Anticipation surrounds Muirfield Village Golf Club as The Memorial Tournament presented by Workday is set to take place from May 29 through June 1. The Jack Nicklaus-crafted test in Dublin, Ohio fields 72 elite players and headlines the PGA Tour’s Signature Event slate ahead of the U.S. Open. At the center of every conversation stands Scottie Scheffler, fresh off an eight-stroke win at the CJ Cup Byron Nelson, a five-shot triumph at the PGA Championship, and a solid fourth-place finish on Sunday at the Charles Schwab Challenge. He opens the favorite at +280, the shortest outright price seen at “Jack’s Place” in over a decade.
The tournament’s outlook saw a late twist when Masters champion Rory McIlroy withdrew, ending an eight-year run of appearances and trimming the top-20 representation to 18 names. While his absence removes a perennial threat, the field still boasts every other member of the Official World Golf Ranking top 15, including past champions Patrick Cantlay, Viktor Hovland, Hideki Matsuyama, and defending title-holder Scheffler.
The Memorial Tournament Preview
Muirfield Village stretches 7,569 yards as a par 72, where precision into angled bentgrass greens beats brash aggression from the tee. The routing features three par 5s on the inward half, yet history shows single-digit under-par totals often suffice when the wind swirls across the rolling terrain. Nicklaus fine-tuned several green complexes in 2021 and lengthened the par-4 15th to 484 yards, leaving approach play as the primary separator.
Recent editions of this tournament underline that truth. Scheffler gained a combined 17.8 strokes tee-to-green during last year’s win, while Cantlay’s twin victories in 2019 and 2021 arrived on the back of strokes-gained numbers inside the event’s top three both weeks. Collin Morikawa, the runner-up in 2024 and winner of the 2020 Workday Charity Open on the same layout, returns with a rejuvenated short game that has yielded four straight top-15 results.
The smaller 48-hole cut applied to Signature Events means every entrant plays at least three rounds, benefiting steady performers such as Xander Schauffele (+1600) and Justin Thomas (+1800). Field depth extends well beyond the marquee names mentioned above. Ludvig Åberg’s driving places the Swede among the statistical leaders in greens-in-regulation, while Tommy Fleetwood (+2800) arrives second on Tour in proximity from 175-225 yards. Meanwhile, Ben Griffin, fresh off his breakthrough at Colonial, sneaks in under the radar at +5500.
Betting Insights
According to DraftKings Sportsbook, here are the 10 golfers with the shortest odds to win this tournament.
- Scottie Scheffler +280
- Xander Schauffele +1600
- Collin Morikawa +1600
- Justin Thomas +1800
- Patrick Cantlay +2200
- Ludvig Åberg +2200
- Tommy Fleetwood +2800
- Corey Conners +3000
- Viktor Hovland +3000
- Hideki Matsuyama +3500
Just five men have lifted the crystal at Muirfield multiple times, and Cantlay is the only repeat winner active. His affinity for this event is reflected in a career scoring average of 69.12 across 24 rounds here. The Californian also ranks sixth on Tour in shots gained from tee to green this season and enters off consecutive top-five finishes.
Scheffler tops every major ball-striking metric again this season, pacing the circuit in total shots gained at 2.569 and adjusted scoring average at 68.69. The concern remains a pedestrian putting record (77th in shots gained for putting), but his victory margin at TPC Craig Ranch and controlled iron play at Quail Hollow show he can survive average work on the greens.
Value hunters may gravitate toward Morikawa, who has gained at least five strokes on approach in three of his last four starts. His +1600 tag yields a superior course resume compared with Schauffele or Thomas at similar numbers. Deeper, Corey Conners (+3000) sits fourth in GIR percentage this season and has cashed top-20 tickets in three straight Memorial visits. For head-to-head matchups, backing Cantlay over Schauffele exploits a course-specific edge and avoids paying Scheffler’s pricing in any markets.
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The Memorial Tournament Prediction
The combination of sweeping doglegs, thick bluegrass rough, and demanding par-3s rewards precision, patience, and a proven track record in elite fields. Scheffler checks every statistical box, yet his +280 number leaves little headroom for profit. Instead, Patrick Cantlay at +2200 provides a balanced blend of course history and current form with a price offering five times Scheffler’s payout. Expect the two-time champion to lean on familiar sightlines, gain at least 10 strokes tee-to-green over the week, and post a target around -13 that proves unbeatable. Scheffler should slot in for a podium finish, while Morikawa will finish third after another ball-striking clinic.
For bettors pursuing ancillary markets, play Cantlay top-10 at +200, Scheffler top-5 at −110, and Fleetwood top-20 at +160. Expect Muirfield Village to crown a familiar name on Sunday and for Cantlay’s handshake with Jack Nicklaus to come with a third removable bronze plaque.
