The 49th edition of the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday provides the final refresher before the U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2 next week.

For the second time in four weeks, a Jack Nicklaus design will determine the champion on the PGA TOUR. Muirfield Village Golf Club, established in 1974 and played as a TOUR event since 1976, provides the 7,569-yard, par-72 test.

Located in the Columbus, Ohio, suburb of Dublin, Muirfield Village welcomes 2023 winner Viktor Hovland and a field of 72 players for the penultimate Signature Event of the 2024 season. (Note: Robert MacIntyre withdrew shortly before noon ET on Monday).

DraftKings – Top of the board

Scottie Scheffler ($12,500): The distractions away from the course should be finally in the rear-view mirror for the Masters champion. Incredibly he has been beaten by only nine players since the beginning of March. The new putter has helped the otherworldly ball striking, and the top-10 paydays continue to fall like rain during the week of the Memorial. The Memorial has not been delayed by rain since 2021, so blame me if it happens this week. A wet spring should make for a long, demanding golf course, and that will play right into the strengths of the Texan.

Rory McIlroy ($11,100): Like Scheffler, McIlroy has never won at Muirfield Village. Unlike Scheffler, who has finished third in the last two editions, the Ulsterman has never hit the podium. Course history is just a piece of the puzzle. With room to work the driver off the tee, both should gain strokes on most of the field. With the best, slickest greens on TOUR, the one who has the most success with the putter should be left standing on Sunday. With 28 of the top 30 in the Official World Golf Ranking entered this week, I can also make the case to load up elsewhere.

Overvalued or undervalued

Ludvig Åberg ($9,500): There is absolutely no questioning the talent of the 24-year-old, but Jack’s place, as Muirfield Village is affectionately known, has only crowned one winner on debut since 1977. The nuances of the Masters did not bother the Swedish star, but Valhalla knocked him out before the weekend. A lingering knee issue might not concern all, but combined with the above I can look elsewhere in a field of this depth.

Patrick Cantlay ($9,400): The Californian has proven time and again that he plays well where he plays well. Running in the top 5 at Harbour Town and Riviera, two places he annually contends, produced his best results this season. Muirfield Village should be a site for sore eyes for the winner in 2021 and 2019. He also shared third in 2022 and has never finished outside of T35 in seven events.

Jordan Spieth ($8,600): The Augusta-Muirfield Village similarities, minus the victory, have followed the Texan each spring. One of the few players under par on aggregate after the renovation of summer 2020/spring 2021, the former Masters champion continues to deal with discomfort in his wrist. Missing the cut at the first major of the season and not contending at one of his other favorites Colonial, has put me off the scent.

Corey Conners ($8,500): The top-10 drought is over! Finishing sixth in his national championship last week, the Canadian ball-striking machine should be full of confidence this week. The demanding test from tee to green fits his profile, but I’m hoping his hot putter continues to produce. It should not be a problem to tune up the irons and driver on a familiar layout.

Jason Day ($7,600): The home game for the Columbus resident has not always been profitable. The Australian transplant is making his 15th start, but has found the top 10 exactly once, T4 in the 2020 edition, before they ripped it up and renovated the entire joint. His next best result? T27.

Si Woo Kim ($7,700): Nobody has enjoyed Muirfield Valley after the renovation more than the Korean. The four-time winner on TOUR has produced a three-year aggregate of 13-under-par and cashed fourth, T13, and T9. Making the cut in 13 of his last 14 starts on TOUR, I’ll give him a pass at this price for not seeing the weekend at Valhalla.

Makers or breakers

Xander Schauffele ($10,900): The best part of his victory at Valhalla was not having to explain it. Entering the week on fire but minus a win, his first major championship was his ninth top-10 payday from 13 events this season. While he’s in great form, his life did change. Careful!

Collin Morikawa ($9,800): Chasing his first win since last fall, the Californian is ramping up perfectly to pick up another victory on this property. The return to his old swing coach has paid massive dividends and the next stop is lifting the trophy. Don’t be surprised if that happens this week.

Hideki Matsuyama ($9,000): The health question always hovers around the Japanese star. After a last-minute scratch at Wells Fargo, he returned at Valhalla and signed for T35. It’s a lovely risk-reward week for investors of the 2014 champion, the only other player to win on debut beside Roger Maltbie in the first event in 1976.

Viktor Hovland ($10,200): Any time the answer to the question is Tiger Woods, I pay more attention. The last player to defend the title here was that man in his absolute pomp in 1999, 2000, and 2001. The Norwegian battled on to the back nine at Valhalla before settling for third, his best result by some margin in 2024. I’m backing him again this week to push up the board on another Jack Nicklaus design, and I will have to pay for it.

Justin Thomas ($9,200): With a pair of top-eight results in two of his last three on TOUR, I would expect folks to pile on. Losing Bones as his caddy has not had any adverse effects.

Max Homa ($8,700): This is a big event in a big ballpark so he’s immediately on my radar. At this price, I’m more than willing to latch on to a power player who has cashed T5 (2022) and T6 (2021) in his last two visits for a 12-under-par aggregate.

Denny McCarthy ($7,600): The runner-up from 2023 also collected T5 money from the 2022 edition. Not many putt the golf ball better than the man who ran T6 at Quail Hollow and lost in a playoff at TPC San Antonio. Both tracks are more than demanding in all phases, and he was in the fight comfortably.

Lee Hodges ($6,500): Cashing T12, T12, and T24 in his last three starts on TOUR, the Alabama native sat one off the 54-hole lead last year before cashing T12.

Tom Kim ($7,800): I find it interesting that he’s a better price than Si Woo Kim, but he produced his first top 15 of the season last week in Canada with T4. After a painful introduction at Muirfield last year with 75-79 (MC), he should be ready for revenge.

Billy Horschel ($7,400): The 2022 victor has cashed T24 or better in six of his last nine on TOUR, including a win. Running T8 at Valhalla, I’m going to connect that dot and load up.

Patrick Rodgers ($6,500): If he is going to put it all together for one week, it should be here. The Indianapolis native sat two back of the 54-hole lead last year before a final-round 78 knocked him out of contention. Posting seven top-30 paydays, including three top-10s, he makes for a lovely longer shot this week.

The lineup

Here’s a look at how I would devise a six-team roster this week while staying below the $50,000 salary cap offered for DraftKings contests:

• Viktor Hovland ($10,200)
• Collin Morikawa ($9,800)
• Patrick Cantlay ($9,400)
• Denny McCarthy ($7,600)
• Lee Hodges ($6,500)
• Patrick Rodgers ($6,500)

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