5 Big Names To Watch This Week At The Memorial Tournament

Jack Nicklaus' Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio, once again plays host to the Memorial Tournament as many of the world's best compete in yet another huge designated event on the PGA Tour.

A total of $20m in prize money is up for grabs in Ohio, as stars including World No.1 Scottie Scheffler and No.3 Rory McIlroy headline the stacked field.

Even before the 'designated' status, this is one of the 'Invitationals' on the PGA Tour along with the Genesis Invitational, Arnold Palmer Invitational, RBC Heritage and Charles Schwab Challenge where a limited-field of 120-to-132 players feature and a three-year PGA Tour card goes to the winner, as opposed to a two-year exemption for most of the other non-Majors.

Nicklaus' Muirfield Village on the outskirts of Columbus was opened in 1974 and named after Muirfield in Scotland, where the Golden Bear made his Walker Cup debut in 1959 and then won his first Open Championship in 1966.

The Memorial has famously been won by Tiger Woods five times and many of the sport's biggest names have triumphed at Muirfield Village since the tournament's inception nearly 50 years ago in 1976.

So, who will write their name in history this week? Here, we take a look at five TaylorMade athletes who could be getting a handshake from Jack Nicklaus after winning the Memorial Tournament on Sunday evening...

Memorial Tournament Key Info

5 Players To Watch This Week

Scottie Scheffler

• World Ranking: 1
• PGA Tour wins: 6

View Scottie Scheffler What's in the bag?

The World No.1 has been in imperious form this year and comes into the week as clear betting favourite after his T3 at the Charles Schwab Challenge on Sunday.

Scheffler was T2nd at the PGA Championship the week before and T5th in his previous start before that at the AT&T Byron Nelson.

In fact, he hasn't finished outside the top 12 all year in 11 starts, which have included two victories at the WM Phoenix Open and Players Championship.

He ranks 1st in Strokes Gained: off the tee, tee to green and total this season on the PGA Tour and also tops the greens in regulation statistics!

Could he pick up his third victory of the year this week? Most likely.

Rory McIlroy

• World Ranking: 3
• PGA Tour wins: 23

View Rory McIlroy What's in the bag?

The four-time Major champion posted a solid T7th finish at Oak Hill in the PGA Championship two weeks ago and he'll be arriving at Muirfield Village full of confidence.

Rory didn't quite have his best stuff that week but battled hard to contend in the early stages of the final round. Having had a week off to practice, the Northern Irishman is highly fancied to pick up his first Memorial Tournament win.

His long game has been as good as ever this year, ranking 2nd in Strokes Gained: tee to green as well as 1st in driving distance but it's on the greens where he has struggled. A good putting week may see him lap the field in Ohio.

COLLIN MORIKAWA

• World Ranking: 18
• PGA Tour wins: 5

View Collin Morikawa What's in the bag?

The two-time Major winner looks to win the Memorial this week at a venue he has had plenty of success at. He won the Workday Charity Open here in 2020, which was an additional event due to Covid-19, and then agonisingly lost in a playoff to Patrick Cantlay at the 2021 Memorial.

Morikawa started the year 2nd-3rd but has struggled since, albeit there have still been some very solid performances. A T10 at The Masters came after a T13 at The Players and a T6 at the Genesis Invitational so while clearly not firing on all cylinders, the talented American isn't too far away.

We've seen time and time again when Morikawa is firing on all cylinders, he's near-impossible to beat.

He could spark some light into his season this week at a place where he came so close two years ago. Definitely an outsider to watch!

KURT KITAYAMA

• World ranking: 20
• PGA Tour wins: 1

View Kurt Kitayama What's in the bag?

Kitayama won his maiden PGA Tour title in stunning fashion in March, where he birdied the 71st hole at Bay Hill to capture the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

That vaulted the American into the world's top 20, after a globe-trotting career that saw him come through various Asian tours as well as the DP World Tour, where he won twice in his first 11 starts on the European circuit.

Kitayama was T4th at the PGA Championship two weeks ago to record his best ever Major finish so there's every chance he can pick up another 'W' this week, where he'll have Tim Tucker once again on the bag - who won around here with Bryson DeChambeau in 2018.

Rickie Fowler

• World Ranking: 46
• PGA Tour wins: 5

View Rickie Fowler What's in the bag?

Rickie's next PGA Tour victory looks like it's on the way and Jack's Place would be a great setting for number six.

The American was T6th last week at Colonial to rise up the world rankings yet again, and he has now also booked his spot in the Open Championship at Royal Liverpool in July, where he was T2nd in 2014.

Fowler has missed just one cut all year and is now back inside the world's top 50 after ending 2022 outside of the top 100. Look out for him this week!

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