Scheffler won the Memorial Tournament and enters this week’s US Open at Pinehurst as the first player since Tom Watson in 1980 to have five wins on the PGA Tour before America’s national championship.
The approach game was quintessential Scheffler, as he ranked first in strokes gained/approach the green, gaining a remarkable 13-plus strokes on the field. He also topped the field in greens in regulation.
In one of the smallest contingents in the history of the Memorial Tournament, just two Australians will tee it up at Jack Nicklaus’ prestigious event at Muirfield Village in Ohio.
While it’s a nice thought to assume Schauffele is going to win at a Scheffler-like clip after his PGA Championship triumph, it’s much easier said than done.
The Memorial Tournament’s traditional spot on the PGA Tour schedule has for decades been two weeks prior to the US Open. Jack Nicklaus sounded pretty sure that was changing, being bumped back a week later, just before the year’s third men’s major in 2024.
Going by historical precedent and some quick back-of-the-napkin math, plus more than a pinch of fanciful thinking, it appears that, oh, around 44 guys can win the Memorial Tournament on Sunday.
The R&A and USGA have a lot more work to do to convince PGA Tour players that a rollback of the golf ball is in their best interest or the best interest of the game overall, judging by the players’ reaction to a presentation by the governing bodies and several manufacturers Tuesday at Muirfield Village Golf Club.
Billy Horschel hit two greens in regulation Thursday at the Memorial Tournament – or as many times as he hit his ball in a single stroke during a miserable round that had the defending champion fighting back tears in the aftermath.
Australian Golf Digest
