PGA First Look: The Memorial Tournament

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The PGA First Look is complete with a course preview, odds, salaries, Official World Golf Rankings, and course history.

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Event Preview

Kevin Kisner took home his second PGA Tour win last week at the Texas finale, aka the Dean & Deluca Invitational. We are now getting into the meat of the PGA schedule. The U.S. Open is in two weeks and a lot of the top golfers are in this week’s field in an effort to prepare for the year’s second major. A lot of top golfers are also in the field to pay tribute to Jack Nicklaus, as he designed the course and will be on site for the tournament. Muirfield Village is located in Dublin, Ohio and is a Par 72 that measures just under 7,400 yards. You will often hear it referred to as “Jack’s Place” and it is routinely one of the favorite stops on the PGA Tour.

Muirfield

Muirfield Village features four par fives and scoring on them is imperative if you want to contend. Three of the four are reachable by most of the field, while the fourth is only reachable by the longer hitters. The course features wide fairways and lightning fast greens. Typically when we see big fairways, we see a lot of bombers succeed, but this isn’t exactly a bomber’s course. We’ve seen a nice mix of short and long hitters perform well here. Whether you are long or short off the tee, you need to keep the ball in the fairway. This rough is thick and it is penal, so while distance can be an advantage, you can’t spray the ball off the tee and get away with it. The course features six par fours that measure over 450 yards, so golfers will gladly take par on any of these tough par fours. The greens here are surrounded by bunkers (79 to be exact) that are tough to hit out of. The scrambling success rate here is routinely one of the lowest on tour. We can look at this in two ways – we can either target the high greens in regulation golfers or target the ones that are great around the greens.

One important note for this tournament is that it is an invitational, which means there are only 125 golfers in the field. This is significantly lower than the full field events that features 144 or 156 golfers. A smaller field means a larger percentage of the golfers making the cut, which means more lineups will have all of their golfers make the cut. It also allows us to take a few more risks given the fact that a larger portion of the field will make the cut. Most Jack Nicklaus designs are known as second-shot golf courses and Muirfield Village is no different. The most important statistic this week is going to be strokes gained approach. I will also be looking at strokes gained off the tee, birdie or better percentage, par five scoring, and bogey avoidance. If you are looking for a tiebreaker statistic, you can look at sand save percentage, since getting up and down from the bunkers could be pivotal.

Cut Rule: Top 70 and ties move on after the first two rounds. The MDF rule is in effect if more than 78 golfers make the cut.

Recent Winners of this Event: William McGirt (2016), David Lingmerth (2015), Hideki Matsuyama (2014), Matt Kuchar (2013), Tiger Woods (2012)

Key Statistics (In Order of Importance)

1) Strokes Gained Approach
2) Birdie or Better %
3) Strokes Gained Off the Tee
4) Par 5 Scoring
5) Bogey Avoidance

Salaries, Odds, and Course History (2012-2016)

