Time for the main act to hit the stage as the Memorial welcomes a massive field to Muirfield Village Golf Club.
Again.
For the first time in too long to count, the TOUR will use the same course for two different events in consecutive weeks. Gone are the “new” pin placements, lesser rough and “normal” green speeds. This week will feature the new length of the Par-72 (7,456 yards) three new tee boxes, deeper rough and green speeds approaching a terrorizing 14 feet, perhaps, on the vaunted Stimpmeter.
A challenge such as this will employ 73 of the top 100 OWGR players in the expanded field of 133 and the reward is handsome. A three-year exemption plus a purse of $9.3 million ($1.674 million; 500 FedEx Cup Points to the winner) will get the attention of many as they try to tame Jack Nicklaus’ “Augusta of the North”.
RELATED: Power Rankings | Sleepers | Expert Picks
The routing won’t change much this week, minus a few tee boxes, and neither will the focus on pegging GIR. Large fairways are protected by Kentucky bluegrass that doesn’t afford a bailout or reward big misses. Same goes for attacking the 5,200 square putting surfaces. In all 74 bunkers and 13 water hazards will force decisions to be made from tee to green. Find those who can keep it dry and out of the rough and hope, if necessary, a hot putter will be found in the bag.
Pars aren’t bad this week and four Par-5 holes will alleviate some stress. The average winning score over the last six Memorials checks in around 15-under. Rounds at or above 72 need not apply or will need a few low ones to accompany to push into late Sunday. With “old’ pin placements and green speed returning, course history should have more of a say this week.
Around 90 players will get a Mulligan after navigating the Workday Charity Open last week. The best of the bunch returning are highlighted below.
Workday Charity Open: Top 25 (entered this week)
P1 Collin Morikawa
P2 Justin Thomas
3 Viktor Hovland
T5 Ian Poulter
T5 Gary Woodland
T7 Patrick Cantlay
T7 Billy Horschel
T7 Jason Day
T7 Kevin Streelman
T14 Xander Schauffele
T14 Sepp Straka
T17 Talor Gooch
T17 Chez Reavie
T17 Stewart Cink
T17 Rory Sabbatini
T22 Rickie Fowler
T22 Hideki Matsuyama
T22 Troy Merritt
The other 40-odd arriving this week won’t have to compare and contrast what they did or did not learn last week on the different set-up. It will just be the Memorial to them!
Contents
Recent Winners at Memorial
2019: Patrick Cantlay, -19
Posted bogey-free 64 on Sunday to erase a four-shot deficit to win by two. … T11 or better in 15 of 16 major statistical categories in a commanding performance. … Missed tying the tournament record by a shot. … Co-led the field in Par-5 scoring. … T2 Par-4 scoring, Bogey Avoidance and was second in Distance (All Drives), Birdie-or-Better Percentage and Strokes-Gained: Tee-to-Green. … Won on third visit.
Notables: Kevin Streelman (4th) played his final 54 holes 13-under and played in the penultimate threesome last weekend. … Marc Leishman (5th) posted all four rounds in the red but MC last week. … Hideki Matsuyama, the 2014 champ, signed for 64 on Saturday. … T7 for 2017 champion Jason Dufner and Jordan Spieth. … Tiger Woods, the only player to defend here, signed for T9 along with Bud Cauley, Billy Horschel and Emiliano Grillo. … 2010 champ Justin Rose had the low round of the week with 63 on Friday. … Cut was 1-over.
2018: Bryson DeChambeau, -15
The 54-hole leader outlasted Byeong-Hun An and Kyle Stanley (not entered) in a two-hole playoff. … Third-youngest winner. … First winner in five to not place in the top 10 in Strokes-Gained: Approach-the-Green (T24). … Only winner of the last six to finish outside the top 10 in Strokes-Gained: Tee-to-Green (T12). … Got up-and-down from everywhere as he led the field in Scrambling; also T2 Bogey Avoidance. … Won in second visit.
Notables: Cantlay played in the final group and missed the playoff by a shot. … Joaquin Niemann (T6) co-led with Stanley after 36 holes. … Niemann and Matsuyama (T13) opened with 65 to share the 18-hole lead. … Rose (T6) also put all four rounds in the red. … Fowler, Thomas and Patrick Rodgers joined this week’s newcomers Rory McIlroy and Dustin Johnson all T8. … McIlroy’s 64 on Saturday was the low round of the week. … Abraham Ancer (T57) opened with 65 with Niemann and Matsuyama. … Top 22 players were 10-under or lower. … Cut was even-par.
