2022 The Memorial – Syndication Server

Billy Horschel has Muirfield Village’s number, will take five-shot lead into Memorial’s final round

Horschel has now gone 44 holes without making a bogey.

DUBLIN, Ohio – Where does one start with the superlative numbers Billy Horschel has put together through three rounds of The Memorial?

The 7-under 65 in Saturday’s third round under bright skies, which was two shots clear of the next best round turned in?

The five-shot lead he takes into the final round, just one shot shy of the largest 54-hole lead in tournament history held by Tiger Woods (2000) and Jon Rahm (2021)?

The 44 consecutive holes he’s played without a bogey on the rugged, Jack Nicklaus-designed layout at Muirfield Village Golf Club? His lone bogey of the tournament came on the first hole – his 10th of the day – in the first round.

Or his perfect 12-for-12 mark in scrambling, the 42 of 54 greens he’s hit in regulation or the 35 of 42 fairways he’s hit in regulation?

Horschel didn’t mind talking about all of them.

Memorial: PGA Tour streaming on ESPN+

“I’m very aware of everything I’ve done on the golf course, and I just feel very comfortable right now with what we’re doing on the golf course,” said Horschel, who included his caddie, Mark “Fooch” Fulcher, as part of his success.

Horschel said he’s never had a five-shot lead before – “I’ve had it in my head plenty of times,” he said with a smile – so the 2014 FedEx Cup winner doesn’t expect to change his approach going to the first tee for Sunday’s final round as he tries to win his seventh PGA Tour title.

“I’m not going to be protective,” he said. “I’m not going to be overly aggressive. I’m going to play the way I have the last three days. We’re going to hit the golf shots that are required, and I know if we do that it’s going to give me the best chance to be victorious come tomorrow. I’ve been doing this for 13 years now out here, so I think I should have a pretty clear understanding of what I need to do and the feelings and the emotions I’m going to have tomorrow.”

Horschel is five clear of Aaron Wise (69) and overnight leader Cameron Smith (72). Another shot back are Berger (67), Francesco Molinari (70) and Jhonattan Vegas (71).

Horschel’s stellar play through three rounds stems in part from a conversation he initiated with Fulcher following last week’s missed cut in the Charles Schwab Challenge. The two emphasized the process they have to use that makes sure Horschel is calm and confident over every shot.

“I’m not really worried about score, I’m not really worried about the result of the golf shot, just worried about the process that Fooch and I are trying to do, and I think if we do that well, and I sound like a broken record, but if I do that it allows me to make better swings, and it’s been producing better results,” Horschel said. “I think just going through our process, making sure we have a number where we’re trying to land the ball, talking about the shot, the club selection, the wind. When we do that, it allows me to have a clearer picture and have a little bit more of a higher acceptance level over the golf shot.

“Everyone has told me on my team for years, when I have that, I’m able to make better golf swings on a regular basis. I’m sure I’m going to shock everyone when I say this. I move very quick, and I’m impatient, and so I’m ready to go without always being clear on everything. Sometimes I just want to get the golf shot over with. Yes, am I an idiot for not doing what I know works every time? Yes.

“But I need to do a better job of it. If I’m going to win the golf tournaments I want to win, and I feel like I can win, then I need to do a better job of it on a daily, weekly basis, especially when it comes to the bigger events.

“I’m an idiot for not doing what I need to do on a regular basis.”

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The Memorial is a home game for Jason Day, who shot 68 on Saturday and lives in Columbus. Or is it?

A year ago, Day withdrew from the Memorial because of a flare-up with his back.

DUBLIN, Ohio — For the first time since his chronic back injuries began in 2015, Jason Day feels healthy.

“I feel like I don’t have an injury or like I’ve never had an injury, which is great,” Day said after his third-round 4-under 68 on Saturday at the Memorial. “It gives me the confidence knowing that my body and what I’m doing in the gym and what I’m doing with my swing is really paying off.”

It has been a long road back from a decline for the world’s former No. 1 player, an Australian who lives in Westerville, a suburb of Columbus. A year ago, Day withdrew from the Memorial because of a flare-up with his back.

Day is 3-under par after starting Saturday 1-over par. He made the cut with only a shot to spare. He got on a roll with an eagle on the par-4 No. 3 hole and birdies on No. 4 and No. 6.

The eagle came when he drained his approach shot from 142 yards away. What made it even remarkable was that his tee shot landed in a divot.

“Probably about a third of the ball was stuck under the ground, but it wasn’t my pitch mark so I couldn’t drop it out of it,” Day said. “I just kind of chopped down on a pitching wedge, and luckily enough it went in the hole.”

