the Memorial Tournament 2025 Tips: Five each-way plays for Ohio

Scottie Scheffler won the Memorial Tournament last year and the 28-year-old American is favourite at Betfred to defend his title this week.

Our resident golf tipster Jamie Worsley is back with his usual long-read preview. He's picked out five he looks, at each-way prices, to make up his the Memorial Tournament 2025 tips.

Ben Griffin capped off the best month of his career with a dramatic victory at last week’s Charles Schwab Challenge, securing his first solo PGA Tour title at Colonial Country Club. Building on his breakthrough win alongside Andrew Novak at the Zurich Classic at the end of April, Griffin edged out Matti Schmid by one shot on Sunday, denying the German his own maiden victory on tour.

There are just two events remaining before our third major of the season: the US Open at Oakmont. The Canadian Open is the destination next week, but first it’s to Muirfield Village Golf Club for the Memorial Tournament—the seventh and penultimate Signature Event of the season.

TOURNAMENT HISTORY

The Memorial Tournament was first held in 1976 and has become one of the most prestigious regular events on the PGA Tour. It is the brainchild of Jack Nicklaus, who hosts the tournament every year at Muirfield Village Golf Club—a course he designed in his home state of Ohio.

Tiger Woods is the most successful player in the history of the event, with five victories to his name. He won three on the spin from 1999 – 2001—making him the only player to successfully defend the title—and recorded further wins in 2009 and 2012.

Kenny Perry won three (1991, 2003, 2008) and there have been five two-time winners, including tournament host Jack Nicklaus (1977, 1984). He is joined by Hale Irwin (1983, 1985), Greg Norman (1990, 1995), Tom Watson (1979, 1996) and most recently, Patrick Cantlay (2019, 2021).

Last five winners:

• 2024 – Winner: Scottie Scheffler (-8)

Runner-up: Collin Morikawa (-7)

• 2023 – Winner: Viktor Hovland (-7, playoff)

Runner-up: Denny McCarthy (-7)

• 2022 – Winner: Billy Horschel (-13)

Runner-up: Aaron Wise (-9)

• 2021 – Winner: Patrick Cantlay (-13, playoff)

Runner-up: Collin Morikawa (-13)

• 2020 – Winner: Jon Rahm (-9)

Runner-up: Ryan Palmer (-6)

Scottie Scheffler won the fifth of his nine titles in 2024 at Muirfield Village. He took the lead in round two and never looked back, with a two-over 74 in round four enough for him to see off Collin Morikawa by one stroke. The world No. 1 returns to defend this week.

THE COURSE

Muirfield Village Golf Club was designed by Jack Nicklaus in 1974 and is affectionately known as “Jack’s Place” after the 18-time major champion. He has continually tweaked with the course over the years, although it underwent a more extensive renovation in 2020, during which they rebuilt all greens and bunkers, repositioned tees and narrowed the fairways.

A lengthy par 72 measuring 7569yds, this parkland course possesses 4x par 3s (180-218yds), 10x par 4s (360-503yds) and 4x par 5s (547-588yds). It has long been one of the trickiest, major-type tests on tour, and has an average winning score of -12.7 across the last 10 renewals.

Impeccably maintained and tree-lined, the course sits on gently rolling terrain with moderate elevation changes throughout. A creek winds through the property, which feeds into water features that come into play on 13 holes, forming the primary defence at the venue.

The fairways frequently dogleg—predominantly right-to-left—and the course has increased in difficulty off the tee since the 2020 renovation. It has become much tougher to find the short grass—now possessing around average driving accuracy numbers—and with 4-inch thick Kentucky blue/fescue and strategically placed bunkers for protection, wayward drives are punished more severely.

That being said, the most significant challenge at Muirfield Village comes on and around the small, elevated bentgrass greens.

These sloping surfaces are often narrow/shallow in shape and are consistently positioned at an angle to the fairway, which allows them to tuck some particularly tricky pins. This has resulted in the course rating as the most challenging venue in approach the last two years, and it also has the second-lowest greens-in-regulation percentage across the previous six seasons.

It showcases a varied short-game test, with large, deep bunkers, thick rough, and some tightly-mown chipping areas guarding the putting surfaces. Players will need to bring their best scrambling skills if missing greens, with those defences leading Muirfield Village to rank among the five toughest tests on the PGA Tour around the greens.

The par 3s—three of which measure 200yds+—feature some of the narrowest and shallowest putting surfaces on the course. Well-protected by sand or water, they demand precision and have been the toughest par 3s on tour in the last two seasons.

