Jack Nicklaus will have Muirfield Village Golf Club in pristine condtion, as usual, as he hosts a Designated field of 120 players.
Oh, and have a milkshake!
48th Memorial Tournament
Muirfield Village Golf Club
Dublin, Ohio
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NOW PLAYING:
Jack is back for the 48th edition and longest on record.
The big boy field of 120 contains almost 40 of the top 50 and seven of the top 10 OWGR.
MVGC, according to Tiger Woods in previous years, has the best greens outside of Augusta. All of them were replaced, re-graded and re-sodded after the 2020 edition. They should all be in perfect shape for SLICKNESS (.090″) and SPEED (13+).
Gotta get there first, though. Fairways have been pinched and four inches of Bluegrass is waiting for those who miss. Greens are some of the smallest on TOUR. The 68 bunkers aren’t any fun.
Oh, and there’s water on 13 holes.
Can’t fake it around here! Two-putt and get out. Try to eat on the Par-5s.
Make pars.
| Host Course | Muirfield Village Golf Club |
| Yards (per official scorecard): | 7,571. |
| Par: | 72 (36-36). |
| Greens: | L-93 007 Bentgrass; 5,000 square feet on average. |
| Stimpmeter: | 13 feet and up. |
| Rough: | Kentucky Bluegrass at four inches. |
| Bunkers/Water Hazards/In Play | 68/13/13. |
| Architect(s): | Jack Nicklaus & Desmond Muirhead (1974). |
| Purse: | $20 million; $3.6 million winner plus 550 FedExCup points. |
| Defending Champion (event): | Billy Horschel. |
| Multiple Champion(s) Entered: | Patrick Cantlay (2021, 2019). |
| Course Record (last): | 61; John Huston, 1996. |
| 72 Hole Tournament Record: | 268; Tom Lehman, 1998. |
| Oldest Winner: | 48; Kenny Perry, 2008. |
| Youngest Winner: | 22; Hideki Matsuyama, 2014. |
| Fact of the Week: | Horschel was the first winner in five above 30. |
| Fact of the Week II: | Matsuyama is the last winner on debut since 1976. |
Notes:
- Designated Field of 120 players.
- Top 65 and ties will play the final 36 holes.
- Added distance comes from two new teeing grounds on No. 16 and No. 17.
Season Winners
2022-2023 Season Winners
| Event | Winner |
| Fortinet Championship | Max Homa |
| Sanderson Farms Championship | Mackenzie Holmes |
| Shriners Children’s Open | Tom Kim |
| ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP | Keegan Bradley |
| CJ CUP at CONGAREE | Rory McIlroy |
| Butterfield Bermuda Championship | Seamus Power |
| Mayakoba Championship | Russell Henley |
| Cadence Bank Houston Open | Tony Finau |
| The RSM Classic | Adam Svensson (first TOUR win) |
| Sentry Tournament of Champions | Jon Rahm |
| Sony Open in Hawaii | Si Woo Kim |
| The AMERICAN EXPRESS | Jon Rahm (2) |
| Farmers Insurance Open | Max Homa (2) |
| AT&T Pebble Beach | Justin Rose |
| WM Phoenix Open | Scottie Scheffler |
| The Genesis Invitational | Jon Rahm (3) |
| The Honda Classic | Chris Kirk |
| Arnold Palmer Invitational | Kurt Kitayama (first TOUR win) |
| THE PLAYERS Championship | Scottie Scheffler (2) |
| Valspar Championship | Taylor Moore (first TOUR win) |
| Corales Puntacana | Matt Wallace (first TOUR win) |
| WGC – Dell Technologies MP | Sam Burns |
| Valero Texas Open | Corey Conners |
| Masters | Jon Rahm (4) |
| RBC Heritage | Matt Fitzpatrick |
| Zurich Classic of New Orleans | Davis Riley & Nick Hardy (first TOUR win for each) |
| Mexico Open at Vidanta | Tony Finau (2) |
| Wells Fargo Championship | Wyndham Clark (first TOUR win) |
| AT&T Byron Nelson | Jason Day |
| PGA Championship | Brooks Koepka |
| Charles Schwab Challenge | Emiliano Grillo |
Recent Winners
Italics – not entered this week
| Year | Winner | Notes |
| 2022 | Billy Horschel (-13) | Won by four after 65 on Saturday caused separation. Best round of the week by two shots. |