Memorial: PGA Tour streaming on ESPN+ | Columbus Dispatch live blog

His birdie on No. 4 also came on a ridiculous shot. He hit his tee shot 82 feet left of the pin in the rough and chipped in. His birdie on No. 6 came on a 39-foot putt.

He managed only one other birdie before making a 7-footer on No. 18 that followed an 11-foot putt on No. 17 to save bogey.

“I caught fire early and then I’m sitting there going, ‘Man, maybe I peaked too early,’” Day said. “But overall it was a nice day. I played some pretty good golf.”

Day said he is generally pleased with how he is playing, though he’s frustrated that one mediocre round has tended to offset three solid ones.

“I’m optimistic about where things are going,” he said, “but I’m trying to be as patient as possible.”

Though Day lives here, he doesn’t play Muirfield Village regularly.

Jason Day, left, walks to the ninth green during the third round of the Memorial Tournament. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports

“Everyone says it’s my home club and it is to a certain degree,” he said. “But before this week I only played nine holes in the last two years here. Even though I live like 30 minutes away. I’m too lazy to get in my car and drive 30 minutes to a championship golf course. I’d rather go to (Double Eagle), another championship golf course 10 minutes away.

“But it is nice to be able to have the caliber of golf course that we have in our backyard. A lot of people don’t understand that Columbus and Ohio in general, have tremendous golf courses, and they’re like hidden gems. When people come out here, they’re actually quite surprised how good the golf courses are up here in Ohio.”

Bill Rabinowitz is a sports reporter for The Columbus Dispatch. Contact him at brabinowitz@dispatch.com or on Twitter @brdispatch.

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Pivotal par-3 16th at Muirfield Village no longer unbearable during Memorial but certainly is no pushover

It was nearly unbearable until Nicklaus and his team began a major renovation in 2020.

DUBLIN, Ohio – How difficult can the par-3 16^th at Muirfield Village Golf Club, at a mere 200 yards at most, play during The Memorial?

In 2020 in the final round, Phil Mickelson laid up 43 yards short on the hole and then putted the ball for his second shot. When the hole measured 173 yards.

The same year, Matt Fitzpatrick, en route to finishing third, purposely tried to hit his tee shots into a greenside bunker the entire week.

“It was just playing that firm that day. I just remember the whole week, it was just really, really firm and it was downwind as well, and it was incredibly hard to stop the ball,” Fitzpatrick said. “I think there was only one man that hit it within 20 feet on the final day, and that was Tiger Woods.

“I think that says it all.”

Since 2011, the 16^th has been pivotal in determining who gets to shake Nicklaus’ hand in victory as it has been the toughest hole on the course Nicklaus built in 2011, 2012, 2013, 2016, 2017 and 2020. How tough? There have only been four aces on the hole since 2015. In the 2013 Presidents Cup, Ernie Els was the only player to birdie the hole in singles action as he knocked in a 25-footer.

The hole wasn’t always a terror. For the tournament’s first 37 years, it was a pleasant hole that was not much of a bother. But in 2010, with the Presidents Cup upcoming, the Golden Bear sunk his claws and dug out a lake abutting the green on the left that teamed with three severe bunkers on the right that instantly turned the hole into a monster with plenty of teeth. Especially when it played downwind.

It was nearly unbearable until Nicklaus and his team began a major renovation in 2020 and discovered the shallow green pitched from front to back, and with the surface usually firm, players had a hard time holding the green with tee shots. Especially from 200 yards with wind at their backs.

“Nobody could stop it on the green before,” Nicklaus said. “So we took seven inches out of the center of the green and added seven inches to the back of the green and now the green sits to you.

“It wasn’t fair before. They couldn’t stop the shot. It’s still not an easy shot, but the green will receive a good shot now.”

That’s what the players are hoping for this weekend. If the forecast holds – plenty of sunshine and heat on Saturday and Sunday – the green will be firm. But not a rock, as it was in the past, Nicklaus said.

Jordan Spieth putts on the 16th green during the second round of the 2013 Presidents Cup at Muirfield Village Golf Club. Mandatory Credit: Allan Henry-USA TODAY Sports

Jon Rahm has had his moments on the 16^th. The 2020 Memorial champion made an ace on the 16^th in the second round and survived a two-stroke penalty in the final round for his ball moving slightly as he addressed the shot in the rough that year. Rahm likes the redo and said the hole is fair but not a pushover. That was the case in 2021 when the hole ranked as the eighth toughest among the 18.

