This week marks a significant event in the PGA Tour schedule: the 50th anniversary of the Memorial Tournament, drawing an elite roster of golf professionals. Positioned as the second-to-last signature event and the concluding player-invitational competition, the Memorial will host 72 participants, with the field narrowing to the top 50 competitors and anyone within a 10-stroke margin of the leader after the initial two rounds.
A mere seventeen golfers have achieved a three-peat victory in the history of the PGA Tour; this week, world number one Scottie Scheffler aims to become the eighteenth. The reigning two-time victor has become closely associated with Jack Nicklaus’ prestigious tournament, having secured consecutive wins in 2024 and 2025, alongside two third-place finishes in the preceding seasons.
Scheffler is aspiring to join an exclusive group including Steve Stricker, Stuart Appleby, and Tiger Woods – the latter having achieved this feat on several occasions – as golfers who have claimed the same tournament title for three consecutive years since the millennium. Esteemed figures such as Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, and Johnny Miller also boast similar accomplishments.
In contrast to the previous season, where Scheffler outperformed Ben Griffin, this year’s competition will feature the world’s second-ranked player. Rory McIlroy is rejoining the circuit following what has been a relatively sparse playing schedule so far. The Masters winner has participated in only six PGA Tour events this season as the year enters its sixth month.
Having skipped last year’s Memorial Tournament because of scheduling issues, McIlroy intends to greet Nicklaus personally by the close of this week.
Among the current participants, those who have previously achieved this distinction include two-time champion Patrick Cantlay, Hideki Matsuyama, Matt Kuchar, and Justin Rose. Viktor Hovland withdrew from the event for undisclosed reasons, making the 2023 titleholder the only prominent golfer electing to rest this week.
2026 Memorial Tournament schedule
Dates: June 4-7
Location: Muirfield Village Golf Club — Dublin, Ohio
Par: 72 | Yardage: 7,569 | Architect: Jack Nicklaus
Purse: $20,000,000
2026 Memorial Tournament odds
Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook
- Scottie Scheffler (3-1)
- Rory McIlroy (9-1): Following a somewhat slow start at the PGA Championship, McIlroy fought to regain a competitive position, concluding with a tied-for-seventh finish at Aronimink. Interestingly, a T7 standing represents his highest placement in this event over the past five years, largely due to high scores in crucial final rounds preventing him from posing a serious threat for the title. Although he has demonstrated skill in navigating challenging courses this season, McIlroy’s success in this particular golf tournament will hinge significantly on his tee shot accuracy.
- Cameron Young (13-1): He completed his last two rounds at Aronimink at 2 over par, resulting in a finish beyond the top 20 in the championship. This outcome mirrors a recurring pattern for Young at Muirfield Village, where he has consistently placed outside the top 20 across four appearances. The Players Championship victor’s strongest performance here was a tie for 25th last season. Young’s current game is notably more complete than before, with a full range of skills available. His iron game continues to be precise, though it has seen a slight dip in sharpness compared to early spring.
- Xander Schauffele (18-1)
- Ludvig Åberg (20-1): This championship has served as a breakthrough for talents such as Matsuyama and Bryson DeChambeau; for Åberg, despite his established presence, a victory here would carry a similar weight. After his win at last season’s Genesis Invitational, which earned him a handshake from Tiger Woods, Åberg has the opportunity this week to secure his second of three player-invitational titles. All indicators point to him being a strong contender, given his ranking as third, behind only Scheffler and Young, in total strokes gained over the past quarter. For him to clinch a win, some element must shift, potentially signaled by his putter change, which recently yielded his second-best putting display since the Masters.
- Matt Fitzpatrick (21-1): In his seven prior appearances at Muirfield Village, Fitzpatrick has displayed inconsistent results; this season’s three-time victor boasts three top-10 finishes but no other placements within the top 30, including two instances where he missed the cut. His overall game remains consistently strong, yet a standout performance with his driver would significantly benefit the English golfer. Over the past three months, Fitzpatrick leads this field in strokes gained around the green.
- Si Woo Kim (23-1)
- Russell Henley (26-1)
- Patrick Cantlay (26-1): This golfer is showing positive momentum and has previously secured two wins at this particular course; however, Cantlay has not claimed a victory since the 2022 BMW Championship. Nearing a four-season drought without a title, the former FedEx Cup winner arrives at a venue where he undoubtedly feels very comfortable. He has recorded four top-12 finishes in his most recent five tournaments and was building momentum at the PGA Championship until a subpar weekend caused him to drop significantly on the standings.
- Tommy Fleetwood (27-1)
