06/07/2026
Jack Nicklaus wanted to put central Ohio on the map. The Memorial Tournament was born ➡️
Just four years into his pro career, the Columbus-born golfer was already dreaming about bringing a major golf event to central Ohio. After seeing the enthusiasm surrounding the 1964 PGA Championship in Columbus, Nicklaus said in 1965:
“Columbus ought to have a big golf event of some kind every year… I’d be willing to do anything I could to help make it a success.”
He got to work immediately.
In 1966, Nicklaus began scouting for land with his friends Ivor Young and Paul Dye. Near Dublin, they found the location that Dye later called “the best inland site I’ve ever seen.”
Over the next eight years, Nicklaus continued to dominate the sport, winning eight of his 18 major championships, and building his legacy as one of the world’s greatest players.
Muirfield Village Golf Club opened in 1974. Two years later, the first Memorial Tournament was played there. Roger Maltbie won the inaugural event. Nicklaus won it himself in 1977, and again in 1984.
Nicklaus would go on to win 18 major championships (the most in golf history), 73 PGA Tours, 6 Masters (more than any other golfer), 5 PGA Championships, 4 U.S. Opens, and 19 Major Runner-Up finishes, among many other accomplishments.
This weekend marked the 50th annual Memorial Tournament in Dublin. It will conclude today with an awards ceremony at Muirfield Village Golf Club – affectionately known as “Jack’s Place”.
⛳️ “This is where I grew up. This is where I wanted to bring golf back to. This is where I wanted to say thanks to the community who had supported me for all the years I played.” – Jack Nicklaus
