Event: The Memorial Tournament
Location: Muirfield Village Golf Club, Dublin, Ohio
When: Annually, at the end of May or beginning of June
Course Designer: Jack Nicklaus and Desmond Muirhead
Most Wins : Tiger Woods with five wins (1999, 2000, 2001, 2009, 2012); Kenny Perry with three wins (1991, 2003, 2008); Jack Nicklaus with two wins (1977, 1984); Hale Irwin with two wins (1983, 1985); Greg Norman with two wins (1990, 1995); Tom Watson with two wins (1979, 1996)
Most Top 10 Finishes: Jay Haas 9; Tiger Woods and Tom Watson 8; Payne Stewart, David Frost, Greg Norman and Tom Watson 7; Matt Kuchar and Justin Rose 6
Most Tournaments Played: Jack Nicklaus 30
The Memorial Tournament is a PGA Tour tournament that was created in 1976 by golfer Jack Nicklaus at his Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio. Jack Nicklaus was born and raised in Dublin, so it is no surprise that he chose to base his golf club and tournament there. The focus of the tournament is to honor distinguished golfers from the past, to feature the best of the current golfers and to raise funds for the Nationwide Children's Hospital and other charities supported by the Nicklaus Children's Healthcare Foundation. The Memorial Tournament is a weeklong event. The actual tournament play is from Thursday through Sunday. On Monday through Wednesday, fans can view practice rounds and the Pro-Am Tournament. Passes can be purchased for the full week or for individual days. To check the schedule of events and be part of the gallery for any of the weeklong events, purchase your Memorial Tournament tickets at StubHub.
Many people only hear about the top players in golf. However, the field is around 100 players. In 1980 and 1981, there were 91 players. In 2009, there were 122. When you attend the Memorial Tournament, you have the opportunity to see many golfers play and can decide for yourself who you think might be rising stars.
The field is never set until closer to the tournament. However, purchasing your Memorial Tournament tickets now will ensure you a place in the gallery for a great golf tournament.
While you’re at the Memorial Tournament, here are some other records you can watch to see if any player breaks them. Ernie Els from 2004, John Mallinger from 2008, John Ogilvie from 2008 and Spencer Levin from 2012 are all tied at 100 for the fewest putts in a tournament. John Huston from round 4 in 2003 had only 19 puts in the round, and Luke Donald from round 1 in 2009 had 20 putts in the round. The best average driving distance records in a tournament belong to J. B. Holmes from 2011 at 328.1 feet and Bubba Watson from 2007 at 332.5 feet. Records for amateurs include a low 69 putts for 18 holes for Bobby Clampett from round 3 in 1980 and Reinier Saxton from round 1 in 2009. The lowest score for an amateur for 72 holes was 290 by Luke Donald in 2000. In addition, amateur Jim Holtgrieve finished in the top 35 in 1981. The youngest player was Tianlang Guan at 14 years, seven months and eight days in 2013. The youngest top 10 finisher was Ryo Ishikawa at 20 years, eight months and 17 days in 2012. The oldest player was Sam Snead at 70 years and three days in 1982. The oldest top 10 finisher was Jack Nicklaus who finished eighth at 57 years, four months and 11 days in 1997.
Here are some lesser advertised records to watch to see if anyone beats. Wayne Levi from 1981 and Rick Gibson from 1991 are tied at 136 putts in a single tournament. Kris Blanks from round 2 in 2011 had 38 putts in a single round.
The Jack Nicklaus' Memorial Tournament is located at the Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio. Dublin is a suburb of Columbus, Ohio. The Memorial Tournament is near the Jack Nicklaus Museum. The museum features displays about golf, Jack Nicklaus and details about the Memorial Tournament. The museum is located at 2355 Olentangy River Road, Columbus, Ohio, and is open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.