Memorial Match: Odds, predictions for subsequent PGA Tour occasion

Following an exhilarating 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 serious 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 expenses levied towards him.

Different high gamers within the area embody Rory McIlroy, Wyndham Clark, and Viktor Hovland, the latter of which triumphed at Muirfield Village a 12 months 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 finest—and solely—top-10 end so far in 2024.

Photograph by Ben Jared/PGA Tour through Getty Pictures

General, 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 the perfect gamers on the earth in what must be a wonderful preview earlier than subsequent week’s U.S. Open.

Memorial Match Odds:

Listed here are the newest 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

Photograph by Keyur Khamar/PGA Tour through Getty Pictures

Memorial Match Predictions

Muirfield Village Golf Membership checks the PGA Tour’s finest 12 months in and 12 months out, regardless of Nicklaus continually tinkering with the structure. 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 preserving 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 likely one of the most gifted younger gamers on the planet, however he has not lived as much as the hype so far in 2024. Earlier than final week’s RBC Canadian Open, the place he tied for fourth, Kim’s finest 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 obvious weaknesses in his recreation. 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 received scorching, and it doesn’t matter what occurs from tee to inexperienced, a scorching putter usually 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 high 10 of the 12 months at +400.

Viktor Hovland Continues to Bounce Again

Earlier than the PGA Championship, Viktor Hovland’s recreation was in a funk. He missed the reduce at The Masters, the place he shot an 81 throughout his second spherical. His quick recreation had utterly 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 high participant once more at Valhalla, signaling that one other large win might be imminent.

Photograph by Scott Taetsch/PGA of America through Getty Pictures

But, Hovland continues to let his quick recreation 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 should not have any problem contending. Plus, he received right here a 12 months in the past and repeatedly talks about how a lot he loves this golf course. Consolation typically breeds confidence, so we consider Hovland contends once more, ending within the high 5 at +360.

French Fever

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

Pavon received earlier this 12 months on the Farmers Insurance coverage Open and has two different high 10s to his title. 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, checks all sides of 1’s recreation. At +1400 to complete within the high 10, Pavon is definitely worth the longshot choose 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 effectively in Canada, an indication that he’ll contend once more this week. We like Perez to complete within the high 10 as effectively, at +1200.

Longshot Winner

Photograph by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Pictures

Alex Noren acquired 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 high 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 effectively, and we consider 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 ultimate spherical dropped him out of rivalry, as he in the end shot a 2-over 72 on Sunday. He tied for twenty first.

Photograph by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Pictures

However, Fleetwood’s recreation fits Muirfield Village completely. He’s correct off the tee, putts effectively, and barely 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 together 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 together with his iron play in Hamilton, which ranked fifth among the many area.

We consider that the Englishman continues to provide himself loads of alternatives this week, and at +3500, Fleetwood has an amazing 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 12 months.

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Jack Milko is a golf employees author for SB Nation’s Enjoying By. Make sure you take a look at @_PlayingThrough for extra golf protection. You possibly can comply with him on Twitter @jack_milko as effectively.