The fascinating action on the PGA Tour continues this weekend, as the Memorial Tournament is staged in Ohio. It will be an interesting battle between some of the top players on the tour, with many of the leading contenders looking to build momentum ahead of the next major on the schedule, which will come in the form of the U.S. Open in mid June.
But, which players could be among the leading contenders this weekend?
Event Details & Records
The Memorial Tournament has been staged annually since 1976, with play taking place at Muirfield Village Golf Club in Ohio. The event was founded by Jack Nicklaus, as the legendary star embarked on creating a tournament that could gain global interest like The Masters.
This stroke play event is contested over 7,392 yards, with the par 72 event staged annually in June. Tom Lehman holds the aggregate record after finishing with a score of 268 in 1994.
The same player also holds the par record after finishing 20-under when winning the title in the 90s. Meanwhile, Tiger Woods is the dominant player in the event, having won the top prize on five previous occasions.
Leading Contenders
Scottie Scheffler will once again be among the leading contenders at the Memorial Tournament this weekend. The top-ranked golfer on the PGA Tour has been in dominant form throughout this season, and comes into the weekend after finishing in a tie for second at the recent Charles Schwab Challenge. That was a very solid return to action after a difficult weekend at Valhalla, which eventually saw him finish in a tie for eighth at the PGA Championship.
Xander Schauffele was the winner of the most recent major, and his solid performances throughout this season will see him rank among the leading contenders in the Memorial Tournament betting at BetXchange.
Viktor Hovland could be challenging to write off this weekend after coming out on top following a playoff at the Memorial Tournament last year. He looked back to somewhere near his best when finishing third at the PGA Championship last month.
Rory McIlroy will also have pressure on his shoulders, as he looks to build momentum ahead of the next major on the calendar. The 35-year-old was a strong finisher when claiming a share of fourth at the Canadian Open last weekend.
Memorial Tournament Prediction
Colin Morikawa is our second choice for the Memorial Tournament this weekend. However, the slight preference is for a player with proven experience around the course in Ohio.
Patrick Cantlay could only finish in a tie for 53rd at the PGA Championship last month, but a number of factors could be his favour this weekend. Cantlay has won the event on two previous occasions, with his most recent success coming when finishing 13-under in 2021.
His other previous success was recorded in 2019 when finishing 19-under to beat Adam Scott by two shots. A third success in the event could be on the cards this weekend.
