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The Memorial Tournament is one of the signature events on the PGA Tour, and its name has a special meaning. It was created by Jack Nicklaus and is played every year at Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio, just outside his hometown of Columbus.
Nicklaus started the Memorial Tournament in 1976 with three main goals in mind. First, he wanted to honor people who have made a big impact on the game of golf. Second, to host a top-level golf event. And third, to support charitable causes in the Columbus area, including Nationwide Children’s Hospital and the Nicklaus Children’s Healthcare Foundation.
The name “Memorial” was suggested by former PGA Tour commissioner Joe Dey. Since it takes place around Memorial Day, he recommended using the tournament to remember and honor past golf legends. That’s how the tradition of choosing one honoree each year began.
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A special group called the Captain’s Club picks the honoree, and this year, Jack’s wife, Barbara Nicklaus, was chosen.
Jack Nicklaus once explained how the name for his club came about. While considering various options, one idea was to call it the "New Course". Eventually, they named the area "Muirfield Village", taking inspiration from his memorable win at Muirfield in Scotland.
"We had a lot of names and one was called the New Course. We named the area Muirfield Village and didn’t want to name it directly ‘Muirfield’ because I didn’t want to be a dead copy after Muirfield," he said via Sports Illustrated.
The tournament also has a personal link to Nicklaus’ career. In 1966, he won his first Open Championship at Muirfield in Scotland. It was a major win for him and one that inspired the name of the course and the tournament.
"I was so happy with what happened with me at Muirfield, winning the British Open at a place where I wasn't supposed to win. It was a golf course with very narrow fairways, very high rough, not typical of what Jack Nicklaus would, they thought in 1966, could win at. And, but I was so proud of that, this place became Muirfield or Muirfield Village," he added.
It took him 10 years to bring the tournament to life, with the help of many people along the way. Before the Memorial Tournament began, Nicklaus held two events at Kings Island in Cincinnati as a trial run.
Everything about the course of the Memorial Tournament
Jack Nicklaus put a lot of personal effort into building the Memorial Tournament course. He once revealed that the construction cost $1.6 million, with another $1.5 million spent on the clubhouse alone (as per Golf Digest).
As for the course itself, it’s known to be one of the toughest on the PGA Tour. According to 2024 stats, the par-3 12th hole was the most difficult, with 15 double bogeys recorded. The par-4 18th, which measures 480 yards, had the most bogeys with 70. On the other hand, the par-5 15th was the easiest scoring hole, producing 96 birdies and six eagles.
Now, with the 2025 Memorial Tournament underway, the par-3 12th continues to challenge players, already seeing 14 double bogeys in the first two rounds. The par-4 6th has seen 35 bogeys so far, while the 15th hole is again proving to be the easiest, recording 51 birdies—the most so far this year.