| 2021 | Patrick Cantlay (-13) | Defeated Collin Morikawa in a playoff after Rahm WD on Saturday. |
| 2020 | Jon Rahm (-9) | Closed with 75 and still won by three. |
| 2019 | Patrick Cantlay (-18) | Closed with 64 to run away. |
| 2018 | Bryson DeChambeau (-15) | Knocked off Ben An and Kyle Stanley in a playoff. |
| 2017 | Jason Dufner (-13) | Posted 77 in Round 3 and still won by three. |
| 2106 | William McGirt (-15) | Defeated Jon Curran in a playoff for his first TOUR win. |
This Week – 48th Memorial Tournament
Chalk (via BetMGM)
Scottie Scheffler (+600): Running out of adjectives and superlatives for the machine from Dallas. The only thing that is disappointing is his win rate. Saw a great stat this week. Something about if you played him to hit the top 10 each week and rolled it all back in you would be up 20k if you started with $100. Consistently consistent.
Jon Rahm (+750): Wasn’t thrilled with his performance at Oak Hill so I’d expect a major reaction this week. Torn this place to bits in 2021 before THE TEST results forced his WD. He’s probably not disappointed they’ve made it even longer for this edition.
Patrick Cantlay (+1000): Hasn’t won since last August but absolutely rakes here. Two wins, T3 last year and solo fourth in 2018 suggests that’s the case. I love him this week so you should run and take cover. All of the pieces to complete the puzzle.
Rory McIlroy (+1400): Never won here, no top 10s in his last four visits. T7 at Oak Hill should push him forward. I’m not sure he likes anything that resembles Augusta. Save him for his defense in Canada next week.
Xander Schauffele (+1400): Going on almost a year between wins, but there’s nothing to scare me off this week. Worst finish in two months is T21. Streak of four straight inside the top 10 busted at Oak Hill. Never popped a top-10 payday here but his last four are T18 or better. Brewing.
Viktor Hovland (+2000): He will have to have his short game dialed in here. In three visits he’s never cashed inside the top 45 so this is just not a ball-striking test.
Collin Morikawa (+2500): I’m not sure these greens are the answer. Save him for LA.
Tyrrell Hatton (+2500): I’m out of starts in the Experts Game so that should tell you what I think of the Englishman. Hopping on again this week.
Justin Thomas (+2800): Used to be the place his grandparents could come and watch. He’s looking for any inspiration at the moment.
Top 10/Top 20/Top 40
Jason Day (+3000): OK, I’ll bite. The home game has produced basically NOTHING over the previous 13 tries. Being at home with the kids, Ben Everill being in town, and not being injured is a formula I can subscribe to! Winning three weeks ago in Dallas shifted my thoughts for this week.
Corey Conners (+4000): Love it but the last time I loved it he shat the bed at Augusta National.
Rickie Fowler (+4000): Too many good MONTHS, let alone recent rounds, should push him up the leaderboard again this week. Loves Barbara and Jack and it would be fitting place to factor again. Win ticket.
Sahith Theegala (+5000): Until he bucks me off. Smash it and find it and smash it again.
Kurt Kitayama (+9000): Tuned up at Colonial by (checks notes…) hitting five fairways on Sunday to post a bogey-free 68. Five fairways? Surely that will be fixed before Thursday morning.
Longer Shots
Use ’em wherever you see fit! All players listed are +10000 or worse and are for a reason or two!
Kevin Streelman (+12500): Loves it here and was T9 last week. Converge!!!
Thomas Detry (+12500): Steady spaghetti worldwide and T21 last week.
Taylor Montgomery (+12500): Gotta have a putter or two in the lineup on these greens.
Sepp Straka (+15000): Likes Jack’s stuff at PGA National. Played well at a tight Oak Hill.