Golfer DK Salary FD Salary FDRFT Salary OWGR Odds DK Odds FD Odds FDRFT Odds Cuts 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012
Dustin Johnson $12,000 $11,800 $19,700 1 6 0% 0% 0% 4/5 3 13 46 78 19
Jon Rahm $11,100 $10,800 $18,100 9 12 0% 0% 0% 0/0 500 500 500 500 500
Jordan Spieth $11,000 $10,000 $18,100 6 12 0% 25% -50% 4/4 57 3 19 63 500
Jason Day $10,300 $10,300 $17,700 3 14 0% -33% 0% 3/5 27 72 37 41 87
Hideki Matsuyama $10,000 $9,800 $17,200 4 18 0% 0% 0% 2/3 103 5 1 500 500
Adam Scott $9,800 $9,700 $16,600 10 23 0% 0% 0% 3/3 500 500 4 13 46
Brooks Koepka $9,700 $9,400 $16,000 21 36 -29% -13% -13% 1/1 500 52 500 500 500
Matt Kuchar $9,400 $9,500 $16,000 18 31 0% -14% 0% 4/4 4 26 15 1 500
Patrick Reed $9,200 $8,800 $15,600 15 38 -11% 23% 9% 2/2 8 26 500 500 500
Rickie Fowler $8,900 $9,300 $16,400 12 27 30% 22% 0% 2/5 88 72 77 37 52
Jason Dufner $8,700 $8,200 $14,700 65 67 -109% -35% -28% 3/3 33 24 19 500 500
William McGirt $8,600 $6,900 $14,000 50 93 -233% -3% -21% 3/4 1 40 118 37 500
Emiliano Grillo $8,500 $7,700 $14,600 37 60 -46% 17% 5% 1/1 11 500 500 500 500
Ollie Schniederjans $8,300 $7,200 $13,700 113 96 -193% -28% -3% 0/0 500 500 500 500 500
Brian Harman $8,200 $7,000 $14,400 51 84 -100% 19% -20% 1/4 33 500 103 90 114
Bud Cauley $8,000 $7,100 $14,600 102 72 -50% 31% -20% 3/3 38 500 500 34 52
Tony Finau $7,900 $8,600 $15,300 66 42 24% 7% 0% 2/2 11 8 500 500 500
Webb Simpson $7,900 $7,500 $15,000 61 60 -6% 28% -29% 1/3 11 500 500 90 102
J.B. Holmes $7,900 $8,300 $13,900 47 90 -106% -119% -3% 3/3 4 500 75 500 13
Kevin Chappell $7,800 $6,900 $14,700 26 52 30% 64% 22% 3/5 48 49 77 2 72
Patrick Cantlay $7,800 $6,600 $15,000 126 53 25% 68% -7% 0/0 500 500 500 500 500
Scott Piercy $7,800 $6,700 $13,300 59 91 -85% 18% 24% 3/4 69 81 500 16 68
Phil Mickelson $7,700 $9,200 $14,800 23 61 13% -100% -18% 3/3 20 65 49 500 500
Tommy Fleetwood $7,700 $7,200 $13,600 31 110 -104% -47% -7% 0/1 500 96 500 500 500
Kevin Streelman $7,700 $5,600 $12,600 148 148 -152% 24% 5% 2/5 8 18 95 90 76
Justin Thomas $7,600 $9,000 $15,600 13 38 58% 8% 0% 1/3 117 81 37 500 500
Kevin Kisner $7,600 $9,100 $15,700 22 41 54% -9% -20% 2/3 100 8 46 500 500
Adam Hadwin $7,600 $7,800 $13,900 49 81 -8% -33% 18% 2/2 11 57 500 500 500
Danny Lee $7,500 $7,200 $14,200 93 90 -17% -6% -21% 1/2 52 81 500 500 500
Jim Furyk $7,500 $6,500 $12,500 77 154 -114% -19% 2% 5/5 52 5 19 21 13
Morgan Hoffmann $7,500 $6,100 $12,700 152 158 -121% -3% -8% 0/3 95 117 105 500 500
Kyle Stanley $7,400 $6,100 $13,700 121 93 -22% 37% 3% 2/3 500 500 74 3 76
David Lingmerth $7,400 $6,100 $13,300 120 118 -56% 19% -2% 4/4 27 1 49 57 500
Scott Brown $7,400 $6,300 $12,500 123 156 -97% -9% 0% 2/4 27 72 13 74 500
Patton Kizzire $7,400 $5,300 $11,400 171 276 -203% -14% 2% 1/1 38 500 500 500 500
Yuta Ikeda $7,400 $6,000 $11,000 58 343 -222% -54% 2% 0/0 500 500 500 500 500
James Hahn $7,300 $5,700 $12,400 73 164 -81% 9% -3% 1/2 500 52 500 100 500
Luke List $7,300 $5,800 $11,900 130 213 -114% -13% -1% 0/0 500 500 500 500 500
Daniel Summerhays $7,300 $5,800 $11,800 97 221 -119% -16% 0% 3/5 38 72 28 84 4
Padraig Harrington $7,300 $4,600 $11,600 172 265 -154% 15% 1% 0/0 500 500 500 500 500
Camilo Villegas $7,300 $5,200 $11,800 322 276 -165% -11% -21% 5/5 65 40 37 41 70
Gary Woodland $7,200 $7,900 $13,900 45 88 21% -65% 3% 3/5 4 81 57 16 110
Jonas Blixt $7,200 $5,800 $12,400 255 161 -57% 6% -2% 1/2 46 500 500 500 92
Martin Laird $7,200 $6,600 $12,300 118 175 -62% -45% 0% 1/3 500 90 116 53 500
Johnson Wagner $7,200 $4,500 $10,900 257 398 -152% 7% 0% 1/2 76 500 500 500 38
Ryo Ishikawa $7,200 $4,600 $10,800 142 463 -160% 2% -2% 3/4 500 101 57 57 9
Ross Fisher $7,100 $6,200 $13,700 43 108 2% 23% -15% 0/0 500 500 500 500 500
Chris Kirk $7,100 $6,500 $13,000 100 143 -21% -10% -6% 3/5 76 36 4 74 25
Jim Herman $7,100 $4,900 $12,000 82 204 -62% 23% -1% 1/2 76 40 500 500 500
Brian Stuard $7,100 $4,800 $11,800 144 229 -79% 19% -4% 2/4 69 61 95 78 500
Brendon De Jonge $7,100 $4,500 $10,600 704 673 -149% -3% 1% 2/5 76 72 28 84 38
Lucas Glover $7,000 $6,500 $13,100 99 115 6% 6% 8% 4/5 33 68 69 84 46
Stewart Cink $7,000 $6,600 $12,900 182 122 -6% -17% 0% 4/4 500 31 49 29 25
Billy Hurley $7,000 $5,800 $12,000 116 211 -50% -11% -4% 1/2 500 500 37 500 108
J.J. Spaun $7,000 $6,200 $11,800 122 245 -67% -45% -7% 0/0 500 500 500 500 500
Grayson Murray $7,000 $4,900 $11,600 163 254 -75% 8% 4% 0/0 500 500 500 500 500
Byeong-Hun An $6,900 $7,500 56 54 70% 32% 1/1 11 500 500 500 500
Marc Leishman $6,900 $7,300 $14,500 36 63 63% 28% 5% 5/5 11 5 37 41 58
Steve Stricker $6,900 $7,600 $14,400 85 75 56% -4% 0% 3/3 500 40 6 500 50
Bill Haas $6,900 $8,100 $14,400 44 81 49% -61% -16% 3/5 76 18 8 4 72
Zach Johnson $6,900 $7,800 $13,400 64 114 16% -129% -4% 1/1 500 500 500 71 500
Luke Donald $6,900 $6,400 $12,300 78 186 -28% -33% -7% 4/4 68 500 49 21 12
D.A. Points $6,900 $4,900 $11,100 208 331 -79% -3% 1% 0/4 500 101 77 90 92
Alex Cejka $6,900 $4,800 $10,700 209 495 -93% -6% 1% 1/2 57 115 500 500 500
Charl Schwartzel $6,800 $6,900 $14,500 20 65 66% 44% 0% 4/5 11 90 8 8 19
Pat Perez $6,800 $7,300 $14,100 41 87 51% -10% -7% 4/4 500 57 69 8 25
Peter Uihlein $6,800 $6,600 $12,800 159 158 2% -36% -10% 0/0 500 500 500 500 500
Jason Kokrak $6,800 $5,200 $12,300 98 175 -5% 23% 0% 0/3 88 101 500 104 500
Kyle Reifers $6,800 $5,300 $11,800 205 230 -31% 0% -5% 2/3 20 81 500 500 25
Retief Goosen $6,800 $5,000 $11,400 217 284 -52% -2% 0% 1/1 500 31 500 500 500
Roberto Castro $6,800 $4,800 $11,100 103 350 -60% 0% -1% 2/3 11 500 95 21 500
Greg Chalmers $6,800 $4,500 $10,700 314 583 -78% -2% -5% 3/4 500 31 72 78 38
Billy Horschel $6,700 $7,100 $14,500 46 54 78% 54% 27% 3/3 500 11 15 41 500
Keegan Bradley $6,700 $7,000 $14,100 109 75 64% 30% 13% 4/5 8 8 37 50 87
Brendan Steele $6,700 $7,300 $14,200 52 78 63% 7% 4% 3/5 20 63 77 117 62
Sean O’Hair $6,700 $6,800 $13,800 67 90 51% 16% 8% 0/3 100 106 105 500 500
Ryan Moore $6,700 $8,000 $13,600 38 91 48% -100% 14% 5/5 48 18 19 13 38
Rafael Cabrera-Bello $6,700 $8,400 $13,900 28 99 42% -180% -24% 1/1 52 500 500 500 500
Graham DeLaet $6,700 $6,100 $12,900 131 121 29% 16% 5% 2/2 500 26 500 21 500
Mackenzie Hughes $6,700 $5,600 $11,500 111 265 -29% -24% 3% 0/0 500 500 500 500 500
Shane Lowry $6,600 $7,400 $14,100 69 87 62% -11% -3% 0/1 500 500 500 112 500
Bubba Watson $6,600 $6,700 $13,400 34 107 44% 0% 2% 3/4 65 500 3 29 76
Smylie Kaufman $6,600 $6,100 $13,200 128 122 33% 13% -6% 1/1 20 500 500 500 500
Hudson Swafford $6,600 $5,700 $12,300 80 175 16% 8% 0% 2/2 38 63 500 500 500
Aaron Baddeley $6,600 $5,200 $11,900 129 208 5% 13% 1% 2/4 88 500 37 104 9
K.J. Choi $6,600 $5,100 $11,300 221 323 -25% -9% 0% 4/5 52 72 28 21 19
Hunter Mahan $6,600 $5,200 $10,700 788 503 -37% -26% 0% 3/4 113 500 28 16 19
Fabian Gomez $6,600 $5,100 $10,700 147 505 -38% -20% -1% 1/2 112 500 500 69 500
Kevin Tway $6,500 $6,800 $13,900 185 100 52% 0% -26% 0/0 500 500 500 500 500
Charley Hoffman $6,500 $7,500 $13,700 54 103 51% -76% -10% 2/3 500 500 19 63 92
Sung Kang $6,500 $6,400 $13,400 84 122 40% 4% -15% 0/0 500 500 500 500 500
Cameron Smith $6,500 $6,400 $12,900 132 150 34% -7% -7% 0/1 500 106 500 500 500
Sam Saunders $6,500 $5,000 $11,700 290 248 1% 9% 3% 0/1 500 119 500 500 500
Kelly Kraft $6,500 $5,100 $11,800 175 248 1% 5% -9% 0/1 500 500 500 500 87
Zac Blair $6,500 $5,500 $11,900 235 256 -3% -14% -18% 2/2 27 61 500 500 500
Brett Coletta $6,500 $4,500 $10,700 413 525 -27% 1% -2% 0/0 500 500 500 500 500
Si Woo Kim $6,400 $6,600 $13,200 32 119 47% -9% 0% 1/1 74 500 500 500 500
Soren Kjeldsen $6,400 $6,300 $12,600 70 141 42% 3% 8% 1/1 20 500 500 500 500
Patrick Rodgers $6,400 $5,300 $11,800 168 186 25% 14% 10% 1/2 76 40 500 500 500
Michael Kim $6,400 $5,400 $11,800 207 216 18% 5% 1% 0/1 500 500 77 500 500
Anirban Lahiri $6,400 $5,600 $11,700 90 256 4% -22% -2% 1/1 61 500 500 500 500
Carl Pettersson $6,400 $4,500 $10,700 841 545 -18% 0% -3% 3/5 113 36 62 29 92
Matt Every $6,400 $4,500 $10,600 735 -23% -4% -1% 1/4 500 90 91 114 6
Steven Bowditch $6,400 $4,500 816 1038 -24% -5% 1/3 118 52 77 500 500
Russell Knox $6,300 $6,900 $12,700 35 153 43% -54% -2% 2/3 64 18 91 500 500
Nick Taylor $6,300 $5,500 $12,400 202 153 42% 25% 6% 0/1 500 96 500 500 500
Ben Martin $6,300 $5,600 $12,200 228 176 32% 7% 3% 2/3 38 90 49 500 500
Jamie Lovemark $6,300 $6,000 $12,300 105 178 31% -7% -6% 1/1 52 500 500 500 500
Ryan Ruffels $6,300 $4,900 $11,800 466 225 21% 16% -2% 1/1 38 500 500 500 500
Ricky Barnes $6,300 $5,200 $11,700 298 240 18% 2% 5% 1/3 88 500 500 78 25
Harold Varner $6,300 $5,600 $11,700 138 249 14% -18% 1% 1/1 57 500 500 500 500
Matthew Griffin $6,300 $4,700 $10,700 390 573 -10% -6% -4% 0/0 500 500 500 500 500
Vaughn Taylor $6,200 $5,900 $12,000 150 196 34% -9% 0% 0/1 88 500 500 500 500
Vijay Singh $6,200 $4,800 $11,800 237 224 27% 21% -1% 2/4 500 11 112 74 16
David Hearn $6,200 $5,500 $11,500 233 266 15% -19% 1% 4/5 27 81 28 21 25
Curtis Luck $6,200 $5,100 $11,300 385 305 12% -8% 1% 0/0 500 500 500 500 500
Cheng-Tsung Pan $6,200 $4,600 $10,800 160 397 7% 5% 2% 0/0 500 500 500 500 500
Ryan Armour $6,200 $4,700 $10,800 450 445 5% 1% 0% 0/0 500 500 500 500 500
Rod Pampling $6,200 $4,900 $10,800 155 455 4% -9% -1% 2/2 61 500 500 500 46
Scott Gregory $6,200 $4,700 $10,600 678 -4% -9% 0% 0/0 500 500 500 500 500

Color Coding
Course history in BLUE indicates a top ten finish.
Course history in GREEN indicates a top 25 finish.
Course history in YELLOW indicates a made cut with a finish outside of the top 25.
Course history in RED indicates a missed cut.

Legend

Term Description
Site Odds The percentage differential between a golfer’s salary rank and odds rank. The higher the %, the better.
OWGR Official World Golf Ranking
Cuts Cut record of each golfer at this course in the last five seasons.
2012 – 2016 Columns Course history at this event in the last five seasons.

About the Author

Notorious
Derek Farnsworth (Notorious)

Derek Farnsworth (aka Notorious) is a lead RotoGrinders Expert and one of the most recognizable names and faces in all of DFS. Before joining the RotoGrinders team, Derek received a Master’s Degree from the University of Utah. When he’s not busy providing content, he’s dominating the DFS industry as evidenced by his consistent top rankings in several sports and multiple Live Final appearances. Noto provides expert NBA, NFL, MLB, and PGA analysis for RotoGrinders Premium members on a daily basis and has also been nominated for five different Fantasy Sports Writer’s Association (FSWA) awards. Follow Noto on Twitter – @RG_Notorious