RADIO
Patrick Gates shares his betting card for the 2026 Memorial Tournament and breaks down each of his selections for this week's event.
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The PGA TOUR travels to Dublin, Ohio, this week for the Memorial Tournament. The tournament features a 72-player field, with twenty-five players ranked inside the top 30 of the Official World Golf Ranking competing this week.
In an article released on Tuesday, I broke down everything you need to know about the Memorial Tournament, from course details to key stats and historical trends. If you have not checked that out yet, I highly recommend giving it a read. As always, if you have questions about any players or the event itself, feel free to reach out to me on social media or in Discord.
With that said, let’s dive into the 22nd event of the season as I break down my betting card for the 2026 Memorial Tournament!
Outrights
Ludvig Åberg (+1650) - DraftKings
I swore off Ludvig Åberg after his collapse at THE PLAYERS Championship, yet here I am once again with him near the top of my card this week.
Simply put, the recent form is too good to ignore. Over his last nine PGA TOUR starts, Åberg has recorded six top-10 finishes, and his worst result during that stretch was a T21. Few players in this field have displayed the same combination of consistency and upside over the past several months.
He also returns to Muirfield Village with a proven track record. In his two appearances at the Memorial Tournament, Åberg has finished T5 in 2024 and T16 in 2025, demonstrating an immediate comfort level on one of the PGA TOUR's most demanding venues.
From a statistical standpoint, Åberg grades out extremely well for Muirfield Village. Among this week's field over the last 24 rounds, he ranks 6th overall in my model. His ball striking remains elite, ranking 8th in SG: Off the Tee and 6th in SG: Approach, two of the most important metrics at a course that demands precision from tee to green.
One area that particularly stands out is his ability to avoid mistakes. Åberg ranks 12th in Bogey Avoidance, a critical statistic at Muirfield Village where par is often a good score. He also ranks 19th in Scrambling, which should help when the small, difficult greens inevitably get missed throughout the week.
His long iron play is another major advantage. Åberg ranks 3rd in proximity from 200+ yards, a distance range players will face frequently on Muirfield Village's lengthy par 4s and demanding par 3s. He also ranks 25th in Good Drive Percentage, showing the ability to consistently position himself for quality approach opportunities.
The putter remains the biggest question mark, as he ranks just 33rd in SG: Putting on Bentgrass greens among this field over the last 24 rounds. However, that has often been the case with Åberg. When the putter performs at even an average level, his elite ball striking gives him one of the highest ceilings in professional golf.
There are also reasons for optimism on the greens this week. Åberg has gained strokes putting in both of his previous appearances at Muirfield Village, finishing T5 in 2024 and T16 in 2025. If he can once again find comfort on these Bentgrass surfaces, the combination of his driving, approach play, and recent form makes him one of the most dangerous players in the field.
With elite recent form, proven success at Muirfield Village, and a statistical profile that aligns perfectly with the demands of this golf course, Åberg deserves serious consideration as one of the top outright betting options on the board this week.
Xander Schauffele (+1800) - FanDuel
Xander Schauffele is still searching for his first victory of the season, but his overall form remains much better than the results may initially suggest. Over his last nine starts, Schauffele has recorded five top-20 finishes and only one finish worse than T24, continuing the consistency that has become a trademark of his career.
Muirfield Village has also been one of Schauffele's most consistent stops on the schedule. In his last seven appearances at the Memorial Tournament, he has finished T25 or better every single time, including multiple top-10 finishes. That type of sustained success at a demanding venue like Muirfield Village is difficult to ignore.
The statistical profile is equally impressive. Over the last 24 rounds, Schauffele ranks 11th overall in the field in my model. He ranks 7th in SG: Approach and 4th in SG: Off the Tee, a combination that is critical for success on a course that places a premium on elite ball striking.
His driving accuracy is also a major asset this week, ranking 9th in Good Drive Percentage. Schauffele consistently puts himself in position to attack pins while avoiding the costly mistakes that can quickly derail rounds at Muirfield Village.
He also excels in several key scoring categories that correlate strongly with success here. Schauffele ranks 5th in Par-3 Scoring from 201-225 yards and 2nd in Par-4 Scoring on holes measuring 451-500 yards, two areas that players will face repeatedly throughout the week.
Around the greens, Schauffele remains reliable, ranking 11th in Scrambling. While his recent putting numbers have been somewhat inconsistent, he still ranks 29th in SG: Putting (Bentgrass) among this field over the last 24 rounds, more than adequate when paired with his elite tee-to-green game.
With elite course history, strong recent form, and one of the most complete tee-to-green profiles in the field, Schauffele looks poised to contend once again at Muirfield Village. If the iron play returns to its normal level, it would not be surprising to see him in the mix late on Sunday.
