Golf Tournaments & Events

The Memorial Tournament, Major Championships & More

Columbus, Ohio is home to some of the most notable golf tournaments and championships in the game. From the annual Memorial Tournament to historic editions of the Ryder Cup, Solheim Cup, U.S. Open and more, Columbus has built a legacy as one of America’s premier golf destinations.

Annual Events

Upcoming & Historic Events

Annual Golf Events in Columbus

The Memorial Tournament at Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio

The Memorial Tournament

When: May/June

The Memorial Tournament has been a staple of the PGA Tour schedule for five decades. Played at Muirfield Village Golf Club, it was founded by Jack Nicklaus in 1976 after he set out to design a course and host a tournament in his hometown of Columbus.

In recent years, the Memorial has become an invitational with a 72-player field, adding even more prestige to one of the PGA Tour’s signature events.

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Nationwide Children's Championship at Ohio State University Golf Club Scarlet Course in Columbus, Ohio

Nationwide Children’s Championship

When: September

Hosted at The Ohio State University Golf Club’s Scarlet Course, the Nationwide Children’s Championship has been part of the Korn Ferry Tour since 2007. In recent years, it has served as a playoff event in the Korn Ferry Tour Finals, bringing rising stars to Columbus each fall.

Several past winners have gone on to successful PGA Tour careers, including Scottie Scheffler and Justin Thomas. With free admission, it’s one of the best opportunities to watch high-level golf in Columbus.

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U.S. Open Final Qualifier golf event in Columbus, Ohio

U.S. Open Final Qualifier

When: June

Often called “the longest day in golf,” the U.S. Open Final Qualifier is one of the sport’s most dramatic annual traditions. Players compete in 36 holes in a single day for the final spots in the U.S. Open field.

Columbus regularly hosts one of these final qualifiers following the Memorial Tournament, giving fans a chance to see top players fight for a spot in one of golf’s biggest championships. In recent years, players including Rickie Fowler, Max Homa and Cameron Young have competed in Central Ohio.

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Upcoming & Historic Golf Events in Columbus

Columbus has hosted some of the biggest championships and international competitions in golf history. From majors at Scioto Country Club to team events at Muirfield Village Golf Club, these tournaments helped cement the city’s reputation on the global golf stage.

U.S. Open

Scioto Country Club hosted the U.S. Open in 1926. Bobby Jones won the championship just two weeks after capturing the British Open.

As golfers gear up for the modern U.S. Open, Columbus’ edition from a century ago remains one of the city’s most notable major-championship moments.

Championship Comparison:

2026:

Yardage: 7,434 yards (2026)
Par: 72
Field Size: 156
Purse: $21,500,000

1926:

Yardage: 6,736 yards
Par: 70
Field Size: 148
Purse: $2,000

PGA Championship

Columbus has hosted the PGA Championship twice: first in 1950 at Scioto Country Club and again in 1964 at Columbus Country Club.

1950 at Scioto Country Club
Won by Chandler Harper, the event was contested in match play and featured 12 rounds over seven days.

Harper’s path to victory:

Quarterfinals: 1 up vs. Lloyd Mangrum
Semifinals: 2 & 1 vs. Jimmy Demaret
Final: 4 & 3 vs. Henry Williams Jr.

1964 at Columbus Country Club
By 1964, the PGA Championship had become a stroke-play event. Bobby Nichols won his first and only major, finishing three strokes ahead of Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus. His score of 271 stood as the tournament record until 1994.

Ryder Cup

Columbus has hosted the Ryder Cup twice, first at Scioto Country Club in 1931 and later at Muirfield Village Golf Club in 1987.

1931 at Scioto Country Club
Walter Hagen captained Team USA to a 9–3 victory over Team Great Britain in the third-ever Ryder Cup.

Notable Team USA players included:

Horton Smith, winner of the first Masters in 1934
Gene Sarazen, seven-time major winner
Leo Diegel, member of the first four Ryder Cup teams

1987 at Muirfield Village
With Jack Nicklaus serving as non-playing U.S. captain, Team Europe defeated Team USA 15–13. Notable European players included Seve Ballesteros, Nick Faldo, Bernhard Langer and Sandy Lyle.

Solheim Cup

The fifth edition of the Solheim Cup was contested at Muirfield Village Golf Club in 1998.

Team USA featured several Ohio connections, including Somerset’s Tammie Green and Ohio State alumnae Meg Mallon and Rosie Jones. Team USA won 16–12 over Team Europe.

Annika Sörenstam was one of Team Europe’s standout players, scoring four points in defeat.

Presidents Cup

In 2013, Muirfield Village Golf Club became the only course in the world to host the Ryder Cup, Solheim Cup and Presidents Cup.

Fred Couples captained Team USA, which featured eight players ranked inside the world’s top 15. With help from Tiger Woods, the Americans defeated the International Team 18.5–15.5.

Jason Day was a standout for the International Team, posting a 3-1-1 record.

U.S. Amateur

Scioto Country Club hosted the U.S. Amateur in 1968 and is scheduled to host it again in 2036.

The 1968 championship was won by Bruce Fleisher, who later went on to be low amateur at the 1969 Masters.

U.S. Senior Open

Scioto Country Club will host the U.S. Senior Open for the third time in 2026, following previous editions in 1986 and 2016.

Columbus native and former Ohio State and NBA shooting guard Michael Redd will serve as honorary chair for the 2026 championship. Tickets are on sale now, starting at $45 for the July 2–5 event.

Learn more about the 2026 U.S. Senior Open

Past champions in Columbus: