Bob Weeks Picks Six – The Memorial
Published
Last Week: It was slim pickings for us at the RBC Canadian Open although we managed to cash a ticket on Mackenzie Hughes for a top-20 finish. Our winner picks (like many others) didn’t fare well with Shane Lowry ending up tied for 33rd and Sahith Theegala missing the cut. We’ll do better this week.
This week: The Memorial is another signature event which means a limited field and a great course. Also, it means milkshakes in the player’s dining area. That’s a tradition that is very popular with players and caddies.
Muirfield Village Golf Club has seen a number of facelifts over the years, the most recent coming four years ago. The course will feature some nasty rough, slick greens that are expected to be speedy as in past years, and four of the most challenging par 3s on the PGA Tour.
The event will have a cut down to the low 50 and ties after Friday.
To Win
Scottie Scheffler +360
We know Scheffler is the hottest player in men’s golf at the moment and he has no more worries about his charges stemming from the incident at the PGA Championship. He also has a good record at this tournament, finishing third here in his last two starts. It’s an easy pick to make but it’s hard to leave him off the betting sheet with his current run of fine play.
Xander Schauffele +900
Coming in rested after his PGA Championship win, Schauffele has a good game to tackle Muirfield. He’s sixth in Strokes Gained: Off the Tee which will be a key stat this week. Keeping the ball in the fairway is vital with the long rough. His last five starts here have produced five top-25 finishes.
Top 10
Patrick Cantlay +200
Two wins and two top-five finishes in his last six starts at this tournament make him a popular pick. He has just a pair of top-10s so far this season but he has also made every cut. His driving accuracy is good although not necessarily great this year but getting back to a place where he’s played well in the past should help.
Corey Conners +340
We love it when Conners putts well and he had one of the best putting rounds of his career, at least statistically, on Sunday at the RBC Canadian Open. His accuracy off the tee and into the greens is always strong so if he can roll it on the greens, he should be able to get into the hunt. His best finish here is a tie for 13th which came two years ago.
Top 20
Denny McCarthy +160
In his last two starts here, he’s finished second and fifth which shows he can handle the layout. He has two top-10 finishes this year including a playoff loss at the Valero Texas Open. He’s one of the best putters on the PGA Tour sitting in third in Strokes Gained: Putting.
Max Homa +110
While his last start resulted in a missed cut at the Charles Schwab Challenge, we see that as a mere blip on a pretty solid season. He has played well in big events this year with a tie for eighth at the Arnold Palmer, a tie for third at the Masters and a tie for eighth at the Wells Fargo. He tied for fifth and sixth in his last two starts at this tournament.