DUBLIN, Ohio - The annual Memorial Tournament Honoree Ceremony was held Wednesday afternoon prior to the start of the 44th Memorial Tournament presented by Nationwide at Muirfield Village Golf Club in Columbus, Ohio.

World Golf Hall of Fame Member Judy Rankin was this year’s Honoree. Rankin was featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated at age 16, joined the LPGA at age 17 and won 62 LPGA Tour events. In 1976, she was the first to win over $100,000 in a season on the LPGA Tour. Rankin is currently the lead LPGA analyst on GOLF Channel. World Golf Hall of Fame member Peter Alliss was also honored as the Memorial Golf Journalism Award recipient.

Immediately following the Honoree Ceremony, Jack Nicklaus hosted his annual clinic for patrons at the practice facility, where New Zealand’s Ryan Fox, about to compete in the tournament for the first time, was one of three professionals to participate in the clinic.

Nicklaus introduced Fox to the fans, informing them of his sporting family with dad, Grant, one of the best rugby players in New Zealand. Grant Fox was a member of the All Blacks team that won the inaugural Rugby World Cup in 1987.

“I'm not sure he wanted to know much about rugby, but it was pretty cool for him to acknowledge that,” said Fox.

Fox demonstrated his skills with the driver, while Joost Luiten from the Netherlands hit a few utility clubs before Chile’s Joaquin Niemann closed the show with a variety of different shots with his 5-iron.

Fox described the unique experience as “awesome” and appreciated the invitation to participate, despite admitting to some nerves.

“It was more difficult than hitting the first shot of a tournament, nerve wracking, really, having to hit balls around the best player that's ever lived,” Fox said. “But we had a couple of jokes. He's a wonderful man.”

Knowing the Nicklaus design company is in the process of a redesign project at his home course, Fox was positive the Golden Bear had played at his home club in New Zealand so he asked for confirmation, leading to a fun exchange.

“Which course would that be, Ryan?”

“Royal Auckland Golf Club, used to be called Middlemore back in the day,” Fox replied.

“I played an exhibition with Bob Charles there,” said Nicklaus.

“I wasn’t born then,” Fox said.

“It was sometime last century,” joked Nicklaus. “It was 1962 with Bob Charles.”

“My dad was born that year,” Fox said, turning to smile at the crowd.

The fans loved it.

“I heard a couple of laughs in the back, and he didn't seem too fussed by it,” said Fox. “I'm still buzzing, to be honest.”

With a quality field and a fantastic golf course, Fox feels comfortable and is ready to get the week underway.

“It actually feels a lot like home with the tree-lined fairways but it's a much bigger golf course than what we get at home,” he said. “A little bit of elevation change, some small, quite slopey greens. We get that at home, but we don't get the rough that you get around here. That's going to be a bit of a test this week. It's going to put a bit of emphasis on driving it straight and missing greens in all the right places, as well.”