Washington, D.C. – In advance of the 37th Memorial Tournament in Dublin, OH, U.S. Senators Rob Portman (R-Ohio) and Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) introduced legislation to award the Congressional Gold Medal to Ohio native Jack Nicklaus in recognition of his service to the nation in promoting excellence and good sportsmanship in golf.
“As perhaps the greatest golfer of all time, Jack Nicklaus has already earned legendary status for his athletic achievements, his true sportsmanship on the golf course, and his promotion of the game” said Portman. “Yet in addition to Jack’s career in golf, he and Barbara have positively impacted the lives of thousands of children and their families through the Nicklaus Children’s Health Care Foundation and other initiatives. We should recognize this native Ohioan for his extraordinary accomplishments.”
“Known across the world for his records on the golf course, it’s his hometown Ohio roots that ground his lasting legacy,” Brown said. “The Congressional Gold Medal is one of our nation’s highest honors and it’s fitting that the Golden Bear, who set records on the golf course and set the highest standards for service and philanthropy in our communities, receives it.”
Since 1776, a diverse group of individuals has been honored with the Congressional Gold Medal, including Sir Winston Churchill and Bob Hope, George Washington and Robert Frost, Joe Louis and Mother Teresa of Calcutta. Most recently, Congressional Gold Medals were given to Neil A. Armstrong, the first human to walk on the Moon; Edwin E. “Buzz” Aldrin, Jr., Michael Collins; and John Herschel Glenn, Jr.
Nicklaus was born in Upper Arlington, Ohio, and founded the Memorial Tournament, which is a PGA Tour golf tournament played on a Nicklaus-designed course in Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio.
Last month, the U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation to award the Congressional Gold Medal to Jack Nicklaus by a vote of 373-4. The bill had 341 co-sponsors.
