Jun. 7, 2009
By PGATOUR.COM staff
The first groups are ready to tee off in today's final round of the Memorial Tournament. Here's how it sets up:
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| Groups We're Watching |
1:35 p.m. ET No. 1 |
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Jonathan Byrd, Jim Furyk Both players are looking for their first PGA TOUR victory since 2007 and were one stroke off the lead after 54 holes.
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1:25 p.m. ET No. 1 |
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Geoff Ogilvy, Davis Love III The two former major winners sit at 7 under after three rounds. Ogilvy would become the first three-time TOUR champion of the season if he wins.
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1:15 p.m. ET No. 1 |
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Tiger Woods, Michael Letzig Woods is going for his second victory of the season and fourth at the Memorial. Letzig, however, is looking for his first victory on the PGA TOUR.
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EXPERT PREVIEW: PGA TOUR Network on-site correspondent Doug Bell looks ahead to Sunday's third round
PGA TOUR rookie Matt Bettencourt is in uncharted waters. Playing in only his 17th TOUR event at the Memorial, he has never been on top of the leaderboard. With Tiger Woods, Geoff Ogilvy, Jim Furyk and Ernie Els sitting inside the top 10, not many people expect Bettencourt to win his first TOUR event. He really shouldn't feel any pressure, but invariably that's exactly what athletes do. Like a racehorse with blinders, he will try to focus on the positive -- the good news is that the large gallery that usually follows the final group will be jamming against the ropes a few holes ahead following the world's top ranked player. Bettencourt's final-round scoring average is 72.38, which ranks 153rd on TOUR.
His playing companion Mark Wilson knows how to win on the PGA TOUR and hopes to use those experiences in the final round. Wilson told me last night he has extra motivation, because in his previous two victories, no one from his family was there to see him win. On Sunday, his wife, parents and an aunt and uncle will be in his entourage.
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| Sunday's forecast |
 Partly cloudy Temp: 83 high/64 low Partly cloudy skies with light wind out of the south-southwest. |
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Davis Love III has been spending extra time at the chipping area at Muirfield Village, and it is paying dividends in his performance. He also is benefiting from veteran caddie Joe LaCava on the bag. LaCava is considered one of the best loopers on TOUR and excels at reading putts. Love has been playing a lot of golf lately, including back-to-back mid-week qualifying rounds for the British Open two weeks ago in Texas. His game is in good form, and he admitted that being able to sleep late before the final round will help recharge his 45-year-old batteries.
Speaking of turning back the clock, Ernie Els is using a prototype replica putter from the 1990s when he was playing so well. It's an exact copy, just different metal, and Els is starting to see results. He has won only once on the PGA TOUR since the 2004 Memorial and is very close to having one of those special final rounds that he used to be famous for.
It's so good to see Tiger working on the range again after his round is complete. That never happened when he was having knee and leg problems. He has switched from a 9.5- to a 10- degree lofted driver this week in hopes of getting more height and distance off the tee, and it seems to be working. In order for Tiger to close the four-stroke gap on the leaders, he needs to make a few more putts. A repeat of his 32-putt performance on Saturday won't cut it.
The 18th hole is the toughest test at Muirfield Village Golf Club this week. No one has played it better than Jonathan Byrd, who has birdied it three consecutive days. Jim Furyk goes into the final round with nine consecutive rounds under par. He has a streak of 167 holes in a row without a three putt.
| Stat of the day |
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Entering the week, Matt Bettencourt ranked 178th on TOUR for greens in regulation, finding just shy of 60 percent of his greens in regulation. However, this week he's found almost 69 percent of his greens and ranks T10 in the field. |
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| The Film Room |
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PGA TOUR Today Win McMurry updates action from the third round of the 2009 Memorial Tournament and previews what to watch for in the final round. Watch it |
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Third-round highlights Matt Bettencourt rallies to take a share of the lead on Saturday during the 2009 Memorial Tournament, while Tiger Woods moves into the top 10. Watch it |
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Shot of the Day Geoff Ogilvy chips in for birdie on the par-4 18th, adding a final flourish to a stellar 9-under 63 in the third round. Watch it |
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| Thus far at Muirfield Village Golf Club |
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