“I would prefer to stay where we are”: Jack Nicklaus not a fan of rescheduling 2024 Memorial before U.S. Open

The dates for the Memorial Tournament might change, and Jack Nicklaus is not happy about it.

The 2023 Memorial Tournament has concluded two weeks ahead of the U.S. Open. The tradition has been followed for quite a while on the PGA Tour. The eight designated events of the PGA Tour are being incorporated into the 2024 season and officials are looking to change the date of the Memorial Tournament.

It is proposed that the Tournament be moved ahead by one week, placing it exactly a week ahead of the U.S. Open. This would mean that there would be three consecutive designated events, with the Memorial Tournament followed by the U.S. Open and finally the Travelers Championship.

However, Jack Nicklaus is quite against the change and would prefer for the Memorial Tournament to stay where it is. However, he will support whatever is in the best interest of the Tour.

Jack Nicklaus said (via SI):

“I would prefer to stay where we are. I don’t like being the week before the (U.S.) Open, but if it’s for the betterment for the tour and what they’re trying to do then I would understand that, too."

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Jack Nicklaus' Memorial Tournament speculated to be shifted in 2024 to avoid 'isolated' events

The entire point of changing the date for the Jack Nicklaus Tournament would be to avoid an isolated event on the PGA Tour. The Tour does not want to have a regular event 'isolated' in between a major or a designated event. The Tour is trying to ensure that there are at least two regular events between designated events and majors.

Andy Pazder, the Tour’s chief tournaments and competitions officer, said that players preferred to play consecutive designated events.

“Our players would prefer to play consecutive weeks with designated events. They don’t like one on, one off, one on. It allows us to create swings of full-field events. We’ve announced our eligibility for the designated events and giving players that opportunity to play two or three full-field events consecutively to play their way into designated events."

The four designated events apart from the legacy events are yet to be decided for the 2024 season. AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, the RBC Heritage, the Wells Fargo Championship, and the Travelers Championship are most likely to be announced in the future.