Memorial Match: Odds, predictions for subsequent PGA Tour occasion

Following an exciting RBC Canadian Open, the PGA Tour heads to Ohio for the Memorial Match, the occasion Jack Nicklaus hosts yearly.

Xander Schauffele will tee it up for the primary time as a significant champion, recent off his electrical PGA Championship victory at Valhalla. So, too, will Scottie Scheffler, who will compete for the primary time since Louisville Police dropped the assault prices levied in opposition to him.

Different prime gamers within the discipline embody Rory McIlroy, Wyndham Clark, and Viktor Hovland, the latter of which triumphed at Muirfield Village a yr in the past.

Hovland defeated Denny McCarthy in a playoff, which marked the largest win of his profession then. However Hovland’s victory right here marked the start of the ‘Summer season of Hovland,’ as he went on to win the BMW and Tour Championships in August.

After all, Hovland arrives at Muirfield Village recent off a solo third end at Valhalla, his greatest—and solely—top-10 end to date in 2024.

Picture by Ben Jared/PGA Tour by way of Getty Photographs

Total, 23 of the highest 25 gamers within the Official World Golf Rankings (OWGR) will tee it up this week, with LIV Golf’s Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton being the one outliers.

This course will certainly check one of the best gamers on the planet in what needs to be a superb preview earlier than subsequent week’s U.S. Open.

Memorial Match Odds:

Listed below are the most recent odds for this week’s Memorial Match, offered by DraftKings:

• Scottie Scheffler +360
• Rory McIlroy +800
• Xander Schauffele +900
• Collin Morikawa +1400
• Viktor Hovland +1800
• Ludvig Åberg +1800
• Patrick Cantlay +2500
• Justin Thomas +2500
• Wyndham Clark +3500
• Tommy Fleetwood +3500
• Max Homa +3500
• Hideki Matsuyama +3500
• Sahith Theegala +4000
• Jordan Spieth +4500
• Matt Fitzpatrick +5000
• Cameron Younger +5000
• Byeong Hun An +5000

Picture by Keyur Khamar/PGA Tour by way of Getty Photographs

Memorial Match Predictions

Muirfield Village Golf Membership exams the PGA Tour’s greatest yr in and yr out, regardless of Nicklaus continually tinkering with the format. His newest renovation got here a few years in the past, because the Golden Bear re-did all of the greens and bunkers, hoping to additional problem the professionals whereas holding playability intact for the members.

Accuracy is paramount on this golf course, which hosted the 1987 Ryder Cup, however so is distance. This course measures 7,571 yards, one of many longer layouts on the PGA Tour.

The Curious Case of Tom Kim

Tom Kim is among the most gifted younger gamers on the planet, however he has not lived as much as the hype to date in 2024. Earlier than final week’s RBC Canadian Open, the place he tied for fourth, Kim’s greatest end this season got here on the WM Phoenix Open, the place he completed in a tie for seventeenth.

But, the 21-year-old doesn’t have any obtrusive weaknesses in his sport. However he doesn’t do something spectacularly, both. If something, he’s comparatively correct off the tee, discovering 68.55% of fairways this season—good for nineteenth on the PGA Tour. Then once more, he missed loads of fairways on Sunday on the Canadian Open, however nonetheless shot a 6-under 64.

His putter obtained scorching, and it doesn’t matter what occurs from tee to inexperienced, a scorching putter sometimes produces good outcomes for the professionals. We like Kim to proceed to depend on his putter this week at Muirfield Village, the place he’ll snag his second prime 10 of the yr at +400.

Viktor Hovland Continues to Bounce Again

Earlier than the PGA Championship, Viktor Hovland’s sport was in a funk. He missed the reduce at The Masters, the place he shot an 81 throughout his second spherical. His quick sport had fully deserted him, leaving him with none confidence going into the guts of main championship season.

Then he took a while off, rekindled with his previous coach Joe Mayo, and fired three straight 66s on the PGA Championship. He appeared like a prime participant once more at Valhalla, signaling that one other massive win may very well be imminent.

Picture by Scott Taetsch/PGA of America by way of Getty Photographs

But, Hovland continues to let his quick sport bother him, as he ranks 174th on the PGA Tour in strokes gained across the inexperienced.

Regardless of that, if Hovland finds fairways and greens like he did at Valhalla, he shouldn’t have any challenge contending. Plus, he gained right here a yr in the past and repeatedly talks about how a lot he loves this golf course. Consolation typically breeds confidence, so we imagine Hovland contends once more, ending within the prime 5 at +360.

French Fever

Matthieu Pavon and Victor Perez have had stable seasons, their first as full-time PGA Tour members.

Pavon gained earlier this yr on the Farmers Insurance coverage Open and has two different prime 10s to his identify. He has not performed since lacking the reduce on the PGA Championship, however one thing tells us that Pavon will re-discover his type at Muirfield Village—a course that, like Torrey Pines, exams all aspects of 1’s sport. At +1400 to complete within the prime 10, Pavon is well worth the longshot decide to contend.

Perez, in the meantime, arrives in Ohio recent off a tie for third on the RBC Canadian Open, which included two 64s over the weekend. The previous New Mexico Lobo is a terrific ball-striker, rating thirteenth on the PGA Tour in greens in regulation. But, he doesn’t discover a ton of fairways, which makes us considerably skeptical of him at Muirfield Village. Nonetheless, Perez putted nicely in Canada, an indication that he’ll contend once more this week. We like Perez to complete within the prime 10 as nicely, at +1200.

Longshot Winner

Picture by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Photographs

Alex Noren obtained one of many sponsor’s exemptions for this week, and we like him to take full benefit of the chance. The 41-year-old Swede has performed admirably this season, recording two prime 10s and tied for twelfth on the PGA Championship.

Noiren missed the reduce eventually week’s RBC Canadian Open—his first MC of the season—however his early exit means he’ll arrive in Ohio feeling refreshed and able to go. His beautiful play from tee to inexperienced fits this course nicely, and we imagine Noren at +8000 to win is price a shot.

Memorial Match Decide

Since The Gamers Championship in mid-March, Tommy Fleetwood has proven nothing however consistency. He tied for seventh on the Valero Texas Open and third at Augusta. Different stable finishes adopted at Quail Hole and Valhalla, and Fleetwood ought to have fared higher final week in Canada. However a double-bogey to open his last spherical dropped him out of competition, as he finally shot a 2-over 72 on Sunday. He tied for twenty first.

Picture by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Photographs

However, Fleetwood’s sport fits Muirfield Village completely. He’s correct off the tee, putts nicely, and infrequently makes a mistake—Fleetwood ranks eighth on the PGA Tour in bogey avoidance.

However what makes us like Fleetwood much more is that he confirmed enchancment along with his ball-striking final week in Canada. He at the moment ranks 137th on the PGA Tour in strokes gained approaching the inexperienced and 88th in greens in regulation proportion. But, Fleetwood gained 5.28 strokes along with his iron play in Hamilton, which ranked fifth among the many discipline.

We imagine that the Englishman continues to present himself loads of alternatives this week, and at +3500, Fleetwood has an ideal worth to win. He lastly breaks by on the PGA Tour, because the Golden Bear will ship his trophy to a European participant for the second consecutive yr.

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Jack Milko is a golf employees author for SB Nation’s Taking part in By way of. Be sure you take a look at @_PlayingThrough for extra golf protection. You’ll be able to comply with him on Twitter @jack_milko as nicely.