Memorial Tourney’s Previous Winners to Compete This Year

All eight of the former Memorial Tournament victors, including founder Jack Nicklaus, will be on hand when the 1985 tourney gets under way.

Pandel Suvic, general chairman of the May 23-26 competition, said that Nicklaus, the only two-time winner with titles in 1977 and 1984, will be joined by former winners Roger Maltbie, 1976; Jim Simons, 1978; Tom Watson, 1979; David Graham, 1980; Keith Fergus, 1981; Raymond Floyd, 1982; and Hale Irwin, 1983.

Nicklaus, who designed the Muirfield course, said he has the incentive to become a three-time winner.

“I just love to play the Muirfield golf course, and the tournament always has as strong a field as there is in golf, so that’s another incentive, to beat the field,” he said.

Last year’s Memorial runnerup, Andy Bean, also is committed to play, as is U.S. Open champion Fuzzy Zoeller, TPC titlist Calvin Peete, Lanny Wadkins and Mark O’Meara. The latter three are double winners on the 1985 tour.

All admissions to the four tournament rounds have been sold, but a limited number of daily tickets are available for the practice rounds and Pro-Am May 20-22.

This year’s Memorial honoree is the late Charles (Chick) Evans, who died in 1979 at age 89. Evans is regarded as one of America’s great players and is recognized as founder of the Evans Scholars Foundation, through which caddies are granted college scholarships. To date, 4,211 have graduated.