May 19, 2021
Dublin, Ohio – Officials of the Memorial Tournament presented by Nationwide announced today that the Tournament has accepted entries from former PGA Championship winner Justin Thomas and Columbus native Bo Hoag to compete in the premiere invitational Tournament hosted by golf legend Jack Nicklaus.
The pair of outstanding young golfers join an impressive list of players who previously committed to the 46th Memorial Tournament. That group includes major champions Rory McIlroy, Bryson DeChambeau, Adam Scott, Bubba Watson, Collin Morikawa, who is defending his PGA Championship title this week at Kiawah Island, S.C., and Hideki Matsuyama, the reigning Masters champion. DeChambeau, who won the U.S. Open last year, is a past winner, as is Matsuyama. Jon Rahm, the 2020 Memorial winner, also has committed to the 2021 Memorial Tournament, which is scheduled for May 31 – June 6 at newly redesigned Muirfield Village Golf.
Thomas, 28, has recorded 14 PGA TOUR victories since his debut 2015-16 season. He enjoyed a career 2016-2017 campaign, that included five titles, his first major at the 2017 PGA Championship, the FedExCup trophy, the Jack Nicklaus Award as the TOUR’s Player of the Year and the Arnold Palmer Award as the PGA TOUR’s leading money winner. He also joined Nicklaus, Spieth, Vijay Singh and Tiger Woods as the only players since 1960 to capture at least five wins in a season. Thomas backed up that epic performance with a three-win 2017-18 season and reached No. 1 in the world rankings for the first time. The Kentucky native has captured at least one victory each season since winning the 2016 CIMB Classic and added another multi-win season to his resume in 2019-20 with three victories. Thomas is one of only eight players in TOUR history – and the youngest at 23 years, 8 months, 14 days – to card an 18-hole score of 59 during competition, which he achieved in the opening round of the 2017 Sony Open in Hawaii at Waialae Country Club in Honolulu. Thomas has capitalized on his 14 starts this season, claiming five top-10 finishes, including a win at THE PLAYERS Championship, and sits not only at No. 2 in the world but also No. 2 in FedExCup points. He will be making his eighth start at the Memorial. His best result came in 2017, a tie for fourth place, and he grabbed another top-10 in 2018 with a T-8 effort. Thomas finished T-18 last year. His Tournament earnings total $776,395 and his scoring average at Muirfield Village Golf Club is 71.86.
Hoag is coming off a successful PGA TOUR rookie campaign that featured 13 made cuts over 22 starts, including his first-career top-10 finish with a T-9 outing at the Sony Open in Hawaii. He was one of eight rookies to qualify for the FedExCup Playoffs and ended the season No. 125 in the FedExCup standings. The 32-year-old Columbus native was a two-time first-team All-Big Ten selection at The Ohio State University before turning professional in 2011. Hoag will be making his third start at the Memorial, where his grandfather, Bob Hoag, was a co-chairman of the inaugural Tournament and a founding member of Muirfield Village Golf Club.
Before the 72-hole stroke-play competition begins on Thursday, June 3, patrons will be treated to a full slate of events scheduled for Wednesday, June 2, beginning with the Nationwide Invitational at the Memorial, the official Pro-Am of the Tournament, starting at 6:50 a.m. EDT. This event will feature the top players from the Tournament’s field of competitors and also will serve to highlight the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Patient Champion Program.
The Patient Champion Program is designed to recognize the strong spirit and resilience of young people who have overcome health challenges and serve as an inspiration to all. Ten Patient Champions from Nationwide Children’s Hospital will take center stage on Wednesday as they enjoy a full morning of VIP Tournament experiences. In addition to getting a front-row seat to watch PGA TOUR pros start their round, the Patient Champions will also have the opportunity to see special Nationwide guests and NFL greats Peyton Manning, Eli Manning, Larry Fitzgerald and Anthony Muñoz – all former winners of the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year (WPMOY) Award. Nationwide, which has been presenting the Memorial Tournament since 2011, is also the presenting sponsor of the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award, which honors a player for his work on the field and in the community. Two-time Super Bowl champion Peyton Manning, soon to be enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, will play in the Nationwide Invitational for the fifth time. Two-time Super Bowl champion Eli Manning and eleven-time Pro Bowler Larry Fitzgerald, players who shared 2016 WPMOY honors, will each participate in the Nationwide Invitational for the first time. Rounding out the roster of WPMOY winners is Anthony Muñoz, who returns for his second Nationwide Invitational. Also making his second appearance in the Tournament’s official pro-am as a guest of Nationwide is IndyCar Series star and Columbus native Graham Rahal.
In other Tournament news, the Memorial introduced today a new on-course destination which has been designed to recognize and honor our Ohio’s military service men and women. The Military Outpost presented by JobsOhio will be located along the 17th fairway and offer complimentary refreshments for all military¾active, reserve and veterans. The Outpost will be open Wednesday – Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. A military ID is required for entry.
In addition to partnering with the Memorial Tournament through the presentation of the Military Outpost, JobsOhio will also join the Tournament in hosting a Military Appreciation Brunch at the Memorial on Wednesday, June 2. The brunch will serve as a method to host a group of invited active service men and women and will feature an appearance by Jack and Barbara Nicklaus and 2021 Memorial Honoree Nick Price, with his wife Sue.
“The Memorial Tournament presented by Nationwide is proud to partner with JobsOhio to recognize and honor Ohio’s military service men and women,” said Tournament Executive Director Dan Sullivan. “The programs we are providing through the Appreciation Brunch and Military Outpost will provide an opportunity for many service men and women to enjoy the Memorial Tournament and interact with others within the military, and with those who support the military. We are looking forward to a great week.”
For more information about the Memorial Tournament presented by Nationwide, please visit thememorialtournament.com. For the latest news and updates on social media, follow the Tournament on Twitter and Instagram at @MemorialGolf and on Facebook at Facebook.com/theMemorialTournament.
About the Memorial Tournament presented by Nationwide
The Memorial Tournament presented by Nationwide is held annually at Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio, a suburb of Columbus. The Tournament, founded and hosted by Jack Nicklaus, is conducted each year with three goals in mind: to honor the memory of individuals living and deceased who have distinguished themselves in the game of golf; to showcase the world’s best golfers competing on one of the most challenging venues in the world for the enjoyment of spectators; and to benefit many Greater Columbus Charities in alliance with the Nicklaus Children’s Healthcare Foundation, Nationwide Children’s Hospital and numerous other local organizations. For more information, visit www.thememorialtournament.com or call 614-889-6700.
About Nationwide
Nationwide, a Fortune 100 company based in Columbus, Ohio, is one of the largest and strongest diversified insurance and financial services organizations in the United States. Nationwide is rated A+ by both A.M. Best and Standard & Poor’s. An industry leader in driving customer-focused innovation, Nationwide provides a full range of insurance and financial services products including auto, business, homeowners, farm and life insurance; public and private sector retirement plans, annuities and mutual funds; excess & surplus, specialty and surety; pet, motorcycle and boat insurance. For more information, visit www.nationwide.com. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
COURTESY MEMORIAL TOURNAMENT COMMUNICATIONS
