Jack Nicklaus’s influence is present in every aspect of the Memorial Tournament. Whether you are talking about him kicking off the iconic Muirfield Village Golf Club in 1976 or designing the course itself, he has been involved in it all. Add to that the tournament setup, manual leaderboards, white caddie shirts, and milkshakes in the clubhouse, and you find the Golden Bear’s influence everywhere. However, one thing stands out the most among all these: the presence of yellow ribbons. What are they, and how did they start? Here’s an understanding of it all.

The “Play Yellow” movement, started by Jack Nicklaus and Barbara Nicklaus, aims to raise money for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. The story started in the mid-1960s when Jack Nicklaus became friends with Craig Smith, the son of Barbara Nicklaus’s minister. They used to regularly have conversations over phone calls, and during one such instance, Craig told Jack about a prediction he made about Jack winning a tournament that very day, “Do you know why you won today? Because I wore my lucky yellow shirt.” This conversation touched Jack deeply, and after Smith sadly passed away at 13 in 1971, Jack began wearing yellow in his memory. Doctors diagnosed Craig with a rare bone cancer called Ewing sarcoma when he was young.

Jack recalled, “I wore yellow often on Sundays for him. In 1986 [Masters Tournament], I found a yellow shirt in my suitcase and asked Barbara what she thought. She said, ‘Craig would love it. Go for it.’ So, I wore it on Sunday, won the tournament, and shared the story.” This led to the public sharing of Craig’s story, and they started adding “Play Yellow” elements like ribbons at various tournaments to keep the movement going.

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The “Play Yellow” campaign officially launched in 2019, collaborating with the PGA Tour and Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. Its primary goal was to raise $100 million over five years to help pay for pediatric care that insurance often doesn’t cover. Additionally, the campaign encourages players to wear yellow shirts, caps, or ribbons during tournaments to show support for the 10 million children treated at local children’s hospitals each year. All donations gathered during the Memorial Tournament week are allocated to various initiatives at Nationwide Children’s Hospital.

Furthermore, the Play Yellow website states, “Play Yellow for Children’s Hospitals aims to unite the entire golf community to help the 10 million kids treated at local children’s hospitals annually.” Thankfully, it didn’t take long for the movement to reach its desired goal. By January 2024, the campaign had already surpassed its fundraising goal, bringing in over $130 million in just three and a half years.

In 2024, Jack Nicklaus said, “We started this program, and after about three and a half years, we raised over 130 million. We won’t stop here. We’ll keep raising money.” He emphasized the importance of the initiative, noting, “This one little boy, it’s a legacy. I believe that shirt lives on.” True to his words, the “Play Yellow” movement is gaining speed in the 2025 season.

“Play Yellow” has four new ambassadors, including Patrick Fishburn

Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals welcomed professional golfers Patrick Fishburn, Harry Hall, Max McGreevy, and Kevin Roy as new ambassadors for the “Play Yellow” movement. They joined this initiative during the Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches this season, joining other ambassadors like Rickie Fowler, Chris Gotterup, Bo Hoag, Justin Lower, Peter Malnati, and Denny McCarthy. Together, they are dedicated to ensuring that every child can access quality healthcare in their local areas.

The Play Yellow movement unites the golf community to raise money and awareness for 170 children’s hospitals across the nation. Patrick Fishburn expressed his personal connection to this cause, saying, “Championing children’s healthcare hits close to home for our family. Our son, Ty, struggled for weeks after his birth in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and then spent six weeks on oxygen. I am very grateful for the well-equipped children’s hospitals and staff that saved his life.”

Harry Hall, who became a father, is also eager to contribute, emphasizing the significance of quality care for children. Max McGreevy, who welcomed a baby girl this season, shares this commitment, stating that he is ready to drive support for the cause. Kevin Roy, with his young daughter, focuses on helping the 72 kids who enter member hospitals of CMN Hospitals every minute in the U.S. and Canada.