The Memorial Tournament: Everything You Need to Know
The Memorial Tournament is one of the premier events on the PGA Tour schedule. Founded in 1976 by Jack Nicklaus, the tournament features one of the strongest fields in golf each year and is held at Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio, which Nicklaus owns. The tournament is traditionally contested in early June and stands as one of the final tests before players head to the U.S. Open.
As one of three player-hosted invitationals among the PGA Tour's eight Signature Events in 2024, the Memorial will continue to have a 36-hole cut. However, unlike most PGA Tour events, the winner will snatch 20% of the $20 million purse, a $4 million payday, thanks to the event's Signature status. That's an increase over the tour's typical 18% payout to the winner.
The Memorial has been won by a hall-of-fame collection of players over the years, including Nicklaus, Tom Watson, Greg Norman, and Tiger Woods. In addition, some of the games' great young players have won the event, including Patrick Cantlay, Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau and most recently, Viktor Hovland. The 2024 Memorial Tournament will be held June 6-9 where Hovland will look to defend his title.
Muirfield Village Golf Club
Located in the northern suburbs of Columbus, Ohio, Muirfield Village Golf Club has hosted every Memorial Tournament since Roger Maltbie won the inaugural event in 1976. Founded by Nicklaus in 1974, the name is a nod to Muirfield, Scotland, where the Golden Bear won his first British Open in 1966. The neighborhood surrounding Muirfield is very affluent, with homes owned by some of Ohio’s wealthiest individuals.
Since 1974, Nicklaus hasn’t been shy about rebuilding Muirfield. He has made changes to not only appeal to membership, but also challenge tour players in both length and routing. Today, the course plays 7,352 yards from the tips with a 145 slope (par-72).
In addition to incredibly challenging par 3 holes, many spectators are familiar with the finishing hole, which features a massive bowl for people in attendance to watch the final putts. The clubhouse with the iconic clock tower is also one of the hallmarks of Muirfield Village.
The Memorial Cut Line
While five of the PGA Tour's eight Signature Events are doing away with cuts, the Memorial, along with the Arnold Palmer Invitational and the Genesis Invitational, will keep a 36-hole cut as the Signature Event era plants its roots.
Muirfield Village is no pushover, even for PGA Tour pros. Jack Nicklaus sees to its difficulty and heads to the bulldozers if he even senses that scores are trending lower.
Beginning in 2024, the top 50 players and ties, and any player within 10 strokes of the lead, will make the 36-hole cut and advance to the weekend. That's a tweak from the tournament's previous cutline rule, when the top 65 players plus ties made the cut.
The Memorial cut line is usually a few strokes over par, with lowest in the past decade being -2 in 2016. In 2018, the cut line was even par and a whopping 81 players made it to the weekend. Here’s how the cut line has shaken out over recent years.
| Year | Cut (Total) | Players to Make Cut |
| 2023 | +3 (147) | 65 |
| 2022 | +2 (146) | 70 |
| 2021 | +2 (146) | 69 |
| 2020 | +3 (147) | 74 |
| 2019 | +1 (145) | 73 |
| 2018 | E (144) | 81 |
| 2017 | +3 (147) | 77 |
| 2016 | -2 (142) | 75 |
| 2015 | -1 (143) | 71 |
| 2014 | E (144) | 76 |
| 2013 | +3 (147) | 73 |
| 2012 | +3 (147) | 72 |
The Memorial History and Results
As one of the most high-profile tournaments, outside of the four major championships, The Memorial's history and most fascinating facts feature some of the most popular players in golf, past and present.
- As with many of golf’s records, Tiger Woods owns the record for the most victories at The Memorial with five (1999, 2000, 2001, 2009, 2012).
- Kenny Perry has three wins at Muirfield Village while Hale Irwin, Greg Norman, Tom Watson, and Patrick Cantlay have each won twice.
- Tom Lehman’s win in 1994 is the record for the final score to par (-20) and total aggregate score (268).
- The largest margin of victory comes from Tiger Woods. In 2001 he beat the field by seven shots.
- Fred Couples had back-to-back second-place finishes in 2004 and 2005, as did David Duval in 1995 and 1996.
- For most of its time, the tournament has been called The Memorial. The exceptions being Memorial Tournament presented by Morgan Stanley, Memorial Tournament presented by Nationwide, and (current name and title sponsor) Memorial Tournament presented by Workday.
- In the inaugural event in 1976, Roger Maltbie defeated Hale Irwin in a playoff. On the third playoff hole, Maltbie’s approach shot hit a post near the gallery and wound up on the green. He went on to make par then birdie the next hole to take home the trophy.
- The Memorial has been decided in a playoff 10 times, most recently in 2023 when Viktor Hovland defeated Denny McCarthy.
