Jack Nicklaus may have been right. Golden Bear stated last month that it was “a very strong possibility” in 2024 for the Memorial Tournament to move one week earlier on the PGA Tour calendar, from June 6-9.
The Toronto Star reported the Canadian Open will swap places with the Memorial. This means the event Nicklaus started in 1976, which is currently played in the week prior to the U.S. Open (June), would start later than ever. Not counting the 2020 tournament, when COVID-19 moved it into July. The Memorial at Muirfield Village Golf Club, Dublin, Ohio will be played outside of Memorial Day week for the first 20 years.
The Star reported that the Canadian Open, which currently takes place in the Memorial’s current slot of May 30 to June 2 will be held from this date.
Nicklaus spoke out about the possibility of schedule changes before the Memorial’s final round this year. He said he wasn’t thrilled that his tournament would be the opener for the U.S. Open.
He said, “I’d prefer to remain where we are.” “I do not like being in the week leading up to the Open but I can understand it if they are trying to improve the tour.”
The Tour is looking to group together designated events like the Memorial that have higher purses. This is partly because top players are seeking a more fluid schedule, which means as many designated tournaments as possible back-to-back. The Memorial, the U.S. Open, and possibly the Travelers Championship would all be designated events that are played in succession.
Andy Pazder is the chief tournament and competition officer of the PGA Tour. He said that in June, the Tour was sensitive to the concerns raised by non-designated events who worry about being overshadowed or crowded out by larger-money events. The goal is to avoid siloing these full-field events. The Memorial would be able to accommodate two or three events that are not designated – Canada, Colonial and Detroit and Houston or Detroit – over successive weeks.
