Legends Luncheon presented by Nationwide raises $1.45 million for Nationwide Children's Hospital and Nicklaus Children's Health Care Foundation alliance

DUBLIN, Ohio - The Memorial Tournament presented by Workday hosted the 15th annual Legends Luncheon presented by Nationwide today, a unique, award-winning fundraiser that brings to life the alliance between the Nicklaus Children's Health Care Foundation and Nationwide Children's Hospital. All proceeds of the Legends Luncheon directly benefit the young patients and families that Nationwide Children's compassionately serves each day.

The goal of the Luncheon is to support national initiatives and advances in pediatric care and research throughout Nationwide Children's. To date, the event has supported more than 30 hospital departments, initiatives, projects, and programs. To that end, the 2025 Legends Luncheon raised $1.45 million, bringing the 15-year total to more than $16 million.

Executive Chairs of the Legends Luncheon presented by Nationwide were Jack and Barbara Nicklaus, together with Nationwide CEO Kirt Walker and his wife Cindy, and Nationwide Children's CEO Tim Robinson and his wife Jane. Luncheon guests experienced a charity event that is unique to Columbus, Ohio. Held at the Ohio Union on the campus of The Ohio State University, guests enjoyed a special conversation with Memorial Tournament Founder and Host Jack Nicklaus, 2025 Memorial Tournament Honoree and First Lady of Golf Barbara Nicklaus, and their five children: Jack II, Steve, Nan (O'Leary), Gary and Michael. Steve Sands, NBC Sports and Golf Channel on-air personality covering the PGA TOUR and Olympics, moderated the discussion.

The final highlight of the Legends Luncheon presented by Nationwide was the presentation of the Nicklaus Youth Spirit Award, which is given annually to a patient or family who in some way has demonstrated a strong, driving spirit in overcoming obstacles, an unwavering optimistic outlook, and a powerful conviction for their connection to Nationwide Children's.

The Nicklaus Youth Spirit Award honors the courage within that inspires volunteerism and community outreach, which has a positive influence on others. This year Jack and Barbara Nicklaus, along with daughter Nan O'Leary and sons Jack II and Gary, presented the Nicklaus Youth Spirit Award to Nationwide Children's patient champion Emersen White, 18, of Columbus, Ohio.

It was late December of 2020 when then-13-year-old Emersen was bedridden with what she and her parents believed to be a stomach flu. After two days and no improvement, Emersen experienced a fainting spell that compelled her parents to take her to the Emergency Department at Nationwide Children's Hospital.

During her visit to the Emergency Department, a blood culture revealed that Emersen had a bacterial infection known as methicillin-susceptible staphylococcus aureus (MSSA), which affected her heart. The MSSA caused inflammation of her heart valves and chambers, known as bacterial endocarditis, and Emersen needed open-heart surgery to repair a damaged mitral valve.

"We thought that our lives were moving forward after the surgery," remembers Emersen's dad, Craig, "until a routine blood test came back abnormal, requiring us to return to the hospital."

Doctors discovered that MSSA had continued to damage Emersen's heart, and she would need another open-heart surgery just two weeks after the first. Two weeks following the second surgery, Emersen received an additional diagnosis of a rare aneurysm in her heart requiring a third and final open-heart surgery.

Today, after more than six months spent at Nationwide Children's, fighting additional issues like organizing pneumonia and blood clots that caused a stroke, Emersen is back to spending time with her friends and family and planning for her future.

"Nationwide Children's is such a special place to me for many reasons," says Emersen. "But mostly because I know that everyone I met did everything in their power to help me to be a healthy teenager again."

The experience she underwent and the care she received at Nationwide Children's sparked an interest for Emersen in the field of healthcare and a desire to help others who are in similar situations.

Media may CLICK HERE to access 2025 Legends Luncheon imagery and b-roll approved for editorial use.

Please note: This link will be updated throughout the day with current imagery and b-roll from the Legends Luncheon

The 2025 Memorial Tournament presented by Workday is scheduled for May 26-June 1 at Muirfield Village Golf Club.

Tickets for this year's Memorial Tournament are available for purchase by contacting the Tournament Ticket Office 9 a.m.-5 p.m. EDT weekdays at 877-MT BADGE (877-682-2343) or by visiting www.memorialtickets.com. Children 15 and under can attend the Tournament for free with a ticketed adult. Daily practice round tickets for Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday are also available. The cost is $60, and they are valid for all three practice-round days.

For more information about the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday, please visit thememorialtournament.com. For the latest news and updates on social media, follow the Tournament on X and Instagram at @MemorialGolf and on Facebook at Facebook.com/theMemorialTournament.

About the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday
The Memorial Tournament presented by Workday is held annually at Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio, a suburb of Columbus. The Tournament, founded and hosted by Jack Nicklaus, is conducted each year with three goals in mind: to honor the memory of individuals living and deceased who have distinguished themselves in the game of golf; to showcase the world's best golfers competing on one of the most challenging venues in the world for the enjoyment of spectators; and to benefit many Greater Columbus Charities in alliance with the Nicklaus Children's Health Care Foundation, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Eat. Learn. Play. Foundation and numerous other local organizations. For more information, visit www.thememorialtournament.com or call 614-889-6700.

About Workday
Workday is the AI platform for managing people, money, and agents. The Workday platform is built with AI at the core to help customers elevate people, supercharge work, and move their business forever forward. Workday is used by more than 11,000 organizations around the world and across industries - from medium-sized businesses to more than 60% of the Fortune 500. For more information about Workday, visit workday.com.

Media Contact:
Thomas P. Sprouse
Director of Communications,
the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday
E-Mail: tsprouse@thememorialtournament.com
Office: 614-889-6791
Mobile: 614-519-1873

Additional Media Contacts
Karen Davis | Nationwide | PH: 614-332-5924 | davik53@nationwide.com
Audrey Hasson | Nationwide Children's Hospital | PH: 614-581-5407 | audrey.hasson@nationwidechildrens.org