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April 07, 2011

JUSTIN ROSE TO DEFEND FIRST PGA TOUR TITLE - Bubba Watson and Rory McIlroy top early Commitments

Dublin, Ohio (April 7, 2011) – Officials of the Memorial Tournament presented by Nationwide Insurance announced today that Justin Rose has committed to returning to Muirfield Village Golf Club to defend his 2011 title. In addition, the Memorial has accepted early commitments from PGA TOUR rising star Bubba Watson and international sensation Rory McIlroy to compete in the 36th edition of the prestigious invitational Tournament hosted by golfing legend Jack Nicklaus.

The Memorial Tournament presented by Nationwide Insurance is May 30 - June 5.

Rose is coming off a breakthrough year in 2010 in which he won the first two PGA TOUR events of his career at the Memorial Tournament presented by Nationwide Insurance and AT&T National. On strength of that performance, Rose pocketed a career-best $3.6 million and ranked ninth on the 2010 PGA TOUR money list. So far in 2011, he has recorded three top-10 finishes in eight starts, including a third-place finish at last week’s Arnold Palmer Invitational. He is currently No. 24 in the world rankings. Rose’s victory at the Memorial vaulted him into sixth place on the Tournament’s official money list with more than $1.8 million and he is tied with Ernie Els for fifth in scoring average with 71.00

With two top-10 finishes in eight events, including his second career PGA TOUR victory in January at the Farmers Insurance Open, Watson currently ranks ninth in earnings with more than $1.7 million. He is ranked second in both driving distance (310.7 average) and greens in regulation (73.33 percent). He also ranks eighth on the 2011 FedExCup points list and is No. 17 in the world rankings. Watson enjoyed a career year in 2010, posting his first victory on TOUR at the Travelers Championship. He finished 2010 with a career-best $3,198,998 and made his first Ryder Cup appearance for the U.S. at Celtic Manor in Wales. Watson will be making his sixth trip to Muirfield Village Golf Club, where he will try to improve upon his 72.22 scoring average. His best finish is T-23 in 2007 and 2009.

European Tour member McIlroy burst onto the U.S. scene in 2010 with five top-10 finishes, including his first PGA TOUR victory at the Wells Fargo Championship. In just 16 TOUR events he earned more than $2.5 million and capped off the year with his first Ryder Cup appearance for Europe. The 22-year-old Northern Irishman turned professional in 2007, and in 2009 he recorded his first-career win at the Dubai Desert Classic on the European Tour. So far in 2011, McIlroy has one top-10 finish in three events on the PGA TOUR and is currently No. 9 in the world rankings. He posted a T-10 finish in his first visit to the Memorial Tournament in 2010 in route to a 69.75 scoring average.

In additional news, the Official Tournament Pro-Am will return after a three-year absence from the Tournament’s schedule of events. This fan favorite anchors a day of great golf on Wednesday, June 1, and replaces the Memorial Skins Game.

The Pro-Am, newly titled Nationwide Invitational at the Memorial, will feature the top 18 professionals from the Tournament’s field of competitors. Each foursome will be comprised of one professional and three amateurs. Wednesday’s Nationwide Invitational at the Memorial is an 18-hole event with a shotgun start beginning at 11:30 a.m.

All-week Patron Badges to the 2011 Memorial Tournament are available to the general public. The badges, valid May 30 – June 5, cost $155 and include a complimentary Wednesday Practice Round ticket at no extra cost. As always, kids 12 and under can attend for free and kids 18 and under are admitted free on Wednesday for Junior Golf Day. The public may call the Tournament Ticket Office 9 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays at 877-MT BADGE or visit www.thememorialtournament.com to purchase badges. Daily tickets for Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday practice rounds are also available. The cost is $30, and they are valid for all three practice-round days.