Stephen and Ayesha Curry’s Eat. Learn. Play. recognized as collaborating charitable partner alongside Nationwide Children's Hospital and Nicklaus Children’s Health Care Foundation
Media Day at the Memorial: (pictured from left to right) J.P. Nauseef, JobsOhio, President and CEO, Tim Robinson, Nationwide Children’s Hospital, CEO, Aneel Bhusri, Workday, co-founder, co-CEO, and Chairman, Dan Sullivan, the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday, Executive Director, and Chris Helfrich, Eat. Learn. Play. Foundation, CEO.
Military Outpost presented by JobsOhio returns to anchor “Salute to Service” initiatives taking place during Tournament week
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Columbus, OH – May 17, 2022 – Officials of the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday announced today that the Tournament has accepted the entry of four-time major championship winner and two-time FedExCup champion Rory McIlroy to compete in 2022 Memorial Tournament.
McIlroy will be joined at the 47th edition of the prestigious invitational hosted by golfing legend Jack Nicklaus by fellow Workday brand ambassadors Matt Kuchar, winner of the 2013 Memorial Tournament, Matt Fitzpatrick, seven-time winner on the European Tour, and Brandt Snedeker, 2012 FedExCup champion.
These latest commitments strengthen the Memorial’s world-class field that now features five of the top-10 players in the Official World Golf Ranking, including 2020 Memorial Tournament winner Jon Rahm (2), Collin Morikawa (3), Cameron Smith (4), defending and two-time Memorial winner Patrick Cantlay (5), and McIlroy (7).
The Memorial Tournament presented by Workday is May 30–June 5 at the world-renowned Muirfield Village Golf Club.
McIlroy, a three-time winner of the Jack Nicklaus Award as PGA TOUR Player of the Year, will make his 11th start at the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday. He has finished inside the top-10 on four occasions, with his best outing coming in 2016 when he tied for fourth place. His scoring average at Muirfield Village Golf Club is 71.08 to go with career earnings of 1,257,584.50 after a T-18 finish in 2021. In his 2021-22 season debut, McIlroy won The CJ Cup @ SUMMIT by one stroke over Morikawa, becoming the 39th player in PGA TOUR history to reach 20-career victories. McIlroy sits at No. 7 in the Official World Golf Ranking and 13th in FedExCup points on the strength of four top-10s over seven starts this season, including a second-place effort at the Masters Tournament, his seventh career top-10 at Augusta National Golf Club. McIlroy’s four major championship wins include the 2011 U.S. Open, 2012 PGA Championship, and The Open and a second PGA title in 2014. The 33-year-old from Northern Ireland has recorded a PGA TOUR victory in 11 of 13 seasons, recording multiple wins in five of those years. McIlroy is sixth in PGA TOUR career earnings, with $61,895,095 since turning professional in 2007.
Kuchar claimed the 2013 Memorial Tournament by two shots over Kevin Chappell and finished the week ranked first in greens in regulation, first in sand saves and second in putting. This year will mark the Florida native’s 17th start at the Memorial, where he has collected $3,380,737.16 in career earnings, third highest in Tournament history, and hold a scoring average of 70.46. Kuchar was forced to withdraw from last year’s Memorial during the first round due to a left forearm injury, but he still went on to qualify for the FedExCup Playoffs for the 15th consecutive season, becoming one of six players to do so in each season of the FedExCup era. He has secured three top-10 finishes over 14 starts during his 2021-22 campaign, with a T-3 at the RBC Heritage and T-2 finish at the Valero Texas Open among them. The 43-year-old is currently No. 78 in the Official World Golf Ranking and No. 39 in FedExCup standings. Including the Memorial Tournament, Kuchar’s nine-career PGA TOUR wins are highlighted by THE PLAYERS Championship and the World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship. He has been a member of five Presidents Cup teams and five Ryder Cup teams, four as a player and serving as a vice captain for 2002 Memorial Tournament winner Jim Furyk in the 2018 Ryder Cup in Paris, France.
