The Memorial Tournament is a yearly event hosted at Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio, founded by Jack Nicklaus with very noble beginnings. The tournament is all about honoring all golf players, including the deceased who have made a name for themselves in the spectacular sport.
The tournament is well known for its tough courses and it attracts some of the best golf players in the game. Some of the biggest names in the game will be playing at this year's PGA including former PGA Championship winner Jason Day, Viktor Hovland, and three-time winner Jordan Spieth.
The Muirfield Course for the PGA
The golf course has over 220 acres of land, including an 11-acre driving range. The courses’ layout is challenging to any seasoned player due to its elevation changes. The pristine condition of the course is always enjoyable to players and the meandering creek around the golf course adds a couple of notches to the already demanding course.
The weather forecast for the next 10 days is not looking too promising for a smooth PGA tournament. Players will need to dig deep to fight off the rain and the bad weather, with rain forecasted on three of the days. Wind speeds of 14 miles per hour are expected but should drop down to nine as the tournament progresses.
Top Players to Watch
Jordan Spieth is one of the top players to watch in the Memorial tournament boasting seven top-10 finishes, including a win at the Valero Texas Open two months ago and a 2nd place finish in last weeks Charles Swab Challenge.
The Memorial Tournament field is featuring seasoned pros including Justin Thomas, Jon Rahm (2020 Memorial winner), Rory McIlroy, and Patrick Cantlay.
Jon Rahm has been in great form recently, finishing 5th in the 2021 Masters Tournament and another 5th place finish at the The Genesis Invitational back in February. Rory McIlroy is always a player to watch. He won the Wells Fargo Championship earlier in May and is a strong contender for a top 10 finish.
Jason Day competed in the Memorial tournament 12 times and has 12 victories on the PGA tour. Last year was his best finish yet, in 4th. The Australian was ranked number 1 in 2015 and his presence in the Memorial Tournament is a clear indication of the quality needed to succeed in Ohio.
Viktor Hovland is one to watch and is one of the brightest rising stars on the PGA Tour. As an amateur just two years ago, the Norweigian broke Jack Nicklaus' 60-year-old record for the lowest score in the U.S. Open by an amateur. Hovland has two career victories and currently stands at number 12 in the World rankings. This will be Hovland's second start in the Memorial and a great player to consider when betting outright to win the tournament.
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Details About The Tournament
Memorial is one of only five invitational tournaments on the PGA Tour which has a purse of over $9,000,000 and 500 points awarded to the winner. The tournament begins the practice rounds between May 31st and the 2nd of June, with the first round beginning on Thursday, June 3rd. The challenging course at Muirfield makes the Memorial tournament the best way to prepare for the upcoming US Open.
The Memorial Tournament helps many Greater Columbus Charities in cooperation with the Nicklaus Children's Healthcare Foundation, Nationwide Children's Hospital and many other local organizations.
Players Missing Out on the Tournament
One of the biggest names in golf, Tiger Woods, will be missing the memorial tournament his year. Tiger won the tournament five times, including a three year succession between 1999 and 2001.
The 2013 winner Matt Kuchar will also miss out as will the 2011 Steve Stricker who currently holds 240 FedEx points. Dustin Johnson, one of the best golfers of this era will also be missing out on the Memorial Tournament. Dustin, who is currently sitting on 1,203 FedEx points, had four top-ten finishes in 2021 so far, from a total of 12 events.
The tournament is full of big names and usually attracts thousands of people, however, due to Covid-19, the Memorial tournament will operate with 50% occupancy.
Final Thoughts
The Memorial Tournament is great entertainment for the spectators as it’s one of only five invitational tournaments on the PGA Tour, has a very challenging course and brings in some of the best talent golf has to offer. Competition will be fierce ahead of the US Open and players will be fighting for top finishes to secure as many FedEx points as we had into the majors. Find a place to bet on the tournament here!
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