Meanwhile, the par 5s offer genuine risk/reward opportunities, with water in-play on three of the four. And although the course finishes with two long, testing par 4s—measuring 503yds at 17 and 480yds at 18—there are scoring chances to be found elsewhere, provided the long game is sound.

Muirfield Village is a stern but fair test, where good shots are appropriately rewarded and poor shots can be severely punished. It often makes for a close, exciting contest, and we’re hopefully in for another memorable Memorial Tournament this week.

THE WEATHER

The area is expected to see some rain in the lead-up to this week’s event—likely enough to soften the course up for Thursday’s opening round. However, it is predicted to be clear and reasonably warm throughout the tournament days.

There is forecast to be strong winds over the first two rounds, with gusts as high as 36mph on the cards. This should help to dry the course out for the calmer weekend’s play.

KEY STATS

• SG: Approach/Greens-in-Regulation/Proximity from 175yds+

Muirfield Village is a demanding all-round test, but it will come as little surprise that iron play holds the key on a Jack Nicklaus design. It’s especially important to be dialled in with the long irons, as a high percentage of approaches measure 175yds+

Scottie Scheffler did most things to a good standard last year, but it was with the irons he impressed most, ranking 1^st in approach and 1^st in greens-in-regulation. Runner-up Collin Morikawa ranked 4^th in approach and 16^th in GIR; Adam Hadwin in 3^rd ranked 2^nd in approach and 9^th in GIR; and 4^th-place finisher Christiaan Bezuidenhout ranked 16^th in approach and 7^th in GIR.

Viktor Hovland was more reliant on his short game in 2023 but still performed solidly with his irons, ranking 19^th in GIR and 26^th in approach. Scottie Scheffler again ranked 1^st in both areas when finishing 3^rd, and 4^th-place finisher Si Woo Kim was inside the top 10 in both.

Billy Horschel ranked 1^st in GIR and 12^th in approach when claiming the title in 2022; Patrick Cantlay ranked 1^st in GIR and 5^th in approach on his way to victory in 2021; Jon Rahm ranked 5^th in GIR and 8^th in approach to come out on top in 2020; and Patrick Cantlay ranked 5^th in approach when winning here for the first time in 2019.

• SG: Around-the-Greens/Scrambling

Tough conditions and a penal ball-striking test into small, repellent greens calls on players to be strong with the short game at Muirfield Village.

Scottie Scheffler managed to win despite lacking quality around-the-greens last season, but his three nearest challengers each ranked inside the top 20 ATG and in scrambling.

Viktor Hovland ranked 7^th in scrambling in 2023; runner-up Denny McCarthy ranked 1^st in scrambling; 3^rd-place finisher Scottie Scheffler ranked 1^st ATG; and 4^th-place finisher Si Woo Kim ranked inside the top four in each area.

2022 champion Billy Horschel ranked 1^st in scrambling and 3^rd ATG; Patrick Cantlay ranked 3^rd ATG in 2021; Jon Rahm ranked 1^st ATG and in scrambling in 2020; and Patrick Cantlay was top five for both stats in 2019.

• SG: Off-the-Tee and/or Driving Accuracy

It’s important to at least drive the ball competently, and although recent winners have generally possessed length, this is not a course where you can afford to be missing the short grass too often.

Scottie Scheffler ranked 18^th off-the-tee and 22^nd in driving accuracy to win last year; Viktor Hovland was 10^th OTT in 2023; Billy Horschel ranked 7^th OTT and driving accuracy in 2022; Patrick Cantlay ranked 3^rd OTT in 2021; and Jon Rahm ranked 4^th OTT and 5^th in driving accuracy in 2020

• SG: Putting (bentgrass)
• Par 4 Scoring

Lastly, players who putt speedy bentgrass greens should be advantaged this week, and scoring well on the par 4s usually carries plenty of importance.

CORRELATING EVENTS (COURSES)

Wells Fargo Championship/2025 & 2017 PGA Championship (Quail Hollow Club)

Quail Hollow is a long, tree-lined course with moderate undulations that plays to a similar level of difficulty as Muirfield Village. The two courses offer closely matched tests into the putting surfaces, with similar greens-in-regulation percentages and frequent approaches from 175yds+.

