Jon Rahm posted a three-shot victory at last year’s Memorial Tournament and the Spaniard is 8/1 to claim a repeat success at the Jack Nicklaus-designed course at Muirfield Village that has hosted this tournament since 1986.
Jordan Spieth will be hoping to go one better after finishing second at last week’s Charles Schwab Challenge, but there is an illustrious field two weeks before the US Open and there are plenty who fancy their chances of adding one of the PGA Tour’s most prestigious tournaments to their CV.
Happy Muirfield memories for Morikawa
Former US PGA champion Collin Morikawa made his tournament debut when he finished 48th last year, but that came just a week after he won on the same course at the Workday Charity Open, when he claimed a playoff success over Justin Thomas.
Morikawa has now established himself as one of golf’s most consistent players and he has also won the WGC Workday Championship at The Concession since his triumph in Ohio last year and he is worth supporting at 18/1.
His recent performances are also encouraging following a decent 18th at the Masters.
The test at Muirfield Village is one that demands accurate hitting, much like the one at the RBC Heritage where he finished fourth.
And Morikawa has backed that up with eighth at the US PGA at Kiawah Island, where he finished with an impressive 68, and then 14th at the Charles Schwab Challenge last week.
He is ranked the best tee-to-green player on the PGA Tour this year and that bodes well for a strong bid.
Consistent Conners could be a Threat
Canadian Corey Conners has been making his mark among some illustrious company this year and, at 28/1, is just the sort of consistent performer who could make an impression.
He was 22nd in this tournament last year, having finished 39th in the Workday the week before, but Conners has improved since those efforts.
He has claimed 11 top-20 finishes since he was 10th at the Masters in November and he was eighth when the game’s elite met again at Augusta six months later.
He is ranked seventh in both strokes-gained tee-to-green and in greens in regulation, while his 12th place in the driving-accuracy stats also boosts his chances.
Hoffman Geared to Make his Mark
Charley Hoffman has made a charge up the world rankings from 144th to 60th since the turn of the year and the signs are good for another bold show this week.
The 44-year-old has claimed top-20 finishes in seven of his last eight events and should also gain confidence from some decent course form, having finished seventh at the Workday Charity Open last year.
His solid tee-to-green game makes him an intriguing bet at 50/1 and he should be geared up for a big performance after finishing third at the Charles Schwab Challenge last week.
*All odds correct at time of writing