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Memorial Tournament: Betting odds, favorites and sleeper picks

Collin Morikawa, a 16-1 choice, knows how to win at Muirfield Village, but Rickie Fowler looks like a good sleeper pick at 60-1

It’s certainly been an incredible comeback year for Jordan Spieth, but it’s also shaping up to be a year of what could have been. Another 54-hole lead was squandered in his home state of Texas to a pedestrian effort by Jason Kokrak in the final round of the Charles Schwab Challenge. It was the second win on the PGA Tour this season for the 36-year-old Ohioan and fifth close call for Spieth, who’s been the world’s most consistent player since the Waste Management Phoenix Open in early February.

As for the picks, it was deja vu of the previous week’s PGA Championship. As we predicted, Abraham Ancer was excellent on the weekend to secure another top-20, but Harry Higgs barely missed the cut, and Joaquin Niemann was unable to get it going in the final two rounds.

Summer has arrived, so we head north for the first time this year, and what better place to begin than the Memorial Tournament at Muirfield Village hosted by legend Jack Nicklaus? Fresh off a course renovation, the Dublin, Ohio, layout can play up to 100-yards longer, so it should be a much tougher test than past years for a field featuring seven of the top 10-ranked players in the world. When Jon Rahm won last year, it was the first time in the past eight years of the Memorial that the winning score was not double digits under par.

According to William Hill, defending champion and world No. 3 Jon Rahm comes in as the favorite at 10-1. Following at 14-1 are Rory McIlroy, Jordan Spieth and Bryson DeChambeau, all of whom have won already in 2021. Closing out the notables, Justin Thomas and Collin Morikawa, also winners this year, were rated at 16-1.

For our favorite, we’re going with the value in Collin Morikawa at 16-1. If you remember correctly, Morikawa won the Workday Charity Open on this very course last year, one week before the Memorial Tournament because of COVID-19 protocols. He has finished in the top 20 in his past four starts, and his lone win this season also came on a Nicklaus-design (Concession, at the WGC Workday). He’s a man who does not lack confidence, and he should be full of it this week.

For a midrange pick, we’re going with Englishman Matthew Fitzpatrick at 33-1. Fitzpatrick has earned seven top-25s, including four top-10s in his past nine starts. He ranks in the top 20 in strokes gained tee-to-green, putting and total. The 2013 U.S. Amateur champion has a knack for showing up when the conditions are harsh for many of the world’s top players. Look for the six-time European Tour winner to contend for his first professional victory in the U.S.

For a sleeper, Rickie Fowler looks good at 60-1. He will continue to turn the corner after an impressive T-9 in the PGA at the windswept Ocean Course on Kiawah Island. Fowler still has had his hiccups of late, but Muirfield Village should set up well for him, and it’s always best to jump on a rising stock too early than a bit too late. Fowler should continue the process in a positive way this week.

2021 picks scoreboard:

Winners: 3
Top 10s: 9
Top 20s: 10
Misses: 37

Here are some notable odds, according to William Hill:

Jon Rahm 10-1
Rory McIlroy 14-1
Jordan Spieth 14-1
Bryson DeChambeau 14-1
Collin Morikawa 16-1
Justin Thomas 16-1
Viktor Hovland 18-1
Patrick Cantlay 22-1
Xander Schauffele 22-1
Tony Finau 25-1
Hideki Matsuyama 25-1
Matthew Fitzpatrick 33-1
Corey Conners 33-1
Patrick Reed 33-1
Scottie Scheffler 35-1
Sam Burns 40-1
Cameron Smith 40-1
Shane Lowry 40-1
Joaquin Niemann 40-1
Louis Oosthuizen 40-1
Sungjae Im 50-1
Keegan Bradley 50-1
Charley Hoffman 50-1
Billy Horschel 55-1
Gary Woodland 55-1
Jason Day 60-1
Kevin Streelman 60-1
Emiliano Grillo 60-1
Marc Leishman 60-1
Rickie Fowler 60-1
Adam Scott 60-1
Bubba Watson 66-1
Russell Henley 80-1
Cameron Tringale 80-1
Christiaan Bezuidenhout 80-1
Matt Wallace 80-1
Matt Jones 90-1
Matt Kuchar 100-1
Charl Schwartzel 100-1
Si-Woo Kim 100-1
Troy Merritt 100-1
Stewart Cink 100-1
Brendon Todd 100-1
Patton Kizzire 100-1
Max Homa 100-1
Chris Kirk 100-1
Alex Noren 125-1
Charles Howell 125-1
Carlos Ortiz 125-1
Sebastian Munoz 125-1
Doug Ghim 125-1
Harold Varner III 125-1
Branden Grace 125-1
Aaron Wise 125-1
Talor Gooch 150-1
Victor Perez 150-1
Cameron Davis 150-1
Adam Hadwin 150-1
Luke List 150-1
C.T. Pan 150-1
Kyoung-Hoon Lee 150-1
Matthew NeSmith 150-1
Joel DaHmen 150-1
Danny Willett 175-1
Brendan Steele 175-1
Doc Redman 175-1
Harry Higgs 175-1

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