7 Big Names And Notable Players Missing The 2025 Memorial Tournament

The 2025 Memorial Tournament is the penultimate PGA Tour Signature Event of the season and falls right in between the PGA Championship and US Open.

It is one of the final chances for some of the biggest players on the historic US circuit to pick up enhanced prize money and FedEx Cup points before the year's final two men's Majors and the sprint toward the Playoffs.

As a result, many of the very best are at Muirfield Village Golf Club armed with a steely determination to add a significant PGA Tour title to their trophy cabinets and set up a run at the mammoth prizes slightly further down the line.

Scottie Scheffler is the defending champion after a one-stroke success in 2024, and the World No.1 is back in Ohio fresh from recent successes at teh CJ Cup Byron Nelson and PGA Championship.

However, there are a number of Scheffler's rivals not in the field at the 2025 Memorial Tournament. We've listed some of the notable names below...

RORY MCILROY

It was confirmed that Rory McIlroy would be skipping the Memorial Tournament for the first time in eight years when the official field list was published last Friday.

McIlroy has not played in three of the seven Signature Events this term, although the first was The Sentry in January when the 36-year-old was preparing to start his campaign in Dubai while the second was the RBC Heritage which took place just days after McIlroy completed the career Grand Slam at The Masters.

The most likely reason for the five-time Major winning not turning up this week relates to McIlroy's schedule. He has only played one event leading into both Majors so far and appears to be maintaining that tactic moving forward.

With an appearance at the Canadian Open up next prior to the US Open, McIlroy has decided that the lucrative Signature Event would have to make way as he chases more Major titles over adding a few dollars to his already bulging bank account.

NICOLAI HOJGAARD

Nicolai Hojgaard was sitting at around World No.40 this time last year, floating around the 50 mark by the time the FedEx Cup Playoffs had ended in September. However, the Dane's FedEx Cup position was confirmed as 82nd when the music stopped at East Lake and he was therefore not guaranteed starts at the eight Signature Events this term.

A drop-off in form since then has further decreased his chances of earning a tee time at Signature Events, and given he has not qualified via any of the other means (win a PGA Tour event, Aon Swing 5 etc) that means the former Ryder Cup player is not in action this week.

RASMUS HOJGAARD

Unlike his twin brother, Rasmus Hojgaard has appeared in a Signature Event already this season - three to be exact. But despite enjoying a steady improvement in form over the past 12 months or so, he won't be playing at the Memorial Tournament.

The World No.64 competed at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and at the Genesis Invitational as a result of being the leading finisher on the 2024 Race To Dubai who was not otherwise exempt. Hojgaard then qualified for the Truist Championship at Philadelphia Cricket Club thanks to the Aon Swing 5 route.

But with no wins and having failed to repeat his earlier success, both Hojgaard twins will enjoy a week at home instead.

WILL ZALATORIS

Earlier in the week, Will Zalatoris revealed he had re-injured his back and would miss the remaining two Majors and final Signature Event of the season while he recovers.

He had played in all six Signature events previously and managed a best result of T22nd at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. However, given his recent surgery, the American expects to return in the Fall and will have to make do with watching this week's Memorial Tournament on TV instead.

BILLY HORSCHEL

Another injury victim, Billy Horschel shared earlier this month that he would miss the majority of the PGA Tour season due to undergoing right hip surgery - something he insisted was a "preventative measure."

The popular American was enjoying a strong start to the year and had been among the World's top-20 prior to his surgery, with a T9th result at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am the highlight of his 2025 so far.

JASON DAY

The final member of the 'star names with injury issues' club is Muirfield Village resident, Jason Day. The Australian ended 33rd in the FedEx Cup last term and has been in five of the first six Signature Events so far, missing the Truist Championship because of a reported back issue.

The reason Day is absent this week, however, is due to soreness in his left wrist. The issue is not expected to keep the former World No.1 out long term, though, and Day is believed to be on track for the US Open in two weeks' time.

TOM KIM

Tom Kim finished 51st in the 2024 FedEx Cup standings during the regular season and 59th after the FedEx Cup Fall, meaning his status was agonizingly close but too far away to qualify for all eight Signature Events this season.

Kim has played three Signature Events in 2025 - the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, Genesis Invitational and Arnold Palmer Invitational - but has failed to win any events or produced consistently strong form recently to qualify for Jack Nicklaus' event via the Aon Swing 5 or Aon Next 10.

Even more frustratingly for Kim, those inside the world's top-30 can enjoy a route into the Signature Events, but the South Korean has suffered a gradual decline in the rankings and is now 45th following a best result of T7th at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am back in February.

The Memorial Tournament is the second Signature Event he has missed in a row following on from the Truist Championship earlier this month.