“The new redo makes it a lot easier than it used to be,” Rahm said. “But it all depends on the firmness on the greens, right. I mean, when the greens were as firm as they were in 2020, there wasn’t much you could do. You had to hit it as high as possible and hope for the best, and hope you got up-and-down from long, basically, if you didn’t hit the green.

“Now it’s a little more doable. Still a tough shot, right. Just got to be comfortable with the decision you make, right. I feel like you need to be decisive, choose the club, choose your shot and stick to it because it’s not a big target. It’s a small green, water and bunkers around it.

“But unlike in the past, those up-and-downs are slightly easier than they have been. So it’s not like it’s a hole you’re looking at to make birdie, but I’m pretty sure everybody in the field will take four pars and move on to 17.”

Or as Rory McIlroy said, “just hit it in the middle of green, two putts, take your three and run to the 17th tee.”

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Fear the Mullet: Cameron Smith from Down Under again in contention, is atop the leaderboard at Memorial

“I’m playing some of the best golf of my life.”

DUBLIN, Ohio – The mullet has become one of the most feared sights in golf.

Cameron Smith, the Aussie lad who’s let his hair go in honor of his rugby league boys down in Australia, has become a nearly weekly threat on the PGA Tour.

This week, he’s at Muirfield Village Golf Club for The Memorial.

And the Aussie is at it again.

The reigning Players Championship winner and world No. 3 is at the top of the leaderboard once again following rounds of 67-69 that left him at 8 under on Friday. Smith, who held a share of the lead after 18, is in control of all aspects of his game, from his mental approach to all the clubs in his bag.

He’s playing so well that he expects to be on the first page of the leaderboard.

Memorial: PGA Tour streaming on ESPN+

“I think my game’s in a good spot. There’s no reason why I shouldn’t be,” Smith said. “I’m playing some of the best golf of my life, and I feel I’m getting more consistent with the longer stuff. So just looking forward to everything coming up.

“I think mentally I’m in a really good spot. I feel as though I’m getting more and more consistent week in, week out. I just try to hit the right shots every time. Even if I’m uncomfortable, I know what the right shot is, and I’m committed to trying to hit that shot and that’s just a really good place to be in.”

It’s the latest strong effort from Smith. He won the 2022 opener in record fashion at the Sentry Tournament of Champions. Then the man who loves to fish reeled in the whale otherwise known as The Players Championship for his fifth PGA Tour title, all coming since 2017.

He also tied for third in this year’s Masters and was in contention late before fading at the end to finish in a tie for 13^th in the PGA Championship.

And Smith is the only player in Masters history to post all four rounds in the 60s, as he did in finishing runner-up to Dustin Johnson in 2020.

A stroke back at 7 under are Denny McCarthy, one of the game’s best putters, and K.H. Lee, who won earlier this year at the AT&T Byron Nelson. McCarthy has posted 68-69, Lee 67-70.

A large group is at 6 under, including Cameron Young (67-71), Davis Riley (67-71), Jhonattan Vegas (69-69), Luke List (67-71) and Billy Horschel (70-68).

At 5 under is Rory McIlroy, who is looking for his first Memorial trophy to add to his four pieces of hardware from major championships and two from his FedEx Cup titles.

Rory McIlroy plays his shot from the ninth fairway rough during the second round of the Memorial Tournament. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports

“I’ve hit it in the fairway pretty often,” McIlroy said. “As it firms up, I think just the premiums on ball-striking, hitting fairways and hitting greens. If you can do that around here, you’re going to have a chance.

“I’m expecting by tomorrow it will probably get back to as firm as it was sort of those Monday/Tuesday practice rounds. It was surprisingly firm then. And I think that’s the way they want to play it around here, is to try to get it as firm and fast as possible. Looks like the weather forecast is going to allow that to happen.”

And if he were to add The Memorial to his resume?

“I think it’s a special moment in anyone’s career being able to walk up the hill and get that handshake (from Jack Nicklaus). I’d love to win here,” he said. “I won at Bay Hill at Arnold’s place, but I was never able to get that handshake because Arnold passed away a couple years before. It makes it extra special when you’re able to win a tournament, whether it’s hosted by Jack or Arnold or any of the greats in the game.”

Muirfield Village likely will firm up over the weekend, as the forecast calls for sun and heat, and let’s face it, a firm course is what Nicklaus wants. If conditions do toughen, Smith will be ready.

“I’d love a firm and fast golf course,” he said. “I think growing up in Australia, Aussies love that. I don’t think it’s going to be too windy over the weekend. So they can really kind of let this course get nice and firm.

“I’m looking forward to the challenge.”

