals: to honour the memory of individuals living and deceased who have distinguished themselves in golf; to showcase the world's best golfers competing on a challenging venue for the enjoyment of spectators; and to benefit Greater Columbus Charities, including the Nicklaus Children's Health Care Foundation and the Nationwide Children's Hospital.
The Memorial Golf Journalism Award was created to honour and pay tribute to golf journalists who have made a significant contribution to golf reporting.
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PGA Tour
The Memorial Tournament, sometimes branded as the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday for sponsorship reasons, is a PGA Tour golf tournament founded in 1976 by Jack Nicklaus. It is played on a Nicklaus-designed course at Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio, a suburb of Columbus. Nicklaus grew up in the greater Columbus area, and the course he designed at Muirfield Village opened in May 1974, hosting its first Memorial Tournament two years later.
The Memorial Tournament is one of only five tournaments given "invitational" status by the PGA Tour. Consequently, it has a reduced field of players compared to most full-field open tournaments, which are required to fill their fields using the PGA Tour Priority Ranking System. The tournament is conducted each year with three goals in mind: to honour the memory of individuals living and deceased who have distinguished themselves in golf; to showcase the world's best golfers competing on one of the most challenging venues in the world; and to benefit Greater Columbus Charities, including the Nicklaus Children's Healthcare Foundation and the Nationwide Children's Hospital.
The Memorial Golf Journalism Award was created to honour and pay tribute to golf journalists who have made a significant contribution to golf reporting. One of the features of the tournament is a yearly induction ceremony honouring past golfers. A plaque for each honoree is installed near the clubhouse at Muirfield. Nicklaus himself was honoured in 2000, and his wife Barbara was honoured in 2025.
The Memorial Tournament has seen some notable victories over the years. Roger Maltbie won the inaugural tournament in 1976, defeating Hale Irwin in a four-hole aggregate playoff. In 1980, David Graham birdied the 72nd hole to edge Tom Watson by one shot, with Watson bidding to become the first Memorial champion to defend his title. In 1991, Kenny Perry won for the first time on the PGA Tour, defeating Irwin on the first hole of a sudden-death playoff. In 2000, Tiger Woods became the first Memorial winner to successfully defend his title, and he won for a third consecutive year in 2001.
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Charitable initiatives
The Memorial Tournament is an annual golf tournament hosted at Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio, a suburb of Columbus. The tournament was founded in 1976 by Jack Nicklaus, who is also a two-time winner of the tournament.
The Memorial Tournament engages in charitable initiatives throughout the year. The tournament is committed to honoring distinguished golfers, showcasing the best golfers on challenging venues, and benefiting charities in Columbus, Ohio. Here are some of the key charitable initiatives associated with the tournament:
- Alliance with Charities: The tournament has an alliance with several charitable organizations, including the Nicklaus Children's Health Care Foundation, Nationwide Children's Hospital, and Stephen and Ayesha Curry's Eat. Learn. Play. Foundation. This alliance was established in June 2010, with the Nicklaus Children's Health Care Foundation as the lead charity, supporting Nationwide Children's Hospital and advancing pediatric care in Central Ohio.
- Benefit Concert: The tournament hosts an annual benefit concert featuring a national recording artist to raise funds for its charitable partners. Since its inception, the benefit concert has raised over $800,000 for Nationwide Children's Hospital, thanks to sponsors like NetJets, IGS Energy, and the City of Dublin.
- Legends Luncheon: The Legends Luncheon is a key charitable initiative of the tournament, featuring a conversation with Jack Nicklaus and an influential guest from the golf world. The luncheon has raised nearly $15 million for Nationwide Children's Hospital, with support from Central Ohio leaders. It also includes the announcement of the Nicklaus Youth Spirit Award, recognizing the spirit and resilience of youth connected to Nationwide Children's.
- FORE! Miler: The FORE! Miler is a premier four-mile running event in Columbus, attracting over 2,000 runners and walkers annually to Muirfield Village Golf Club. It serves as a fundraiser and highlights the alliance between the tournament's charitable partners.
- The Memorial's Clubhouse Kids: This initiative focuses on community outreach and youth development. It includes interactive community programming, such as the Junior Golf Clinic, which teaches golf fundamentals and life lessons to children and their families in Central Ohio and beyond. The Clubhouse Kids also offer a membership program, an interactive website, Junior Golf Day, Family Night, and an annual coloring contest.
- Volunteer of the Year: The tournament recognizes the dedication of volunteers through the Volunteer of the Year award, honoring individuals from the Women's Division Committee who contribute their time and energy to preparing for the tournament. Each hour volunteered translates into a donation back to the Memorial Tournament NICU at Nationwide Children's Hospital.
- Disc & Foot Golf Course: The tournament sets up a nine-hole disc and foot golf course at Dublin's Riverside Crossing Park, encouraging participants to support its philanthropic mission through "Play for a Purpose" QR codes.
- Additional Fundraising: The tournament encourages donations to Nationwide Children's Hospital through various means, such as the Tip-Up Challenge, where patrons are invited to wear yellow, and the Lexus Challenge, where a $1 donation allows patrons to tee it up.
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Frequently asked questions
The Memorial Golf Tournament is played at Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio.
The tournament was founded by Jack Nicklaus in 1976. Nicklaus also hosted the tournament.
The tournament is conducted with three goals in mind: to honour the memory of individuals living and deceased who have distinguished themselves in golf; to showcase the world's best golfers competing on one of the most challenging venues; and to benefit Greater Columbus Charities.
The Memorial Golf Journalism Award was created to honour and pay tribute to golf journalists who have made a significant contribution to golf reporting.
In 2014, the PGA Tour approved a resolution to grant the winner a three-year exemption, on par with winners of the World Golf Championships, The Tour Championship, and the Arnold Palmer Invitational.
