The Memorial Tournament celebrates half a century
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Jack Nicklaus, who created the Memorial Tournament in 1976, is still the face of the event. Photo: Ben Jared/PGA TOUR via Getty Images
Central Ohio becomes the center of the golf world this weekend when the Memorial Tournament brings tens of thousands of people to Dublin for an event that's raised our national profile for half a century.
Why it matters: The event has bolstered the region's national image as a sports and event host city, and celebrates a major milestone this weekend.
Driving the news: It's the golden anniversary for the Golden Bear, Upper Arlington native Jack Nicklaus, whose signature event has grown massively alongside our region over the past 50 years.
- Nicklaus launched the tournament in 1976 at Muirfield Village Golf Club, which he designed, to celebrate golf's greats and benefit local charities.
Flashback: Back then, Dublin was home to just a few thousand residents — not even a city yet.
- The course had just opened in 1974 when construction on homes around it began.
- Dublin High School and the city's shamrock emblem were just three years old.
- Between 1970 and 1980, the local population grew from 681 to 3,855, and it reached city status in 1987.
By the numbers: Today, the Memorial isn't just one of Central Ohio's most notable events, it's a massive moneymaker.
- Dublin says the tournament generates $35 million in economic impact.
- Players will split a $20 million prize pool.
- The Memorial has raised more than $60 million in charitable donations, including nearly $45 million to Nationwide Children's.
- More than 3 million people watched on TV last year.
What they're saying: "The Memorial Tournament has such an impact on the Columbus region, from the economics to building our image internationally," Greater Columbus Sports Commission executive director Linda Logan told the PGA.
- "In large part, it's events like the Memorial Tournament that have put us on the map."
The big picture: More than ever, Columbus is on the sports map.
- We've hosted over 1,300 sporting events across 46 different sports since 2002, according to the commission, generating $1.8 billion in visitor spending.
What we're watching: That momentum should continue.
- We're getting an NWSL team and are hosting the 2027 Women's Final Four, the 2027 DI Women's Volleyball Championship, the 2028 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament and 2028 Olympic soccer matches.
⛳️ If you go: Tournament play runs through Sunday.
- You can find resale tickets ranging from $90 to over $200, depending on the day.