The Memorial Tournament: PGA Golf Odds And Predictions
The Memorial Tournament Background
The Memorial Tournament annually draws one of the strongest fields on the PGA Tour for a few reasons. For one, it has a purse of nearly $9 million, which is among the highest on Tour outside of the four major championships and World Golf Championships. Muirfield Village in Dublin, Ohio, is a world-renowned course and a good test ahead of the U.S. Open.
The fact that the Memorial is two weeks before the U.S. Open also means it’s the last time many guys will play ahead of the year’s second major. Lastly, guys want to play because this is Jack Nicklaus’ tournament. He built Muirfield Village for his hometown of Columbus (Dublin is a suburb). Nicklaus also starred collegiately at Ohio State. Guys want to honor the Golden Bear by playing in his event. Because it’s one of five “invitationals” annually on Tour it has a reduced field of 120 players. The winner gets a three-year exemption on the PGA Tour compared to two for regular tournaments.
Muirfield Village is a par 72 measuring 7,392 yards. It’s most likely going to take double-digit under par to win. The last single-digit winner was Tiger Woods in 2012 at 9-under 279. That was his fifth and last win at this tournament. Tiger hasn’t played here since 2015 when he shot a third-round 85, the worst score of his pro career. Woods is +2200 this week. The 72-hole record of 268 was set by Tom Lehman in 1994.
The Memorial Tournament Odds Favourites
Dustin Johnson, who recently lost the No. 1 ranking in the world, is +1200 along with Aussie Jason Day. It’s an adopted hometown of sorts for Day because he wife grew up here. He has yet to even finish in the Top 10 here, with a best of 15th last year. Johnson missed the cut last year but was third in 2016 for his best result.
Justin Rose, last week’s winner in Fort Worth, Justin Thomas and Rory McIlroy are each +1400. Five guys have won twice on the PGA Tour this season but none back-to-back as Rose will attempt. He shot a final-round 64 Sunday at Colonial to win the Fort Worth Invitational by three shots. It was the ninth career Tour win for Rose, who won here in 2010 at 18 under. Thomas tees it up as the world. No. 1 for the first time in his career. He was fourth last year. McIlroy finished runner-up on the European Tour’s BMW PGA Championship over the weekend. He has three Top 10s here in six trips.
Defending champion Jason Dufner is a +6000 long shot. He won last year at 13 under despite a third-round 77. Tiger in 1999-01 is the last repeat winner of the Memorial.
Canadian Golfer Odds
Adam Hadwin is +11000 this week with Mackenzie Hughes +60000. Hadwin was 52nd last week in Fort Worth. He missed the cut here last year but was 11th in 2016. Hughes was 42nd last week and 45th last year in his only visit to the Memorial.
No Canadian has won the tournament. Mike Weir was a runner-up in 2008.
The Memorial Tournament Predictions
We like Tiger and Rory for Top 10s, but the winning pick is Matt Kuchar at +4500. He won here in 2013 and has five other Top 10s at Muirfield since 2009. He was fourth the past two years.
