The Professional Golf Association, or PGA, is the highest level of golf in the world and plays 48 events throughout the year. Just about every single one of these events is played in the United States, with the lone exception being Canadian and U.K events. However, even with such a full schedule of golf events, only one PGA Tour tournament is being played in Ohio this year. This event is a long-standing one that is incredibly significant and only a short time away. The Memorial Tournament is the pinnacle of Ohio golf and is set to touch down in Ohio in late spring.
The Memorial Tournament is a Stroke Play-style event that draws out many of the world’s best golfers. It takes place at the Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio, a short distance outside Columbus. This year, the Memorial Tournament will be taking place from May 30th-June 5th, with tickets on sale now. The ticket prices vary, with a standard week-long package that provides access to the grounds for $220, while a premium package with additional access costs $330. Children 18 and under can enter for free with the junior package.
There are a lot of different things that set the Memorial Tournament apart. One of the biggest things is that it was founded by Jack Nicklaus, the all-time golf icon. Nicklaus grew up near the Columbus area, and this tournament is known for honoring great golfers of the past. Nicklaus designed the tournament’s course, so his fingerprints are all over this important event.
Nicklaus was well-known for his love for charity, and this event has a significant charitable angle as well. There are several charitable beneficiaries of the Memorial Tournament, but the primary one is the Nationwide Children’s Hospital. The tournament has been played at the same location since 1976, making it a long-standing and historic event with nearly fifty years of history.
The tournament is one of five invitationals on the PGA Tour. This means the field is reduced from the typical 156 players to 120, with the tournament choosing the qualifications for player eligibility. This makes it have a heightened significance and a more competitive field. It is a par 72 course that is 7,392 yards long, making it a moderately difficult course that requires great skill from the golfers competing.
The prize fund for the tournament’s winner is significant, with a $9,300,000 purse up for grabs amongst the top performers. Last year, the player that won took home a share of $1,674,000. This is a huge amount, so the event draws out many of the world’s best golfers. In recent years, the tournament has been won by some of the sport’s biggest names, like Bryson DeChambeau, Jon Rahm, and Patrick Cantlay. In the past, legends like Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus have claimed the best score on the course. Woods won the tournament a record five times.
Like many other important golf events, this one will be a fun, festive atmosphere. There will be numerous different areas on the grounds for attendees to explore, with different activities and experiences. There will be both food and drink concessions and options for younger fans of the game. With children 18 and under getting in free, bring the little ones! There will be plenty for them to do and see, even if they aren’t fans of the game.
The Muirfield Village is one of the most prominent golf courses in the region and a hotspot for Ohio golfers. It also has residences, home to many of the wealthiest CEOs, athletes, and celebrities within the area. It is a private course, so exploring these grounds will be a treat for golf fanatics.
The Memorial Tournament is the Ohio golf event of the year, bringing the entire roster of PGA Tour talent to the state. The Memorial Tournament was designed and created by the legend of the game Jack Nicklaus and will be a highly competitive, highly enjoyable spectacle. Nicklaus is known for making tweaks to the courses before the tournament to add to the intensity, and this year will likely be no different, so buckle up for the biggest golf occasion of 2022.