Beau Hossler (+20000): Keep grinding out those results! Streak is seven straight.
Bo Hoag (+75000): It’s his major. Make the cut.
Last Week – Charles Schwab Challenge
Chalk (via BetMGM)
Scottie Scheffler (+400): The streak is now T12 or better in 13 consecutive events. His backyard, his form, this field of only 120 players. Another top 5 with T3.
Jordan Spieth (+1400): Expecting big things this week as the payback for missing AT&T Byron Nelson. Should be comfortable, like Scheffler, with his second home game in three weeks. That matters, especially with a new family. MC. Let me know when he’s 100 percent. Trying to time him is like trying to time the market. Bad idea. Lesson learned. Sigh.
Tony Finau (+1400): Site for sore eyes as he’s struggled, relatively speaking, recently. Eats at CCC and should take another big bite after going close in 2021. Never MC here. He has now MC here.
Viktor Hovland (+1400): Interested to see if he has another gear to keep the momentum going. Last Sunday’s dogfight with Koepka was something. Might have emptied the tank as he posted 73 on Sunday for T16.
Collin Morikawa (+1600): Has a bit of JT feel going on here. I want to believe but it’s getting me nowhere at the moment. T29. Have we ever seen them in the same room at the same time?
Sungjae Im (+1800): I’m throwing out last week and sticking a win ticket on him this week. Won’t have to try and keep up off the tee. Jet lag should be gone from Korea trip two weeks ago. MC in back-to-back weeks.
Max Homa (+2200): It’s not a major, so I expect a bounce-back performance. Bounced back he did, T9.
Justin Rose (+2500): Course horse here had a big week last week. Back to back too much? Apparently not too much! T12.
Sam Burns (+2800): Title defense is not going to bother him! Last time he was in Texas he won WGC-Match Play. T6.
Top 10/Top 20/Top 40
Chris Kirk (+4000): He’s never MC in 12 tries and has won it. Simples. MC
Denny McCarthy (+5000): Super putter but was top 10 GIR last week at Oak Hill. Noticeable. MC
Brendon Todd (+6600): Back to back top 10 paydays here. Streaking. T57
Andrew Putnam (+8000): Five straight paydays on TOUR. T3 here before. T29
Sepp Straka (+9000): Keep banging it tee to green, sir. T29
Longer Shots
Use ’em wherever you see fit! All players listed are +10000 or worse and are for a reason or two!
Justin Suh (+10000): The tougher, the better. T16. Super player flying under the radar.
Matthew NeSmith (+10000): Rollicking form. T40 as he’s killing it tee to green.
Sam Stevens (+10000): Back in a familiar part of the world. T29 on a demanding track.
Jimmy Walker (+25000): Nice week to bounce back. T40 qualifies.
OAD – 2023 Spotter’s Game
| Already Burned |
| Sungjae Im – Maui |
| Tom Kim – Sony |
| Tom Hoge – AMEX |
| Viktor Hovland – Pebble |
| Xander Schauffele – WMPO |
| Max Homa – Riviera |
| Shane Lowry – Honda |
| Tyrrell Hatton – API |
| Akshay Bhatia – PRO |
| Jason Day – THE PLAYERS |
| Justin Rose – Valspar |
| Cam Percy – Corales |
| Scottie Scheffler – WGC MP |
| Rickie Fowler – Valero |
| Jordan Spieth – Masters |
| Collin Morikawa – RBC Heritage |
| Billy Horschel – Zurich |
| Nicolai Hojgaard – Mexico |
| Rory McIlroy – WFC |
| Adam Scott – ATTBN |
| Brooks Koepka – PGA Championship |
| Chris Kirk – Colonial |
This Week – Patrick Cantlay
It was him or Rahm. Rahm goes at LACC for the US Open. Like it matters at this point! Only about 9 million behind!
Rickie Fowler, Hideki Matsuyama, Si Woo Kim, Patrick Rodgers
Last Week – Charles Schwab Challenge
Chris Kirk – MC
I killed a bunch of streaks last week. Kirk had cashed 12 straight here. McCarthy had cashed six straight. Just vomit.
Glass Houses 