Ben Coley looks at the runners and riders ahead of this week's Memorial Tournament, where Masters champion Jordan Spieth is favourite to claim a third PGA Tour title of the year...
All credit must go to officials at both the Crowne Plaza Invitational and the AT&T Byron Nelson for somehow managing to complete two full tournaments during one of the most difficult stretches of bad weather Texas has seen in centuries.
With such conditions comes greater scope for surprises, and while Chris Kirk’s victory at Colonial was no shock you’d have been hard pressed to pick out Steven Bowditch last week.
As we learned during the event, Bowditch has particularly fond memories of TPC Four Seasons and his victory serves as another reminder to consider the smaller details whenever possible, while acknowledging how dramatically events can change in complexion depending on whether conditions are firm or soft.
As it happens, I think this week and The Memorial Tournament at Muirfield Village will prove altogether more straightforward with Jordan Spieth crowned champion on Sunday night regardless of what the weather does.
Spieth looked frustrated on Sunday as he came to accept that he would not be winning in front of his home fans this season. He’s come close, finishing second twice in Texas, but could only manage 30th at a course which in truth doesn’t particularly play to his strengths.
The same cannot be said of Muirfield Village, where it’s all about control with approaches and touch around the greens. There are few players in the world who putt anywhere near as effectively as Spieth and on the fastest greens outside of Augusta, where of course he’s extremely comfortable as reigning Masters champion, he’s got plenty in his favour.
Of course, any time you back Spieth these days you’re accepting a short price. But I feel that anything around the 7/1 mark is extremely good value given some serious doubts around the opposition, as well as the fact that in the absence of Rory McIlroy, Spieth is the best player in the field.
For those looking towards bigger-priced alternatives, Ryan Moore makes plenty of appeal at upwards of 50/1.
Moore will be eager to find his A-game ahead of the US Open, which is being played this year in his home state of Washington, and there’s no course at which he’s more likely to rediscover it than Muirfield Village, his self-confessed favourite on the schedule.
The former US Amateur champion has a host of high finishes to his name in this event having made the cut in all bar one of his nine visits and his neat and tidy game is suited to the test at hand.
Muirfield Village also suits Russell Henley, who finished with a round of 65 last week and continues to impress.
The 26-year-old has already won at a Nicklaus-designed course in the shape of PGA National, where he saw off McIlroy and others to win last year’s Honda Classic, while this year he’s been superbly consistent with a couple of top-five finishes and several eye-catching efforts.
Henley was sixth on his debut at this course two years ago despite putting uncharacteristically poorly and with the flat stick now behaving he rates a good each-way bet under ideal conditions.
Finally, Marc Leishman is in a great frame of mind at the moment and can go well at a big price.
Just like last year’s winner Hideki Matsuyama, Leishman played well here when representing the International side at the 2013 Presidents Cup and he might just put that experience to good use.
A missed cut last week can’t be called ideal but it means we get an inflated price, and it’s now as if a pair of 70s represents terrible golf under what were difficult conditions. Leishman has gone really well at Augusta, which is very similar to the type of test at hand this week, and it’s about time he was contending again.
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