Ryan Day Swaps Playbooks for Putters at the 2025 Memorial Tournament Pro-Am
DUBLIN, Ohio — Picture this: it’s a chilly Wednesday morning, May 28, 2025, and Ohio State football coach Ryan Day is standing on the 10th tee at Muirfield Village Golf Club, rubbing his hands together, maybe muttering to himself about how coaching a national championship team isn’t nearly as nerve-wracking as golfing with legends. Yesterday, at the Workday Golden Bear Pro-Am, part of the iconic Memorial Tournament presented by Workday, Day traded his headset for a driver, joining college football royalty Nick Saban and PGA Tour superstar Justin Thomas for a round that had Buckeye fans buzzing.
The Memorial, Jack Nicklaus’ pride and joy, is more than just a golf tournament—it’s a Columbus tradition, a chance to see big names swing clubs while raising money for causes like Nationwide Children’s Hospital. The Pro-Am, held the day before the main event kicked off today, May 29, is where celebs and amateurs get to mingle with golf pros on one of the toughest courses around. And let me tell you, Day’s group—rounded out by PGA Tour pro Corey Conners—was the one everyone was watching.
Teeing Off with Titans
When Day stepped up to the tee at 7:34 a.m., you could feel the energy. Fans bundled up against the morning chill were snapping pics and posting on X, where @NicoleShearintv
caught Day’s solid drive and shared it with a hyped-up caption: “What a drive from #Buckeye head coach Ryan Day here @MemorialGolf !” Another user, @JeffEisenband, couldn’t resist pointing out Day’s “little power fade” right in front of Saban, who probably wasn’t used to being upstaged. The two coaches, both giants in college football, had a blast trading jabs and swings, while Thomas, a two-time PGA champ, kept things light with his pro-level cool.
Day admitted he was feeling the heat. “It’s like my job isn’t stressful enough,” he laughed to himself as he pulled into Muirfield Village, according to cleveland.com. I mean, who wouldn’t be a little shaky hitting shots next to Saban, with his seven national titles, and Thomas, who makes golf look effortless? But Day held his own, flashing a swing that had folks on X, like @971thefan, raving about how he kept up with the big dogs.
More Than a Game
For Day, the day wasn’t just about chasing birdies—it was about connecting with the community. He and his wife, Nina, have been big supporters of the Memorial’s charitable side. Last year, they hung out with the Golden Cubs at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, dishing out milkshakes and signing autographs alongside Buckeye stars like Will Howard. This year’s Pro-Am was another way for Day to give back, with the event tied to a $1.45 million donation to the hospital and the Nicklaus Children’s Health Care Foundation, celebrated at a heartfelt ceremony honoring Barbara Nicklaus.
The Pro-Am was a star-studded affair, with NBA’s Stephen Curry, NFL great Peyton Manning, and even actor Rob Lowe out there swinging. The vibe was electric—part golf, part party, all for a good cause.
A Well-Earned Break
Fresh off Ohio State’s 2025 National Championship win over Notre Dame, Day’s been riding a high, and this round was a chance to soak it in. The guy’s been under a microscope, with Buckeye Nation analyzing every move, but yesterday he was just another golfer, grinning through the pressure of a tricky course. Fun fact: Day actually skipped playing in the main tournament this year due to a sore wrist—only his second time missing it since 2008, per The Columbus Dispatch. Still, his Pro-Am performance was one for the books.
As the Memorial Tournament tees off today, with Scottie Scheffler defending his 2024 title, fans are still talking about Day’s day out. Posts on X, like one from @SteveHelwagen, captured the thrill of seeing him alongside Saban and Thomas, with CBS Sports ready to bring the weekend’s action to screens everywhere.
Wrapping It Up
The 2025 Memorial Tournament runs through June 1, with Golf Channel and CBS covering the action and streaming on Paramount+ and Hulu Live. Gates open at 7 a.m. for early rounds and 9 a.m. on Saturday, so there’s plenty of time to catch the pros in action. For Day, it’s back to football, but his Pro-Am adventure—full of big swings, bigger laughs, and a whole lot of heart—gave Columbus a moment to cheer about. Want to learn more? Check out www.thememorialtournament.com.