Memorial Tournament Reporting Guidance

Next month, Murfield Village Golf Club in Dublin will host the PGA’s annual Memorial Tournament.  The Tournament is scheduled to begin Monday, June 1, and conclude Sunday, June 7.  The following guidance concerns reporting requirements for lobbyists and employers of lobbyists who provide Memorial Tournament badges (i.e. tickets) to legislators and other reportable persons.

Due to the varying types of Tournament badge packages (each with differing price levels and access to otherwise restricted course and hospitality areas), establishing a standardized daily ticket value is not feasible.  As with all ticketed events, the reportable value of a daily 2015 Memorial Tournament badge is the fair market value of the particular ticket provided.

Where the value of the badge(s) accepted is greater than $25.00, the recipient will be named as a gift recipient on either the lobbyist’s or the employer’s next lobbying report, and will disclose the respective source under Section 11 of his or her 2015 Financial Disclosure Statement.

The amount to be reported is the face/fair market value of the badge.  Where no face value is printed on a badge (or the badge was purchased as part of a package), the lobbyist/employer must assign a reasonable value based on the value of a badge with similar course and hospitality access.

Meals and beverages not included in the cost of a provided Tournament badge are to be reported in accordance with the normal reporting requirements for such expenditures.

Legislators and all legislative employees are prohibited from accepting more than $75.00 in gifts and meals/beverages from a lobbyist in a calendar year.  No reporting is required where the recipient reimburses the full cost of the badge(s) and/or meals/beverages provided.

Please contact the OLIG at 614-728-5100 with any specific reporting questions relative to this year’s PGA Memorial Tournament.