Fitzpatrick, 27, has finished in the top-10 on the PGA TOUR 20 times since turning professional in 2014, with five of those taking place this season, including a T-2 finish at the Wells Fargo Championship earlier this month. The Sheffield, England, native’s best Memorial Tournament finish came in 2020 when he finished third and led the field in scrambling (19/26). Other notable career performances for Fitzpatrick include a second-place finish at the 2019 Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard and seven international victories, counting back-to-back wins on the European Tour at the Omega European Masters in 2017 and 2018. Fitzpatrick is currently ranked No. 17 in the world and No. 36 in the FedExCup points. The two-time European Ryder Cup team member has a 72.30 career scoring average at the Memorial Tournament and has earned $660,082.00 in his three starts at Muirfield Village Golf Club. Fitzpatrick missed the cut by one shot in 2021 after opening rounds of 75-72.
Snedeker, 41, has claimed nine-career PGA TOUR victories since turning professional in 2004. A native of Nashville, Tennessee, Snedeker owns two multi-win seasons during his career, the first in 2012 that culminated in winning the FedExCup. Snedeker has entered 16 events this season, highlighted by two top-20 finishes. The 2007 PGA TOUR Rookie of the Year and his wife Mandy founded The Snedeker Foundation in 2012 to help serve charities in middle Tennessee. In 2017, their foundation became the primary beneficiary of an official Korn Ferry Tour event, the Simmons Bank Open for The Snedeker Foundation. Today they have raised more than $1 million for charities in the region. Snedeker will be making his seventh start at this year’s Memorial Tournament presented by Workday, his first appearance since 2013. His scoring average is 74.17 and he will be looking to make his first cut at Muirfield Village Golf Club.
In additional news, the Memorial Tournament released today the details surrounding the official PGA TOUR event’s enhanced philanthropic model.
The 2022 Memorial Tournament presented by Workday marks the inaugural year in which Stephen and Ayesha Curry's Oakland-based Eat. Learn. Play. Foundation is recognized by the Tournament as a charity beneficiary.
Eat. Learn. Play. will receive general support from the Memorial and is being recognized as a collaborating charitable partner alongside Nationwide Children's Hospital and Nicklaus Children’s Health Care Foundation. In addition to the longstanding support the Memorial Tournament provides to Nationwide Children’s, in part, this year’s proceeds will benefit Nationwide Children’s programs and services that share the mission focus of Eat. Learn. Play., which includes fighting to end childhood hunger, improving literacy and access to quality education, and providing safe places for all children to play and be active.
“In our inaugural year as the Memorial Tournament’s presenting sponsor, Workday is honored to further support the Nicklaus family’s extraordinary legacy in giving back to children and families,” said Aneel Bhusri, co-founder, co-CEO, and chairman, Workday. “The Tournament provides an amazing opportunity to further expand our efforts to give back to the community in partnership with Eat. Learn. Play., Nationwide Children’s Hospital, and Nicklaus Children’s Health Care Foundation, and it brings together the best in golf, including several of our Workday brand ambassadors.”
By welcoming Eat. Learn. Play., the following Nationwide Children’s programs have been identified to benefit from the Memorial Tournament’s proceeds, in addition to the Tournament’s annual charitable contributions.
EAT—The Linden Fresh Market and Charitable Pharmacy – Linden Area Focus Program
The Linden Fresh Market is one of the largest points of distribution of free food anywhere in central Ohio and one of the 20 largest locations in the entire country. It is also a resource hub for community members that offers job training, Play Streets programming and social determinants of health screenings. Funding will support expenses related to these offerings including supplies and services provided.
LEARN— Supporting Partnerships to Assure Ready Kids (SPARK) and Reach Out and Read (ROR)
SPARK: A home visiting model with a focus on kindergarten readiness (ages 3 and 4). The Parent Partner helps the parent engage the child in a lesson that was developed around Ohio state standards and is designed to provide a school readiness advantage. SPARK also conducts developmental screenings, provides referrals and linkages to community resources, and offers group-based learning opportunities.
ROR: A partnership with primary care nurse practitioners and doctors where the reading of age-appropriate, culturally sensitive books “is prescribed” during all well child checks from 6 months to 5 years, a period in which most children see their pediatrician at least 10 times. Literacy assessments and developmental screenings are included in the program.
PLAY—Play Strong
Play Strong is a program that guides participants to create healthy habits at home through “play.” Children participate in games, field trips and exercise to encourage better and sustainable habits. The program is on-track to support 700 kids this year through diverse and engaging activities.