Notable correlating form:

Scottie Scheffler:

Memorial (1^st) / 2025 PGA Championship (1^st)

Bryson DeChambeau:

Memorial (1^st) / 2025 PGA Championship/Wells Fargo (2^nd, 4^th)

Justin Rose:

Memorial (1^st, 2^nd, 2^nd) / Wells Fargo (3^rd, 3^rd)

Viktor Hovland:

Memorial (1^st) / Wells Fargo (3^rd)

Jason Dufner:

Memorial (1^st) / Wells Fargo (4^th, 5^th)

Rickie Fowler:

Memorial (2^nd, 2^nd) / Wells Fargo (1^st)

Aaron Wise:

Memorial (2^nd) / Wells Fargo (2^nd)

Byeong Hun An:

Memorial (2^nd) / Wells Fargo (3^rd)

Kyle Stanley:

Memorial (2^nd, 3^rd) / Wells Fargo (6^th, 8^th)

Denny McCarthy:

Memorial (2^nd, 5^th) / Wells Fargo/2025 PGA Championship (6^th, 8^th, 8^th)

Gary Woodland:

Memorial/Workday (4^th, 5^th, 6^th) / Wells Fargo (4^th, 5^th)

Matt Wallace:

Memorial (4^th) / Wells Fargo (6^th)

Max Homa:

Memorial (5^th, 6^th) / Wells Fargo (1^st)

Peter Uihlein:

Memorial (5^th) / Wells Fargo (5^th)

Arnold Palmer Invitational (Bay Hill)

Bay Hill and Muirfield Village are both tree-lined courses, similarly ranked in length and difficulty. Once again, it's the challenge in approach play that draws the closest comparison, with nearly identical yardage distributions and Bay Hill’s greens ranking as the hardest to hit on tour—just ahead of Muirfield Village, which ranks 2^nd.

Notable correlating form:

Scottie Scheffler:

Memorial (1^st) / API (1^st, 1^st)

Bryson DeChambeau:

Memorial (1^st) / API (1^st, 2^nd)

Viktor Hovland:

Memorial (1^st) / API (2^nd)

Billy Horschel:

Memorial (1^st) / API (2^nd)

Justin Rose:

Memorial (1^st, 2^nd, 2^nd) / API (2^nd, 3^rd, 3^rd)

Collin Morikawa:

Memorial/Workday (1^st, 2^nd, 2^nd) / API (2^nd)

Kevin Na:

Memorial (2^nd) / API (2^nd, 4^th)

Matt Fitzpatrick:

Memorial (3^rd, 5^th) / API (2^nd)

Matt Wallace:

Memorial (4^th) / API (6^th)

Andrew Putnam:

Memorial (5^th) / API (4^th, 8^th)

Will Zalatoris:

Memorial (5^th) / API (4^th)

The Masters (Augusta National)

Augusta National presents a fitting comparison for this week’s event for several reasons. Both of these undulating courses—on which fairways are easier to hit than the tour average—place emphasis on precision with long irons into fast bentgrass greens. The demands around these sloping surfaces are also on par with one another, with Augusta ranking 3^rd in overall around-the-greens difficulty, while Muirfield Village ranks 8^th.

Notable correlating form:

Scottie Scheffler:

Memorial (1^st) / Masters (1^st, 1^st)

Hideki Matsuyama:

Memorial (1^st) / Masters (1^st)

Jon Rahm:

Memorial (1^st) / Masters (1^st)

Justin Rose:

Memorial (1^st, 2^nd, 2^nd) / Masters (2^nd, 2^nd, 2^nd)

Matt Kuchar:

Memorial (1^st, 2^nd) / Masters (3^rd, 4^th, 5^th)

Collin Morikawa:

Memorial/Workday (1^st, 2^nd, 2^nd) / Masters (3^rd, 5^th)

Adam Scott:

Memorial (2^nd, 4^th, 4^th, 5^th) / Masters (1^st)

Rickie Fowler:

Memorial (2^nd, 2^nd) / Masters (2^nd)

Matt Fitzpatrick:

Memorial (3^rd, 5^th) / Masters (7^th, 10^th)

Ludvig Aberg:

Memorial (5^th) / Masters (2^nd, 7^th)

Will Zalatoris:

Memorial (5^th) / Masters (2^nd)

Max Homa:

Memorial (5^th, 6^th) / Masters (3^rd)

Texas Open (TPC San Antonio)

TPC San Antonio’s exacting ball-striking test has allowed many players to carry form between these two events. While both courses are similarly difficult off-the-tee, it’s the comparable iron-play challenge that stands out—San Antonio features the seventh-toughest greens to hit on tour, with a high volume of approach shots coming from 175yds+. Additionally, the par 4s and par 5s at both venues play to a similar level of difficulty.

