The Memorial Winners and History
During Masters week in 1966, a young Jack Nicklaus spoke of of his dream of founding a golf tournament which would—like The Masters—would be inspired by golf’s history and attract the world’s best players. Nicklaus also wanted to support charities in his hometown of the Greater Columbus area.
Ten years later, players at the first Memorial Tournament teed off at Muirfield Village, a residential and golf community just outside Columbus, Ohio. Muirfield Village was developed by Nicklaus and had opened in 1974. As the story goes, it’s built on a piece of land that he enjoyed playing on as a young lad.
In keeping with his original idea of making a connection to golf’s history, each year the Memorial Honors great golfers of the past, and a plaque for each is installed at the Muirfield Clubhouse. A list of past winners follows. The tournament also has fulfilled his dream of benefiting charities in Ohio.
The primary charity for the tournament is Nationwide Children’s Hospital.
The Memorial Tournament Presented by Nationwide is a restricted field event, with only the first 75 players on the previous year’s money list guaranteed invites. Nicklaus apparently has a hand in selecting the remaining players. In John Feinstein’s Moment of Glory, he recounts that in spite of struggling with a shoulder injury for two years, Shaun Micheel was given an exemption in 2009:
… in part because he remembers that Micheel had played hurt the previous year. “I remember seeing him and he said. “Shaun, why don’t you withdraw? You’re hurt.” I said “Mr. Nicklaus, I wouldn’t ever pull out of your event.”
Nicklaus also guides the continual upkeep on the course. In 1996, he introduced special rakes to the tournament which created furrows in the traps, making sand play more difficult. That experiment lasted three years. He also has tinkered with the length of the rough, trying to find the right balance between punishment and shot making.
The 2013 President’s Cup will be played at Muirfield Village.
A list of The Memorial winners is below:
| Year | Player | Country | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | William McGirt | United States | 273 (-15) |
| 2015 | David Lingmerth | Sweden | 273 (-15) |
| 2014 | Hideki Matsuyama | Japan | 275 (-13) |
| 2013 | Matt Kuchar | United States | 276 (-12) |
| 2012 | Tiger Woods (5) | United States | 279 (-9) |
| 2011 | Steve Stricker | United States | 272 (-16) |
| 2010 | Justin Rose | England | 270 (-18) |
| 2009 | Tiger Woods (4) | United States | 276 (-12) |
| 2008 | Kenny Perry (3) | United States | 280 (-8) |
| 2007 | K.J. Choi | South Korea | 271 (-17) |
| 2006 | Carl Pettersson | Sweden | 276 (-12) |
| 2005 | Bart Bryant | United States | 272 (-16) |
| 2004 | Ernie Els | South Africa | 270 (-18) |
| 2003 | Kenny Perry (2) | United States | 275 (-11) |
| 2002 | Jim Furyk | United States | 274 (-14) |
| 2001 | Tiger Woods (3) | United States | 271 (-17) |
| 2000 | Tiger Woods (2) | United States | 269 (-19) |
| 1999 | Tiger Woods | United States | 273 (-15) |
| 1998 | Fred Couples | United States | 271 (-17) |
| 1997 | Vijay Singh | Fiji | 202* (-14) 54 holes |
| 1996 | Tom Watson (2) | United States | 274 (-14) |
| 1995 | Greg Norman (2) | Australia | 269 (-19) |
| 1994 | Tom Lehman | United States | 268 (-20) |
| 1993 | Paul Azinger | United States | 274 (-14) |
| 1992 | David Edwards | United States | 273 (-15) |
| 1991 | Kenny Perry | United States | 273 (-15) |
| 1990 | Greg Norman | Australia | 216 (E) 54 holes |
| 1989 | Bob Tway | United States | 277 (-11) |
| 1988 | Curtis Strange | United States | 274 (-14) |
| 1987 | Don Pooley | United States | 272 (-16) |
| 1986 | Hal Sutton | United States | 271 (-17) |
| 1985 | Hale Irwin (2) | United States | 281 (-7) |
| 1984 | Jack Nicklaus (2) | United States | 280 (-8) |
| 1983 | Hale Irwin | United States | 281 (-7) |
| 1982 | Raymond Floyd | United States | 281 (-7) |
| 1981 | Keith Fergus | United States | 284 (-4) |
| 1980 | David Graham | Australia | 280 (-8) |
| 1979 | Tom Watson | United States | 285 (-3) |
| 1978 | Jim Simons | United States | 284 (-4) |
| 1977 | Jack Nicklaus | United States | 281 (-7) |
| 1976 | Roger Maltbie | United States | 288 (E) |
and the past Memorial Tournament honorees:
| Year | Honoree |
|---|---|
| 2012 | Tom Watson |
| 2011 | Nancy Lopez |
| 2010 | Seve Ballesteros |
| 2009 | JoAnne Carner and Jack Burke Jr. |
| 2008 | Tony Jacklin;Ralph Guldahl;Charles B. Macdonald and Craig Wood |
| 2007 | Louise Suggs and Dow Finsterwald |
| 2006 | Michael Bonallack; Charles Coe; Lawson Little; Henry Picard; Paul Runyan and Denny Shute |
| 2005 | Betsy Rawls and Cary Middlecoff |
| 2004 | Lee Trevino and Joyce Wethered |
| 2003 | Julius Boros and William C. Campbell |
| 2002 | Kathy Whitworth and Bobby Locke |
| 2001 | Payne Stewart |
| 2000 | Jack Nicklaus |
| 1999 | Ben Hogan |
| 1998 | Peter Thompson |
| 1997 | Gary Player |
| 1996 | Billy Casper |
| 1995 | Willie Anderson; John Ball; James Braid; Harold HIlton and JH Taylor |
| 1994 | Mickey Wright |
| 1993 | Arnold Palmer |
| 1992 | Joseph Dey |
| 1991 | Babe Zaharias |
| 1990 | Jimmy Demaret |
| 1989 | Henry Cotton |
| 1988 | Patty Berg |
| 1987 | Old and Young Tom Morris |
| 1986 | Robert de Vicenzo |
| 1985 | Chick Evans |
| 1984 | Sam Snead |
| 1983 | Tommy Armour |
| 1982 | Glenna Collett-Vare |
| 1981 | Harry Vardon |
| 1980 | Byron Nelson |
| 1979 | Gene Sarazen |
| 1978 | Francis Ouimet |
| 1977 | Walter Hagen |
| 1976 | Bobby Jones |
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