The PGA Tour returns to Muirfield Village for the Memorial Tournament at Muirfield Village, Dublin, Ohio. The 120 field with the top 65 including ties making the cut, will all be competing for a share of the $12M prize purse with the winner collecting the title and a cheque for $2.16M.
Muirfield Village will be playing 7,533 yards long this week, it’s a par 72 parkland track where the key attribute will be power and accuracy.
Patrick Cantlay returns to defend his title but if you all remember, Jon Rahm was six shots clear of the field when finishing his third round last year, only to be told he had a positive test result so had to withdraw leaving the door wide open for Cantlay to claim the title beating Collin Morikawa in a playoff.
The weather forecast expects rain for Thursday’s opening round, then looks to be perfect throughout with sunny and warm conditions and breezes only peaking at 12mph on Thursday and Friday.
This event will be screened on Sky Sports Golf with live coverage starting at midday on Thursday.
So let’s move on with this week's selections for the Memorial Tournament.
For my first and main selection at Muirfield Village, I’m going to point you in the direction of Jon Rahm 11/1 EW SportNation. I just feel that the 27yrs old from Barrika, Spain has unfinished business here at Muirfield Village after having to withdraw last year with a six-stroke advantage going into the final round.
We will never know now but surely Rahm would have romped to victory if he never tested positive. As mentioned above, this will be a test of power and precision and the world number two arrives at Muirfield Village with the stats that matter. Rahm is currently ranked 1st on the PGA Tour for SG Off the Tee and 2nd SG Tee To Green. He is 5th on the Tour for SG Total and nobody in this field can match these figures. The young Spaniard has been playing sublime golf this year yet again and has already bagged a victory when winning the Mexico Open at Vidanta.
Other notable recent performances with a mention include 3rd at the Farmers Insurance and runner up at Sentry Tournament of Champions. I just have a feeling that Rahm can run away with this and prove that the six-shot lead he held before his withdrawal in 2021 was no fluke. Muirfield Village is all set up for Jon Rahm's game this week to make it an unlucky thirteenth professional victory and finally claim the Memorial Tournament victory he deserved last year.
For my next suggestion, I will single out Xander Schauffele at 20/1 EW Bet365. The 28yrs old from San Diego finished T13th last time out at the USPGA Championship and looked like he was back in a groove. The week before the USPGA Championship, Schauffele was 5th at the AT&T Byron Nelson and in the eleven events that Schauffele has played this year he has finished inside the Top 20 on seven occasions. Currently ranked 9th on the PGA Tour for both SG Tee To Green and SG Total, you can never keep Schauffele quiet for too long and a victory could be imminent for the world number eleven. That victory could come as soon as this Sunday and I don’t want to miss out when Xandee Schauffele, the Olympic Champion returns to the winner's podium.
For my next selection, I’m going to select the defending champion who did the business for us here last time around, Patrick Cantlay 18/1 EW SportNation. The 2021 Memorial Tournament champion was a tad fortunate to collect the title last year after Jon Rahms exit from the tournament but Cantlay also won this event in 2019 so it’s there for all to see that he clearly enjoys this event and the track.
The 30yr old from Long Beach California and current Fed-Ex Cup Champion was runner up at the RBC Heritage just a few weeks back and has started the season where he left off last year. 4th at the Sentry Tournament of Champions, 9th at the American Express, 4th at the AT&T Pebble Beach and runner up at the Phoenix Open as well as the RBC Heritage mentioned above. Patrick Cantlay usually always delivers when I’ve selected him, it’s all about timing and putting all those stats together at the right time. This event could be all set up for Cantlay to dominate this Memorial Tournament once again on his way to yet another victory on Sunday afternoon in Ohio.
For my final selection it’s the customary match bet and for the Nap this week at Muirfield Village I’m advising Seamus Power to beat Chris Kirk over the 72 holes 10/11 Nap Bet365.
Memorial Tournament Betting Tips
- NAP: Seamus Power to beat Chris Kirk ,10/11 Nap Bet365, 72 hole matchbet.
- Jon Rahm 11/1 EW SportNation.
- Xander Schauffele 20/1 EW Bet365.
- Patrick Cantlay 18/1 EW SportNation.