Notable correlating form:

Matt Kuchar:

Memorial (1^st, 2^nd) / Texas (2^nd, 3^rd, 4^th)

Billy Horschel:

Memorial (1^st) / Texas (3^rd, 3^rd, 4^th)

Adam Scott:

Memorial (2^nd, 4^th, 4^th, 5^th) / Texas (1^st)

Denny McCarthy:

Memorial (2^nd, 5^th) / Texas (2^nd)

Ryan Palmer:

Memorial (2^nd) / Texas (4^th, 6^th, 6^th)

Anirban Lahiri:

Memorial (2^nd) / Texas (5^th)

Byeong Hun An:

Memorial (2^nd) / Texas (6^th, 7^th)

Adam Hadwin:

Memorial (3^rd) / Texas (4^th)

Matt Wallace:

Memorial (4^th) / Texas (3^rd)

Si Woo Kim:

Memorial (4^th) / Texas (4^th)

Gary Woodland:

Memorial (4^th, 5^th, 6^th) / Texas (6^th, 8^th)

2024 & 2014 PGA Championship (Valhalla Golf Club)

To finish, I’m going to lean on another Jack Nicklaus design: Valhalla Golf Club, host of the PGA Championship in 2014 and 2024.

This lengthy layout features small, fast, and mostly elevated bentgrass greens; is guarded by strategic bunkering and four-inch-thick Kentucky bluegrass/fescue rough; and demands a high proportion of approach shots from 175yds+

Notable correlating form:

Bryson DeChambeau:

Memorial (1^st) / 2024 PGA Championship (2^nd)

Viktor Hovland:

Memorial (1^st) / 2024 PGA Championship (3^rd)

Collin Morikawa:

Memorial/Workday (1^st, 2^nd, 2^nd) / 2024 PGA Championship (4^th)

Rickie Fowler:

Memorial (2^nd, 2^nd) / 2014 PGA Championship (3^rd)

Ryan Palmer:

Memorial (2^nd) / 2014 PGA Championship (5^th)

THE FIELD

The seventh Signature Event of the season has drawn 45 of the top 50 players in the world. Defending champion and world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler leads the way, but there is one glaring absentee, in the shape of No. 2 Rory McIlroy.

Scheffler is one of six former winners in attendance, alongside Viktor Hovland (2023), Patrick Cantlay (2021, 2019), Hideki Matsuyama (2014), Matt Kuchar (2013) and Justin Rose (2010).

We are also joined by seven players making their debut at Muirfield Village this week, which includes Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre and last week’s Charles Schwab Challenge runner-up, Matti Schmid.

1.5pts Viktor Hovland each-way (1/5 - 6 places) @ 33/1

My first selection is 2023 Memorial Tournament winner, Viktor Hovland, who has maintained a good level of form since winning the Valspar Championship back in March. He arrives here off the back of his best ball-striking display of the season in the PGA Championship, and if able to replicate that, he’d have every chance of tasting success in Ohio.

Hovland struggled in the early part of the season, but he burst into life with that clutch victory in at the Copperhead Course, making birdie on two of his final three holes to beat Justin Thomas by a shot. He has played four times since then, and although he hasn’t replicated that level of performance, he’s looked solid, finishing 21^st in The Masters and 28^th in the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow.

He's been excellent in approach, ranking 8^th and has done some of his best work with the long irons, ranking 4^th from 175-200yds and 25^th from 200yds+. His ranking of 15^th off-the-tee in the PGA Championship was his strongest display of the season with the driver and marrying his power with a ranking of 36^th in driving accuracy, his long game is in ideal shape to tackle this course. Meanwhile, his four best putting displays of 2025 have come over his last five starts.

Hovland finished 3^rd here in the Workday Charity Open on debut in 2020 and has never missed a cut at the course, winning the Memorial Tournament in 2023. He’s also finished 2^nd in the Arnold Palmer Invitational, 3^rd at Quail Hollow and showed his suitability to Nicklaus designs by claiming a 3^rd-place finish at Valhalla in last year’s PGA Championship.

1.5pts Hideki Matsuyama each-way (1/5 - 6 places) @ 35/1

Next up is another former Memorial Tournament winner: 2014 champion Hideki Matsuyama. He’s one of the strongest players on tour around-the-greens, is looking sharp with his long irons, and starting to get the driver under control, he can claim a second victory at Muirfield Village this week.

Hideki began this year with a dominant three-shot win in The Sentry. Although he hasn’t managed to record another top-10 finish in his last 11 starts, he hasn’t looked all that far away, picking up six top-25s.

