Jack Nicklaus has never been one to waste time. Each year The Memorial, Jack’s tournament chooses one former player to honor, with the week being themed around that personality.
This year, that honoree, chosen by the Captains Club, was all-time Aussie great Greg Norman. Before Jason Dufner’s final putt fell on Sunday, marking his fifth career victory and first Memorial triumph, the Captains Club announced that the 2018 inductee would be Hall of Famer Hale Irwin.
Bullets
- Irwin was a two-sport college star, playing both golf and football for the University of Colorado, but ultimately decided to focus on golf.
- Irwin’s first PGA Tour start was at the 1971 Sea Pines Heritage Classic at Harbour Town Golf Links, the first golf course designed by Jack Nicklaus.
- Irwin’s 20 career victories included two Memorial championships (1983 and 1985).
- Irwin won the U.S. Open three times, becoming the oldest winner of the tournament in 1990 at 45 years old.
- Irwin played on five U.S. Ryder Cup teams, and captained the 1994 U.S. Presidents Cup team.
- Irwin is the Champions Tour all-time leader in wins with 45.
- Also being honored will be Jock Hutchison, a man with 14 career PGA Tour victories, including the 1921 Open Championship, where he became the first American to win the Claret Jug.
- Hutchison is a PGA Hall of Famer and was one of the original “honorary starters” at The Masters.
- The third man being honored will be Willie Turnesa, considered to be one of the greatest amateur players in golf history. He won the U.S. Amateur twice and the British Amateur once.
Quotable
“The whole fact that Jack established this tournament to recognize some of golf’s notable figures means everything. Jack and Barbara are very near and dear to me. I have a hard time putting myself in that category with the greats of the past, so I am absolutely delighted.”
–Hale Irwin
