Fantasy Golf: Memorial Tournament Primer

June 1, 2009 8:45am CDT

The 2009 Memorial Tournament
Muirfield Village Golf Club at Dublin, Ohio
- Dates: Thursday, June 4 - Sunday, June 7
- FedEx Cup Points: 500 (Winning Share)
- 2008 Purse: $6,000,000 ($1,080,000 Winning Share)

TV Schedule
First Round - Thursday, June 4 - Golf Channel 3-6pm EST
Second Round - Friday, June 5 - Golf Channel 3-6pm EST
Third Round - Saturday, June 6 - CBS, 3-6pm EST
Final Round - Sunday, June 7 - CBS, 3-6pm EST

The Course

Muirfield Village Golf Club
Course Par Value: 72
Course Yardage: 7,265

There is a reason so many of today's top players hit the course that serves as host for the Memorial Tournament. This is the product of a vision by the great Jack Nicklaus, a course built by the world's best that will challenge the world's best.

The land on which Muirfield Village Golf Club was built was acquired in 1966, a site measuring 220 acres. The course was dedicated on Memorial Day (May 27, 1974) and was commemorated by an exhibition match between Nicklaus and Tom Weiskopf. The Golden Bear put a six-under par 66 on the board day, a score that stood as the course record for the next five years.

Last season Golf Digest ranked Muirfield as No. 16 on their prestigious list of America's 100 Greatest Courses. The tracks are lined with a total of 77 bunkers with 11 of the 18 holes including water hazards.

Many of the low scores produced in recent seasons have been posted by golfers that can mix great length with accuracy. The course can offer some of the lower scores we'll see on the Tour this season, and this year's field is sure test those bounds once more.

Hole 3 (Par 4, 401 yds): A larger fairway invites long hitters to take a stab towards water, followed by an approach over that same water into a two-tiered green cut into the hillside. End up in the drink and the drop area offers obstructed views. Go long and the bunkers that lay in wait on the backside will punish. It's not terribly long, but accuracy will be rewarded with a shot at birdies.

Hole 7 (Par 5, 563 yds): This long par 5 offers not one but two doglegs with strong changes in elevation and bunkers throughout. However, if you can go long off tee, the landing area is generous and could offer a shot at the green in two. The green is protected in front by a deep and damp swale with sand on the right. If the tee shot is placed correctly, putting a shot on the dance floor for eagle is not out of the question.

Hole 12 (Par 3, 166 yds): This hole has been the subject of far too many photos and specials on this course, and for good reason. The tee plays over water into a kidney-shaped green with bunkers on the right front and left rear. It is a hole that rewards those with excellent iron games (especially those that swing it with short irons off the tee). However, a miss will either fall wet or land on the beach.

Hole 17 (Par 4, 478 yds): This hole was recently reconstructed to add a bit of length and now provides what may be the toughest test on the course. The approach is hit blind into tall trees that hide the green behind. The green is tiny and littered with sand on all sides. The pitch off the front of the green is steep and will leave those that hit short wishing they had risked long.


2008 Leaderboard
PLACE / PLAYER / FINAL
1 Kenny Perry -8 (280)
T2 Jerry Kelly -6 (282)
T2 Justin Rose -6 (282)
T2 Mathew Goggin -6 (282)
T2 Mike Weir -6 (282)
T6 Rocco Mediate -2 (286)
T6 Steve Lowery -2 (286)
T6 Luke Donald -2 (286)
9 Geoff Ogilvy -1 (287)
T10 Cliff Kresge E (288)
T10 John Mallinger E (288)
T10 Ryan Moore E (288)
T10 Brett Quigley E (288)
T10 Robert Allenby E (288)
T10 Carl Pettersson E (288)
T10 Joe Ogilvie E (288)
T10 Nick O'Hern E (288)
T10 Matt Kuchar E (288)

2007 Leaderboard
PLACE / PLAYER / FINAL
1 K.J. Choi -17 (271)
2 Ryan Moore -16 (272)
T3 Kenny Perry -15 (273)
T3 Rod Pampling -15 (273)
T5 Fredrik Jacobson -14 (274)
T5 Stewart Cink -14 (274)
T5 Sean O'Hair -14 (274)
T5 Adam Scott -14 (274)
T9 Geoff Ogilvy -12 (276)
T9 Aaron Baddeley -12 (276)
T11 Brett Quigley -11 (277)
T11 Will MacKenzie -11 (277)

2006 Leaderboard
PLACE / PLAYER / FINAL
1 Carl Pettersson -12 (276)
T2 Brett Wetterich -10 (278)
T2 Zach Johnson -10 (278)
T4 Brandt Jobe -9 (279)
T4 Adam Scott -9 (279)
T4 Phil Mickelson -9 (279)
T7 Woody Austin -8 (280)
T7 Vaughn Taylor -8 (280)
T7 Trevor Immelman -8 (280)
10 Paul Azinger -7 (281)

The Field

This historic course has been a source of inspiration for many of the world's elite, but this year's field can be summarized by two words.

Tiger Woods.

The Great One has agreed to attend and compete and, as is often the case, the list of top duffers looking to battle with the great one is among the best non-major fields we will see this season. There are some names missing (namely Phil Mickelson, assisting his wife following her recent breast cancer diagnosis, and Sergio Garcia), but the list of the elite in attendance dwarfs the menu of the tourney's shortcomings.

Including Tiger, the Memorial will welcome Adam Scott, Ian Poulter, Hunter Mahan, Luke Donald, Robert Allenby, Vijay Singh, Paul Casey, Zach Johnson, Stewart Cink, K.J. Choi, Davis Love III, Martin Kaymer, Justin Rose, Padraig Harrington, Sean O'Hair, Mike Weir, Richard Sterne, Camilo Villegas, Ernie Els, Jim Furyk, Geoff Ogilvy, last week's Colonial champion Steve Stricker, and the defending Memorial champion Kenny Perry.

The Tour's next generation is represented well, a list that includes James Nitties, Ryan Moore, Nick Watney, Johnson Wagner, Brian Gay, Steve Marino, D.J. Trahan, Kevin Na, Marc Turnesa, Ryuji Imada, Aaron Baddeley, Webb Simpson, Jason Day, Erik Compton, John Rollins, Scott Piercy, Dustin Johnson, Brandt Snedeker, Jonathan Byrd, Daniel Chopra, J.B. Holmes, Charles Howell III, J.B. Holmes, Jeff Klauk, Chez Reavie, Matt Kuchar, and Danny Lee.

Other names of note include Rod Pampling, Tom Pernice, Jr., Woody Austin, Billy Mayfair, Kevin Sutherland, Dean Wilson, Bill Haas, Steve Flesch, Ben Crane, Steve Lowery, Jon Senden, Bubba Watson, Troy Matteson, Ken Duke, Ben Curtis, John Mallinger, Mathew Goggin, Tom Lehan, Lucas Glover, Trevor Immelman, Mark Calcavecchia, and Carl Pettersson.

Enjoy.

To view the entire field:
http://www.pgatour.com/tournaments/r023/field.html