All-time golf great Jack Nicklaus spoke to reporters in Dublin, Ohio, Tuesday about the Memorial Tournament being moved back a week this year, and he didn’t sound too pleased. Jack expressed his concern over the Memorial being moved to just a week before the U.S. Open, and the fact that many players could choose to skip the event.
This is understandable, as players generally take at least a week off before a major to fine-tune their games. Jack Nicklaus stated that when he was playing, he would have probably skipped any tournament held the week before a major:
“Let’s put it this way. When I played, I would rarely play a week before any major championship,” Nicklaus said. “So, I’m asked to be part of putting on a golf tournament in a week that I would never play. That, to me, is the essential part from my standpoint.”
Jack Nicklaus Says Move Will Also Affect Attendance
The Golden Bear also expressed his concern about the move affecting attendance, as the tournament is usually held the week after Memorial Day. Nicklaus indicated that the calendar change would affect overall attendance, saying:
“Yesterday was normally a very big day gallery-wise for us because it was Memorial Day, and we had maybe a thousand people here yesterday,” he explained. “From the sponsor’s standpoint, I think that they get into board meetings and kids’ graduations and so forth. So, that’s maybe not as advantageous.”
Nicklaus Hopes Schedule Change Will Be Temporary
While Jack Nicklaus didn’t mince words about the effect the schedule change would have on his tournament, he indicated that he and the PGA Tour had agreed to make the change to accommodate the Tour’s new Signature Events, of which the Memorial is one. These eight events feature smaller fields, $20 million purses, and 700 FedEx Cup points to the winner.
When asked about the agreement he made with the PGA Tour, Nicklaus expressed his desire for the Memorial Tournament to return to its original spot in the PGA Tour schedule going forward, saying,
“We’re going to have a good tournament this week either way, in spite of all the different things. And, as I say, we did that as a favor, and the tour asked us to do that, and we said yes,” Nicklaus said. “So, we’ve always been a supporter of the tour. We want to try to continue to support what is best for the tour, but we also want to support what’s best for the Memorial Tournament. So that is to be determined.”
Regardless of the schedule change, the Memorial Tournament will undoubtedly still be exciting. Jack Nicklaus tends to set Muirfield Village up like a U.S. Open for his tournament, with 6-8 inch rough and relentless pin placements. With so much at stake this week, big names like Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy, and Xander Schauffele will still be teeing it up. And with what will surely be major-esque conditions at Muirfield, it could be that a tough week at Jack’s Place will be just the tune-up they all need.
About the Author
Andrew Lazzara is a New Orleans native, lifelong Saints fan, golfer, and father of three. He writes for Total Apex about sports, entertainment, and gaming. Andrew writes for Total Apex Sports about the Saints, the NFL in general, and the world of golf. For Total Apex Entertainment, he writes about movies, TV, music, and entertainment news. Andrew writes for Total Apex Gaming about the gaming industry, new technology, and game strategy. Follow Andrew on X @Andrew_Lazzara and to see more of his work, click here.
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