What to Watch For – The Memorial Tournament

After an exciting last week in the great state of Texas in which Kevin Na dominated the final 54 holes for his 3^rd career victory, the PGA Tour moves to Ohio for Jack’s tournament; The Memorial Tournament.

This tournament is circled on nearly all the tour players schedule and that’s because of who hosts this great event, The Golden Bear. Jack has worked extremely hard to bring Muirfield Village to the forefront of exquisite golf course and design, which gives players and viewers an opportunity to witness both great golf and beauty during this 4-day stretch.

Justin Rose and Jack Nicklaus shake hands on the 18th hole during the…

Justin Rose and Jack Nicklaus shake hands on the 18th hole during the final round of the Memorial Tournament presented by Nationwide at Muirfield Village Golf Club on June 3, 2018 in Dublin, Ohio. Get premium, high resolution news photos at Getty Images

Muirfield Village Golf Club will play nearly 7400 yards and is a par-72 course. What stands out to me at this course are the par-3s as they’ll all play as the most difficult holes throughout the week. During last year’s play the 16^th hole played as the hardest, the 12^th as the second most difficult, while the 4^th and 8^th holes were ranked 5^th and 8^th in difficulty respectively.

The crowds during the final round of the Memorial Tournament…

The crowds during the final round of the Memorial Tournament presented by Nationwide at Muirfield Village Golf Club on June 3, 2018 in Dublin, Ohio. Get premium, high resolution news photos at Getty Images

On the flip side, the par-5s played as the 4 easiest holes on the course a year ago. Any bogeys made on the par 3s can easily be made up on the par 5s. On top of the difficulty of the holes themselves, there are 12 holes with water in play. Accuracy off the tee and with approach shots are a must to contend for the tournament.

Tiger Woods hits a tee shot on the 10th hole during the third round…

Tiger Woods hits a tee shot on the 10th hole during the third round of the Memorial Tournament at Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio, on June 2, 2018. ==Kyodo Get premium, high resolution news photos at Getty Images

5-time winner Tiger Woods will be making an appearance this week as he did last season. After the disappointment of the PGA Championship it’s safe to assume this will be to shake off any rust heading into the US Open. Justin Thomas is also in the field this week after not playing since The Masters due to a wrist injury suffered at The Honda Classic. He should fare well at this course but being on the shelf for over a month may not fair too well for him. Add on Matt Kuchar, reigning champion Bryson DeChambeau, Jason Day, Rickie Fowler, Rory McIlroy, Phil, Mickelson, Justin Rose, and Jordan Spieth and this is most certainly a star-studded field.

Bryson DeChambeau and Jack Nicklaus pose with the trophy following…

Bryson DeChambeau and Jack Nicklaus pose with the trophy following the final round of The Memorial Tournament Presented By Nationwide at Muirfield Village Golf Club on June 3, 2018 in Dublin, Ohio. Get premium, high resolution news photos at Getty Images

As for a favorite this week, I’m going to go with someone who’s been on a tear lately, and that’s Patrick Cantlay. Take away a MC at the Zurich Classic which is a team event, Cantlay has finished T9 at The Masters, T3 at the RBC Heritage, and T3 at the PGA Championship. This good form must result in a win eventually, and after finishing solo 4^th last season at The Memorial this seems like a good week for that win to come.

Patrick Cantlay of the United States plays his tee shot on the 12th…

Patrick Cantlay of the United States plays his tee shot on the 12th hole during the final round of the 2019 PGA Championship on the Black Course at Bethpage State Park on May 19, 2019 in Farmingdale,… Get premium, high resolution news photos at Getty Images

Others to watch out for are Hideki Matsuyama who has played extremely well at this course in the past, but he’s still looking for that great form before his wrist injury last spring. Because he’s a five-time winner, you can’t count out Tiger Woods. While he didn’t live up to expectations last year at this tournament, it’s really hard to count him out due to his past success at this venue. Then there’s Jordan Spieth who’s notched two consecutive top-10s and is looking to break through for the first time since The Open in 2017.

Hideki Matsuyama acknowledges the gallery on the ninth hole during…

Hideki Matsuyama acknowledges the gallery on the ninth hole during the final round of the Memorial Tournament presented by Nationwide at Muirfield Village Golf Club on June 3, 2018 in Dublin, Ohio. Get premium, high resolution news photos at Getty Images

I hope you all had a great Memorial Day weekend and enjoy what should be a fantastic week of PGA Tour golf. Let me know who you think will grab the win this week on Instagram and/or Twitter. Until next time, folks!

Cover Image via Instagram