Muirfield Village Golf Club, located in Dublin, Ohio, was established by golf legend Jack Nicklaus in 1974. The course was built on 220 acres of land that Nicklaus purchased in 1966, an area he knew well from childhood hunting trips with his father.

Construction began in July 1972 and completed in October 1973. The course was named after Muirfield, Scotland, where Nicklaus won his first British Open in 1966. Originally 6,978 yards with 77 bunkers and 11 water hazards, today it spans 7,221 yards with 71 bunkers while maintaining the 11 water features.

The course officially opened on Memorial Day 1974 with an exhibition match between Jack Nicklaus and Tom Weiskopf, where Nicklaus set the initial course record of 66.

The Memorial Tournament, first held in 1976, was created by Nicklaus to be a prestigious event similar to The Masters. Roger Maltbie won the inaugural tournament, while Nicklaus himself won it twice (1977 and 1984). Other multiple winners include:

• Tiger Woods (5 wins)
• Kenny Perry (3 wins)
• Hale Irwin, Greg Norman, Tom Watson, and Peter Cantlay (2 wins each)

The Memorial Tournament is one of only five PGA Tour events with "invitational" status, limiting the field to 120 players instead of the usual 156. Qualification criteria include:

• Major championship winners from the past 5 years or pre-1997
• Tournament winners from the previous year
• U.S. or British Amateur champions from prior year
• Top 50 in Official World Golf Rankings

The tournament also honors golf legends annually with a plaque ceremony near the clubhouse and contributes significantly to charitable causes, particularly Nationwide Children's Hospital.

Muirfield Village remains Nicklaus's most celebrated course design and hosts what many consider the PGA Tour's "fifth major."

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