Horses for Courses: Cantlay a must-play at the Memorial Tournament

For the 49th time since 1976, the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday tees off in Dublin, Ohio, outside of Columbus.

Jack Nicklaus and his Muirfield Village Golf Club welcome an invitational field of 73 players for the 2024 edition.

The 2024 edition will play 7,569 yards to par 72, just two yards less than the 2023 tournament.

Nicklaus makes at least one significant change to Muirfield Village annually. The 2024 edition will see a brand-new tee box angle on the 16th hole.

After multiple complaints last season, Nicklaus shifted the teeing area at the par 3 some 30 yards to the right to reduce the chance of well-struck shots getting swallowed up by the pond short and left of the green. Also, a bunker in the right-front portion of the green was removed. Now playing 218 yards, the hole is two yards shorter than the 2023 version.

Yes, that’s it!

SG: Approach

Players listed are in the field this week; 2024 season stats.

Muirfield Village provides room to swing the driver and has ranked in the top half of easiest fairways to hit on TOUR. Finding the short grass off the tee is the first step, but the challenge comes with hitting the Bentgrass putting surfaces in regulation. Ranking most difficult, fourth, and seventh in GIR on TOUR three years after the renovation, superior iron players at Muirfield Village will stand out. Nicklaus believes in keeping his 5,000-square feet putting surfaces firm and fast. Stopping and spinning the ball on the proper portion of the putting surfaces, usually below the hole, will provide scoring opportunities. Errant irons will have 68 bunkers, 13 water penalty areas, four inches of Kentucky Bluegrass, ryegrass, and Fescue rough or closely mown aprons to navigate. This layout has ranked in the top 10 hardest over the last three years.

The 2023 champion Viktor Hovland (+1800) needed a fourth attempt and a playoff to break into the winner’s circle outside Columbus. Posting four rounds under par, the Norwegian needed 19 birdies to offset his 12 bogeys. The usually steady ball-striking machine relied on a red-hot putter to seal his title last year. He became the first winner in six years to rank outside the top 12 in GIR and the first winner in five years to rank outside the top 12 in SG: Approach.

Par-4 Scoring

There is nothing easy or scoreable about Muirfield Village. Annually ranking in the top-10 hardest tracks on TOUR, par is a great score this week. Trouble lurks, as it should, for wayward tee shots and marginally struck irons. Finding a way to grind out fours on seven holes measuring over 450 yards, including a trio 480 yards or better, goes a long way. The last five winners have ranked in the top four in this category.

Billy Horschel (+6600) blew away the field for his only victory in the 2022 edition. Posting only four bogeys, the fewest by any player in the last six editions, he led the field in too many other categories to list. Hitting fairways and greens and getting up and down, he only circled 15 birdies for the week but he kept the crooked numbers off the card. Picking up his fifth T15 or better in his ninth start, he missed the cut last year (84-72) in defense as he was in the middle of a swing change.

Bogey Avoidance

There is a talent in not compounding errors, playing smartly and taking medicine. In most TOUR events, the par 5s or par 3s provide a chance to catch up with one or two good shots. Not this week. The quartet of par 5s ranks in the top 10 hardest on TOUR annually. Ranging from 180 to 218 yards the four par 3s require more than a flip wedge on approach. All 14 clubs in the bag will get a workout over 18 holes.

Saving the best of the Horses for Courses for last, Patrick Cantlay (+2500) is the only two-time champion (2019, '21) in the field. The Californian also shared third in 2022 and was fourth in 2018. The owner of the lowest scoring average (minimum of 10 rounds) with 70.32, his worst payday was T35 on debut in 2017. Playing 28 rounds at Muirfield Village, he’s posted par or better 23 times and has won this event with his ball-striking (2021) and with his short game (2019).

Oddsmaker’s Extras

Scottie Scheffler (+350): Without a victory from three attempts, the Texan has cashed solo third on his last two visits (2021, '23). Closing with 67 last year, his Sunday best was three shots better than anyone else as the course played 74.985, the hardest final round since 1985. Only Cantlay has a better stroke average than his 70.83.

Rory McIlroy (+1000): Making his 13th start, the Ulsterman has never hit the podium but has hit the top 10 five times in 10 weekends. Posting 6-under since the renovation, he’s cashed T7-T18-T18 over the last three years. The Masters of North appears to be producing the same frustration as Augusta National.

Jordan Spieth (+4500): Never missing a start since his 2013 debut, the Texan, who loves Augusta National, has not found the final piece of the puzzle to unlock Muirfield Valley. Cashing outside of T19 only twice from 10 weekends in 11 starts, he is 16-under par over the last five editions. His post-renovation run of T5-T18-T18 is one shot better than McIlroy.

Si Woo Kim (+5000): Never missing a cut in eight previous visits, the South Korean has embraced the post-2020 changes. Cashing fourth, T13 and T9 since the renovation, he posted 10 of 12 rounds at par or better and is 13-under aggregate. In 30 career rounds, 21 have registered at par or better.

Denny McCarthy (+6600): Beaten in a playoff last year by Hovland, the man still looking for his first win on TOUR hit the top five for the second season running at Muirfield Village. Sitting one shot off the 36-hole lead in 2022, he closed 73-73 for T5. In his last eight loops, seven have gone for par or better.

Justin Rose (+10000): I will remind my course historian friends that this is his first visit since the renovation. After missing the cut in 2020, the 2010 champion could not add to his seven top-10 paydays and nine top-25 results.

Rickie Fowler (+12500): The two-time runner-up from 2017 and 2010 on debut, Fowler has quietly cashed T9-T64-T11 over the last three editions. Everyone needs a long shot!

-Odds courtesy of BetMGM.com-

For resources to overcome a gambling problem, call, or text 1-800-GAMBLER today.