His approach play has been strong, ranking 30^th, and he’s been especially good with the long irons, ranking 14^th from 175-200yds and 26^th from 200yds+. However, it’s the short game that has impressed most, ranking 3^rd in scrambling and 6^th around-the-greens. With the putter appearing more reliable and beginning to find plenty of fairways—after driving it erratically for much of the season—he has an appealing statistical profile heading into this week.

Matsuyama won on debut in 2014 and has since managed to record three further top-10 finishes—most recently last year, when he finished 8^th. He’s become a Masters champion since that win and having recorded two of his last three victories in Signature Events, he has the confidence to take down these elite fields.

1pt Maverick McNealy each-way (1/5 - 6 places) @ 55/1

After winning his first PGA Tour title on his final start of 2024 in the RSM Classic, Maverick McNealy has upgraded his level in 2025. He’s hitting the ball better than ever and in ownership of a couple of handy pieces of comp form in relation to this challenge, he can contend for the biggest win of his career at Muirfield Village.

McNealy has made 14 starts this season, tallying up an impressive five top-10 finishes, and just two missed cuts. His best result came when he finished 2^nd in the Genesis Invitational at Torrey Pines, and he also finished 3^rd in both the Texas Open and RBC Heritage either side of an encouraging 32^nd-place finish on his Masters debut.

Known for his quality off-the-tee and on the greens—areas in which he’s again performing well this year—it’s the improvements in approach that are really catching the eye. He ranks 43^rd this year as opposed to being 119^th, 159^th and 122^nd in the previous three seasons. As a top-25 performer in greens-in-regulation and combining his power with greater accuracy in recent starts, this looks a great spot for a player with a quality short game.

McNealy has missed the cut on his two previous visits, but they both came back in 2020 during his rookie season. His 3^rd-place finish in Texas suggests the course should suit this updated version of the Californian, and I’m also encouraged by strong major displays at Augusta, Quail Hollow and Valhalla in the last year or so.

1pt Harris English each-way (1/5 - 6 places) @ 55/1

Harris English produced the ball-striking performance of his career to finish 2^nd in the PGA Championship two weeks ago. That was party of a longer, impressive run of form and back on a similar layout this week, he can claim a lifetime best at Muirfield Village.

English won the Farmers Insurance Open back in January but was generally inconsistent through the early part of the year. He’s gained some consistency in his last six starts, recording four top-20 finishes, and I’m happy to forgive him a lacklustre display at Colonial CC last week—where he finished 53^rd—due to his exploits at Quail Hollow the previous week.

The American led the field in ball striking, approach and greens-in-regulation there, and if it wasn’t for an unusually tame effort with the putter, he’d have undoubtedly run Scottie Scheffler close. That quality with the irons has become a reoccurring theme in recent weeks and displaying power and accuracy off-the-tee, while possessing a generally excellent short game, he’s ticking all the right boxes for this challenge.

English hasn’t set the world alight at Muirfield Village in the past, recording a best of 13^th in 2020. However, he’s recorded finishes of 2^nd and 3^rd at Quail Hollow, a 3^rd-place finish at Bay Hill, and recording his best ever Masters finish of 12^th in April this year, he’s got his game into a position to contend here.

1pt Taylor Pendrith each-way (1/5 - 6 places) @ 80/1

Taylor Pendrith should arrive here full of confidence after producing the best major performance of his career two weeks ago at Quail Hollow. There are few players hitting the ball with as much quality as the Canadian, and with his irons in much better shape than they were prior to his two previous trips to Muirfield Village, I’m expecting him to considerably improve last year’s 33^rd-place finish.

Pendrith has claimed four top-10 finishes among his 14 starts this season. The first of these came when 7^th at Torrey Pines, which he then followed with a 9^th-place finish at Pebble Beach. He has been less consistent since then, but he produced a season’s best 5^th-place finish in the Houston Open and matched that result in the PGA Championship.

He ranked 4^th off-the-tee, 4^th in greens-in-regulation and 5^th in ball striking in North Carolina, which is an accurate representation of his long game in 2025. He is both long and straight with the driver, ranking 4^th for the season overall and is 5^th in greens-in-regulation. The putter has been more reliable in recent months after a shaky start to the season and he’s also started to sharpen up around-the-greens.

Pendrith was 60^th on debut here in 2023 but vastly improved last year, finishing 33^rd. In addition, his result in the PGA Championship should’ve come as no surprise, as he previously finished 10^th at Quail Hollow in the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship.

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