“It’s such an honor for Eat. Learn. Play. to be a charitable beneficiary of the Memorial Tournament,” said Chris Helfrich, CEO of Eat. Learn. Play. “While the Memorial celebrates the game of golf, it also does a tremendous job in supporting children and families in need. We’re excited to join forces with Nationwide Children’s Hospital to expand our programming focused on food security, literacy, and play equity to the Columbus area. This is just the beginning of our work, and we look forward to the journey ahead.”
“We are grateful to Workday for presenting the 2022 Memorial Tournament,” said Tim Robinson, Chief Executive Officer, Nationwide Children’s Hospital. “This event is vital for raising funds and awareness that benefit the mission at Nationwide Children’s. All of the support from the athletes, organizers, event professionals, and volunteers, help our physicians, researchers and staff work towards a healthier tomorrow for children everywhere. We are also excited to be a collaborating partner with Stephen and Ayesha Curry and their Eat. Learn. Play. Foundation, a respected organization that shares our dedication to fighting childhood hunger, improving literacy and education, and providing safe places for children to play.”
The Tournament also announced today the return of the Military Outpost presented by JobsOhio. This on-course destination, which has been designed to recognize and honor Ohio’s military service men and women, has been moved to a new location along the 13th fairway and offers complimentary refreshments for all military¾active, reserve and veterans. The Outpost will be open Wednesday, June 1 – Sunday, June 5, 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 1 in association with the Tournament’s Salute to Service Day. 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 2022 Memorial Honoree Ben Crenshaw, with his wife Julie.
Salute to Service Day provides complimentary access (up to four tickets) to the Memorial Tournament on June 1 and is open to all active, retired, reserve, veteran military personnel, Ohio National Guard, Gold Star Families along with federal, state and local law enforcement officers and Fire Fighters/EMS. For more information visit, https://www.thememorialtournament.com/tickets/salute-to-service/.
“The Memorial Tournament presented by Workday is proud to once again partner with JobsOhio to recognize and honor Ohio’s military service men and women,” said Tournament Executive Director Dan Sullivan. “The programs we are offering 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.”
To purchase remaining badge options for the 2022 Memorial Tournament presented by Workday, the public may visitwww.memorialbadges.com or call the Tournament Ticket Office 9 a.m.-5 p.m. EDT weekdays at 877-MT BADGE (877-682-2343). Free Junior tickets are available in advance with a valid badge purchase or at all entry gates during Tournament week for kids 18 and under (must be accompanied by a ticketed adult). Any Day Practice Round tickets are available in packs of three. The cost is $45 and each ticket provides single-day practice-round access to the Tournament grounds Monday, May 30, Tuesday, May 31, or Wednesday, June 1.
For more information about the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday, 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.
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About the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday
The Memorial Tournament presented by Workday 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 Health Care Foundation, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Eat. Learn. Play. and numerous other local organizations. For more information, visit www.thememorialtournament.com or call 614-889-6700.
About Workday
Workday is a leading provider of enterprise cloud applications for finance and human resources, helping customers adapt and thrive in a changing world. Workday applications for financial management, human resources, planning, spend management, and analytics have been adopted by thousands of organizations around the world and across industries—from medium-sized businesses to more than 50% of the Fortune 500. For more information about Workday, visit workday.com.
About Eat. Learn. Play.
Eat. Learn. Play. Foundation is an organization dedicated to unleashing the potential of every child, paving the way for amazing kids and opening doors to bright futures. Founded by Stephen and Ayesha Curry in 2019, Eat. Learn. Play. launched with a focus on improving the lives of kids and families in Oakland, the Bay Area and across the country. Rooted in three of the most vital pillars for a healthy childhood—nutrition, education and physical activity—Eat. Learn. Play. is working to ensure that every child in Oakland has access to the nutritious food they need to be healthy and thrive; resources to learn and love to read; and safe places and equitable opportunities to play. The organization, which is anchored around the message that children are our future, is committed to developing partnerships and initiatives that make a positive impact for generations to come.
CONTACTS:
Thomas P. Sprouse
Director of Communications,
the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday
E: tsprouse@thememorialtournament.com
O: 614-889-6791
C: 614-519-1873
Eat. Learn. Play.
Tom Dietz
E: tdietz@id-pr.com | C: 303-506-2228
Stephen Baruch
E: sbaruch@id-pr.com | C: 631-388-1367