The Spotlight Dublin Award is annually presented by the Dublin Chamber of Commerce to recognize a person, place or thing that brings positive attention to Dublin.
Previous honorees include Jack Nicklaus (the first to receive the award in 1985), Jack Hanna, Bobby Rahal, Dave Thomas, Dublin Irish Festival and the Dublin Art Council’s Art in Public Places program.
The Memorial Tournament presented by Workday has been a fabric of the Dublin community since its inception in 1976.
The Tournament, founded and hosted by golf legend and Columbus native Jack Nicklaus, is conducted each year with three goals in mind: to honor 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 the community and many charitable organizations in Greater Columbus and beyond. 2026 marks the 50th anniversary of the Memorial Tournament!
With thousands of fans annually descending on Muirfield Village Golf Club and Dublin, Ohio for the Memorial, the official PGA TOUR Signature Event provides a significant boost to the local economy and exposure for the region. From hotels, to restaurants, retail shops, parks and more, Dublin takes center stage when the best golfers on TOUR arrive for the Memorial Tournament.
The Memorial’s impact extends well beyond the fans who visit in person. For an entire week, Dublin is broadcast on a global stage with exposure providing more than 18 hours of live Memorial Tournament network television coverage. That combined with 44 partners broadcasting Tournament programming in 200+ countries and territories representing 5,000+ hours of live Tournament coverage available in 27 languages translates into a total reach of over 400 million households each year.
While the centerpiece of the event is world-class competition on the golf course and international attention brought to Dublin, Ohio, the Memorial Tournament is also a platform for bringing the community together, and it’s been that way from the beginning.
Whether fans are attending the Memorial in person or enjoying the Dublin community, there’s always something to experience, leading up to, and, during Tournament week.
Key endeavors by the Memorial Tournament to engage community members include: the Fore! Miler presented by The Ohio State Wexner Medical Center and The James, a four-mile run/walk that begins and ends at Muirfield Village Golf Club with a route through Dublin; Fore!Fest, a street and music festival at Bridge Park; interactive activities and displays at Riverside Crossing Park; the Memorial Tournament Drone Show; an official Memorial Tournament Golf Shop at Bridge Park; Tournament brand recognition throughout Dublin; Volunteer Packet Pick-up at The Exchange; Bears For Children’s at The Dublin Market, The Dublin Cup–Play 9, and more.
True to the hearts of Jack and Barbara Nicklaus, philanthropic initiatives have also been a core focus for the Memorial Tournament from its beginning. The 2025 edition of the Memorial raised over $5.3 million for charitable organizations in Central Ohio and beyond, including more than $5 million for the Memorial’s primary beneficiaries, Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Stephen and Ayesha Curry’s Eat. Learn. Play. Foundation and the Nicklaus Children’s Health Care Foundation. Since its inception, the Memorial has eclipsed $60 million in donations to charity, with over $45 million going to Nationwide Children’s.
The Memorial’s long-standing history of charitable giving in central Ohio and beyond is exemplified by the Tournament’s dedicated and selfless volunteer corps of over 3,200 strong, including residents’ and businesses from Dublin and across Columbus. They are an essential ingredient in making the Memorial Tournament one of the top stops on the PGA TOUR.
The Memorial Tournament also provides a unique setting for business development and networking for local, national and international corporations to form and strengthen relationships onsite during Tournament week. Corporate support, including Dublin-based companies, is instrumental to the Memorial’s ability to give back to charity and the community.