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May 22, 2012

Past winners of the Memorial Tournament presented by Nationwide Insurance (Ernie Els, Jim Furyk, Justin Rose and Vijay Singh) join field

Officials of the Memorial Tournament presented by Nationwide Insurance announced today that Ernie Els, Jim Furyk, Justin Rose and Vijay Singh each will vie for his second title during the 37^th playing of the prestigious invitational Tournament hosted by golfing legend Jack Nicklaus.

Also joining the field during Tournament week May 28-June 3 will be Columbus native and former Ohio State standout Bo Hoag.  

Els, 42, will be making his 19^th consecutive appearance at the Memorial. He has recorded six top-10 finishes at Muirfield Village Golf Club and shares the Tournament record for fewest total putts with John Mallinger and Joe Ogilvie at 100. He is ranked No. 6 at the Memorial in scoring average (minimum of 10 rounds) at 71.09 and No. 4 in earnings with just under $2 million. Els won the 2004 Memorial, and in 2000 the three-time major champion finished tied for second with Justin Leonard, coming up five strokes shy of winner Tiger Woods.

In 11 starts this season, Els has three top-10 finishes and is ranked No. 44 in the World, No. 23 in FedExCup Points and No. 26 on the PGA TOUR money list with more than $1.4 million. His PGA TOUR resume boasts 18 career titles, including the 1994 and 1997 U.S. Open Championships and the 2002 British Open at Muirfield, Scotland. He has been a member of seven International Presidents Cup teams (1996, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2007, 2009 and 2011), and in May 2011 he was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame.

2010 FedExCup champion Furyk, 42, has posted two top-10 finishes this year, including a runner-up outing at the Transitions Championship, losing in a playoff to Luke Donald. With more than $1.2 million in earnings, Furyk is ranked No. 31 on the PGA TOUR money list and is currently No. 29 in FedExCup points and No. 41 in the world. Furyk has recorded 16 career PGA TOUR victories, including the 2002 Memorial and 2003 U.S. Open Championship. He has been a member of seven U.S. Presidents Cup teams (1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009 and 2011) and seven U.S. Ryder Cup teams (1997, 1999, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008 and 2010).

Furyk has recorded five top-10 finishes in 16 appearances at the Memorial, winning the coveted trophy in 2002. He ranks No. 3 in both scoring average at 70.90 and earnings with more than $2.2 million at Muirfield Village Golf Club.                                                                                                                                                                                  

On strength of four top-10 finishes, including his fourth career PGA TOUR title at the World Golf Championships-Cadillac Championship, in 10 starts, Rose, 31, is ranked No. 10 in both FedExCup points and in the world rankings. He is also ranked No. 9 on the PGA TOUR money list with more than $2.3 million. Rose has posted at least one victory each of the past three seasons since recording his breakthrough win on the PGA TOUR at the 2010 Memorial.

Rose ranks in the top-10 in the Memorial Tournament in both scoring average, No.10 at 71.17, and earnings, No. 6 with more than $1.8 million. He has posted three top-10 finishes in seven appearances.

World Golf Hall of Fame member, Singh, 49, has amassed an impressive 34 PGA TOUR victories, including three major championships at the 1998 and 2004 PGA Championships and the Masters Tournament in 2000. Fiji’s only world-class golfer has also won 22 international titles and has been a member of eight Presidents Cup teams (1994, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2007 and 2009). Through 12 events this season Singh has recorded one top-10 finish.

In 19 appearances at the Memorial Tournament, Singh has six top-10 finishes to go with his 1997 victory. He is ranked No. 4 in Tournament scoring average at 70.94 and No. 8 on the money list with more than $1.5 million in earnings. 

Hoag, a product of Upper Arlington, Ohio, is receiving a sponsor exemption and making his first appearance at the Memorial. He will work to improve upon his first PGA TOUR outing at the 2012 Honda Classic where he missed the cut. In 2011, Hoag finished 106th at the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Invitational on the Nationwide Tour. Hoag was named to the PING All-Midwest Region team by the Golf Coaches Association of America during his senior season in 2010 at The Ohio State University. The two-time First Team All-Big Ten selection finished his senior campaign tied for first on the Buckeye squad with a 72.63 stroke average and had a team-best 12 rounds under par. His seven rounds in the 60s were second on the team.

To inquire about availability for all-week Patron Badges to the 2012 Memorial Tournament presented by Nationwide Insurance, please call the Tournament Ticket Office 9 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays at (877) MT BADGE (877-682-2343). Memorial Tournament badges, valid May 28-June 3, 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. Daily tickets for Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday practice rounds cost $30, and are valid for all three practice-round days.

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