- In 2021, Jon Rahm had to withdraw after 54 holes after he tested positive for COVID-19. Rahm led by six shots and was all but guaranteed a victory the following day.
- Paul Azinger’s win in 1993 had a flair for the dramatic as he birdied the 72nd hole by draining a bunker shot to edge Corey Pavin by one shot.
- Tiger’s third round in 2015 is his highest score ever on tour, 85.
| Year | Winner | Score | Purse | Winner's Share |
| 2024 | -- | -- | $20,000,000 | $4,000,000 |
| 2023 | Viktor Hovland | -7 (281) | $20,000,000 | $3,600,000 |
| 2022 | Billy Horschel | -13 (275) | $12,000,000 | $2,160,000 |
| 2021 | Patrick Cantlay | -13 (275) | $9,300,000 | $1,674,000 |
| 2020 | Jon Rahm | -9 (279) | $9,300,000 | $1,674,000 |
| 2019 | Patrick Cantlay | -19 (269) | $9,100,000 | $1,638,000 |
| 2018 | Bryson DeChambeau | -15 (273) | $8,900,000 | $1,602,000 |
| 2017 | Jason Dufner | -13 (275) | $8,700,000 | $1,566,000 |
| 2016 | William McGirt | -15 (273) | $8,500,000 | $1,530,000 |
| 2015 | David Lingmerth | -15 (273) | $6,200,000 | $1,160,000 |
| 2014 | Hideki Matsuyama | -13 (275) | $6,200,000 | $1,160,000 |
| 2013 | Matt Kuchar | -12 (276) | $6,200,000 | $1,160,000 |
| 2012 | Tiger Woods | -9 (279) | $6,200,000 | $1,160,000 |
| 2011 | Steve Stricker | -16 (272) | $6,200,000 | $1,160,000 |
| 2010 | Justin Rose | -18 (270) | $6,000,000 | $1,080,000 |
| 2009 | Tiger Woods | -12 (276) | $6,000,000 | $1,080,000 |
| 2008 | Kenny Perry | -8 (280) | $6,000,000 | $1,080,000 |
| 2007 | K. J. Choi | -17 (271) | $6,000,000 | $1,080,000 |
| 2006 | Carl Pettersson | -12 (276) | $5,750,000 | $1,035,000 |
| 2005 | Bart Bryant | -16 (272) | $5,500,000 | $990,000 |
| 2004 | Ernie Els | -18 (270) | $5,250,000 | $945,000 |
| 2003 | Kenny Perry | -13 (275) | $5,000,000 | $900,000 |
| 2002 | Jim Furyk | -14 (274) | $4,500,000 | $900,000 |
| 2001 | Tiger Woods | -17 (271) | $4,100,000 | $738,000 |
| 2000 | Tiger Woods | -19 (269) | $3,100,000 | $558,000 |
| 1999 | Tiger Woods | -15 (273) | $2,550,000 | $459,000 |
| 1998 | Fred Couples | -17 (271) | $2,200,000 | $396,000 |
| 1997 | Vijay Singh | -14 (202) | $1,900,000 | $342,000 |
| 1996 | Tom Watson | -14 (274) | $1,800,000 | $324,000 |
| 1995 | Greg Norman | -19 (269) | $1,700,000 | $306,000 |
| 1994 | Tom Lehman | -20 (268) | $1,500,000 | $270,000 |
| 1993 | Paul Azinger | -14 (274) | $1,400,000 | $252,000 |
| 1992 | David Edwards | -15 (273) | $1,300,000 | $234,000 |
| 1991 | Kenny Perry | -15 (273) | $1,200,000 | $216,000 |
| 1990 | Greg Norman | E (216) | $1,000,000 | $180,000 |
| 1989 | Bob Tway | -11 (277) | $1,004,290 | $160,000 |
| 1988 | Curtis Strange | -14 (274) | $930,250 | $160,000 |
| 1987 | Don Pooley | -16 (272) | $849,290 | $140,000 |
| 1986 | Hal Sutton | -17 (271) | $577,730 | $100,000 |
| 1985 | Hale Irwin | -7 (281) | $579,230 | $100,000 |
| 1984 | Jack Nicklaus | -8 (280) | $565,500 | $90,000 |
| 1983 | Hale Irwin | -7 (281) | $430,000 | $72,000 |
| 1982 | Raymond Floyd | -7 (281) | $380,445 | $63,000 |
| 1981 | Keith Fergus | -4 (284) | $380,445 | $63,000 |
| 1980 | David Graham | -8 (280) | $354,485 | $54,000 |
| 1979 | Tom Watson | -3 (285) | $329,885 | $54,000 |
| 1978 | Jim Simons | -4 (284) | $259,960 | $50,000 |
| 1977 | Jack Nicklaus | -7 (281) | $238,260 | $45,000 |
| 1976 | Roger Maltbie | E (288) | $200,000 | $40,000 |