2017: Jason Dufner, -13
Set the 36-hole record (-14) but trailed by four entering Sunday. … Final round 68 in mostly gusty conditions held off Fowler (T2) by three. … Ball-striking clinic, literally as he led the field that category plus led GIR, Strokes-Gained: Approach-the-Green and Strokes-Gained: Tee-to-Green. … Won in his sixth start. … T33, T24 and T19 the three season before.
Notables: Thomas played with Dufner and signed for T4, his first top 10 in four tries. … Matt Kuchar’s T4 is his last top 10 here. … Kevin Kisner was the only player to put all four rounds in the red as he joined Bubba Watson T6. … Only three players 10-under or better. … Dufner, born in Cleveland, joined Jack Nicklaus as the only Ohio natives to win the event. … Cut was 3-over.
Key stat leaders
Top golfers in each statistic on the 2019-2020 PGA TOUR are listed only if they are scheduled to compete this week.
* – Top 10 at Memorial since 2015
Strokes-Gained: Tee-to-Green
1 *Rory McIlroy
2 *Justin Thomas
3 *Hideki Matsuyama
4 Sergio Garcia (first time since 2008)
5 Tyrrell Hatton
6 *Bryson DeChambeau
7 *Patrick Cantlay
8 Collin Morikawa
9 Viktor Hovland
10 *Tony Finau (T8, 2015)
11 Abraham Ancer
12 Webb Simpson (T7, 2011)
13 Xander Schauffele (T14, 2019)
14 Jon Rahm
15 Paul Casey
16 Harold Varner III
17 Daniel Berger
18 Harris English
19 *Joaquin Niemann
20 Corey Conners
21 Joel Dahmen
22 *Marc Leishman
26 *Dustin Johnson
27 *Byeong-Hun An
Strokes-Gained: Approach the Green
1 Collin Morikawa
2 *Justin Thomas
3 Tyrrell Hatton
4 *Marc Leishman
5 Webb Simpson
6 *Hideki Matsuyama
7 Viktor Hovland
8 *Patrick Cantlay
9 Paul Casey
11 Abraham Ancer
12 *Gary Woodland (T4, 2016)
13 *Emiliano Grillo
14 Corey Conners
15 Doc Redman (debut)
16 *Joaquin Niemann
17 *Rory McIlroy
18 *Jim Furyk (T5, 2015)
20 Tom Hoge (T13 only start 2018)
21 Xander Schauffele
22 Matthew NeSmith
23 Joel Dahmen
26 *Bud Cauley
Par-5 Scoring
1 *Rory McIlroy
2 *Justin Thomas
3 *Patrick Cantlay
4 Collin Morikawa
5 Jon Rahm
5 *Kevin Streelman
5 *Bryson DeChambeau
5 *Hideki Matsuyama
9 *Gary Woodland
9 Xander Schauffele
9 Paul Casey
12 Alex Noren
13 Webb Simpson
15 Daniel Berger
15 Ryan Palmer
17 Lanto Griffin
17 Jason Day
17 Wyndham Clark
22 Sebastian Munoz
23 Carlos Ortiz
23 Nate Lashley
23 Mark Hubbard
Milkshake Connoisseurs
Tiger Woods: 5 wins, nine top-10s including T9 last year and T23 in 2018; 18-under the last two years combined.
Justin Rose: Gamers will hope last week was bad warm-up (74-80; MC) on the range. If the warm-up is bad, usually the round is really good! Seven top 10s and nine top 25s come from 10 made cuts in 13 starts; won for the first time on TOUR here in 2010.
Matt Kuchar: 2013 winner; played every event but one from 2007-2019 and was T15 or better in all minus MC last year; only Woods, Matsuyama, DeChambeau and Cantlay have a better stroke average than his 70.27.
Hideki Matsuyama: 2014 winner on debut is the youngest ever at 22; next five starts include T5, T13 and solo sixth; stroke average of 70.14.
Looking to join the club
Rory McIlroy: Hit the top 15 in five of six weekends with T4 the best of the bunch. The Augusta of the North or South has not been conquered, yet.
Justin Thomas: Nice warm-up last week as he looks to build off two top 10s in his last three visits.
Dustin Johnson: Like McIlroy, hasn’t figured out either but is gaining on it; DNS last year but T8 was preceded by MC-3-T13.
Marc Leishman: Wasn’t his week last week (MC) but it’s nine straight at Memorial proper with the best of the bunch solo fifth last year.
Source: PGA tour
