Memorial Tournament
Course: Muirfield Village Golf Club
Location: Dublin, Ohio
Since: 1976
Yardage: 7,366
Par: 72
Low winning total: 268 Tom Lehman (1994)
Course Record: 61 John Houston (1996)
Field: 120
Cut: Top 70 plus ties after two days
Tee Off: Thursday 12:30 GMT.
Overview
The course was officially opened on Memorial Day in 1974 with an exhibition match between Jack Nicklaus and Tom Weiskopf. Since the first full field event in 1976 the Memorial tournament has grown in prestige and is now widely recognised as one of the top events outside the majors.
The tournament is hosted by Jack Nicklaus and always attracts a strong field. This year is no exception with seven of world's top 10 players in attendance, 18 different major winners and 12 tournament winners from 2009.
Last Time Out
Kenny Perry became the oldest winner of the Memorial Perry aged 47 nine months and 22 days. He made 6 straight birdies (holes 11-16) on his way to an opening round 66 which left him one shot behind Matthew Goggin. Rounds of 71 and 74 left Perry trailing Goggin by three strokes after the third round.
A final round 69 saw him win by two strokes from a quartet of players (Matthew Goggin, Jerry Kelly, Justin Rose and Mike Weir) to record his third Memorial victory. His winning score of eight-under 280 was the highest winning score since 1985 when Hale Irwin won with a seven-under 281.
Course
Muirfield Village was designed by Jack Nicklaus and Desmond Muirhead in 1974 and is known as Jack's Place. He has constantly tinkered with the venue to ensure it plays true to the original design in spite of changes in technology. Over the years he has added yardage, deepened bunkers, reshaped holes and narrowed the fairways to 26-28 yards.
Last year a combination of extremely high rough, rough raked bunkers and fast greens saw Muirfield rank as the fifth toughest course on PGA Tour. This year the rough and bunkers have been returned to PGA Tour standard and although the greens remain fast it will not play as difficult as last year.
There are 73 bunkers and water in play on 13 holes. In 1987 Muirfield hosted the Ryder Cup won by Europe 15-13.
Fairways
The fairways are wide and many of the tee shots favour a left to right ball flight. There are short par fours and reachable par fives which can reward the long drivers of the ball.
The rough is dense and consistent and cropped to three and half inches for the start of the tournament. Players should be able to advance the ball to the green but will have difficulty controlling the spin.
Greens
Muirfield is primarily a second shot golf course. The small contoured greens demand accurate iron play. Well placed bunkers and testing rough require the players to think their way round the course and constantly shape shots to the correct parts of the greens.
Rain earlier in the week which has made the greens more receptive but they will still be fast at 12.5 on the stimpmeter and will become firmer as the week goes on.
They said
"You know, everybody's going to hit the fairways. And it's just a matter of what they do with their approach shots. As long as they're smart with that. And you've just got to putt well. You've got to do everything" - Ben Curtis
"The rough wasn't as high as it was last year. So I think you'll see better scores this year. But the greens are still running, I would say. A very severe test. It's definitely a second shot golf course" - Kenny Perry
"My goal has always been to have the golf course fast. If we don't get much rain I think you're going to find a very fast and very demanding golf course. We prepare it as close as we can to what you think you would have a major championship on" - Jack Nicklaus
Horses for Courses
Kenny Perry will be making his 21st appearance at the Memorial tournament this week and has made his last 15 cuts in a row. His record includes three wins (1991, 2003 and 2008), six top 10 finishes and only three missed cuts.
Tiger Woods is the only other three time winner of the event (1999-2001) and he boasts six top five finishes in his last ten visits.
Key Holes
The 17th is a 478 yard par four and ranked as 31st most difficult hole on the PGA Tour last year averaging 4.359. There were 34 birdies and 206 pars but 127 bogeys and 23 or doubles or worse.
With the 444 yard par four 18th ranked as the most difficult hole in the tournament's history Muirfield has a tough finish.
Did you Know
The Memorial tournament has the longest active play off drought on the PGA Tour with the last play off in 1992 when David Edwards defeated Rick Fehr.
On this Day
On 3rd June 1984 Greg Norman won the Kemper Open for his first victory on the PGA Tour.
Weather
After some thunderstorms earlier in the week the forecast is for good weather with temperatures in the high 70's and little wind.
Conclusion
Conditions will not be as tough as 2008 and with recent rain taking some of the firmness out of the course scoring should be better but a solid all round game and very accurate iron play will be required to win.
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POULTER LAUDS STENSON
OPEN HEADING TO MUIRFIELD