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Blonde Koepka or brunette Koepka? Max Homa is still weighing in on important matters

A frustrated Homa is not a funny Homa, which is a downer for the social media mavens.

Max Homa double-bogeyed his next-to-last hole during the first round of the Memorial Tournament, which was not what his 400K Twitter followers wanted to see.

A frustrated Homa is not a funny Homa, which is a downer for the social media mavens for whom the 31-year-old Californian is a big reason they pay closer attention to the PGA Tour. To them, Homa is the best thing going in golf, so when he is not tweeting – and many hours of social media silence followed his Thursday finish – they are left not hanging on every word.

Many golfers in the cracking-sound-in-the-knees age bracket do not relate to Twitter. And many among the younger crowd who sleep with their phones still detest the social media site, which can be a vehicle for venom-spewing hate. Fair enough. But millions enjoy following their favorite athletes and celebrities, and consider it a bonus if the athlete/celeb interacts.

Homa engages his audience like few other upper echelon Tour players — he is 28th in the world rankings and has four Tour wins. He not just types his thoughts but responds to replies sent to @maxhoma23. And his snarky comments, frequently covering inane Q&A topics, often are comedy gold.

A sampling:

“Why are all the photos of Sasquatch blurry when every cellphone has a fantastic camera?” a follower asked.

“Because people who are actively looking to photograph Sasquatch don’t have time to buy a new phone. It’s a full-time job,” Homa answered.

“What are baby names you or your wife vetoed immediately,” asked a follower named Jeremy.

“Jeremy,” Homa shot back.

Switching to golf topics …

“Blonde Koepka or brunette Koepka?” a follower wondered.

“Blonde.”

Max Homa watches his second shot on the 7th hole during Round 1 of the Memorial Tournament at Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio on June 2, 2022.

Pga 1st Memorial Tournament

And queried whether he would rather fight 1,000 tiny Francesco Molinaris or one giant Jason Kokrak, Homa did not hesitate: “1,000 Franecscos. Kokrak would squish me in his normal size.”

More famously, Homa has critiqued the swings of amateur golfers who send him their good, bad, and brutal wind-ups and follow-throughs.

Among my favorites, one masochistic follower tweeted Homa instructions to analyze his swing and “Destroy my ego, pls,” to which the pro quipped, “I’m honestly just impressed u have an ego.”

I caught up with Homa after his respectable opening round, 3-under-par 69 that could have been a leaderboard topping 5-under except for the double bogey at No. 8. (He played the back nine first.) I wanted to know what prompted him to engage so actively on Twitter.

His responses were surprising, if mostly because they lacked the hilarity of his online persona. Instead, his musings were steeped in humility and humanity.

“In 2022 it’s just a part of life,” he said of social media. “Parts of it I like, parts of it I don’t, but that’s like anything in the world. I like interactions; Twitter can be really funny, especially when something crazy happens, like Will Smith slap night. But other times, like gun debates and politics talk, not great.”

Homa avoids diving into more controversial issues, explaining, “I’m a golfer. I don’t think it’s my duty to insert my political or social feelings into the world.”

On that point, he hopes his status as one of the top rising players on the planet — he has won twice this season — does not mean he is becoming a world-class influencer.

“I’d like to think my opinions wouldn’t change other people’s opinions regardless of what world ranking I have, but the last three years I’ve been playing some pretty good golf, so the following gets a little bit bigger,” he said.

More than anything, Homa appreciates how obsessed his followers are with their golf games, to the point of risking ridicule.

Max Homa talks with his caddie Joe Greiner, who sports his always respectable beard on the 17th green during the first day of the World Golf Championships-Dell Technologies Match Play at Austin Country Club on March 23, 2022, in Austin, Texas. Homa has four career PGA Tour victories, three top-10 finishes this season, and more than 400,000 followers on Twitter. (Photo by Chuck Burton/Getty Images)

“It’s cool to see how popular golf is and how much people enjoy it from all walks of life,” he said.

It’s also cool that a Tour player takes time to connect with the public in a way that both tickles and cuts to the funny bone. Some athletes are so worried about ruining their image they lock their personalities in a bank vault, where it stays safe with their millions.

Homa is not afraid to appear human, even sharing photos of himself practicing one of his hobbies: bourbon. (He has a multi-year sponsorship deal with Elijah Craig.)

“Got to try some @Elijah_Craig Bourbon straight from the barrel using a whiskey thief – which ironically was my nickname during my Korn Ferry Tour days,” he tweeted, adding another post that explained, “I’m typically a Toasted Barrel over one ice cube kinda guy. All class, obviously.”

I’ll give the last word to one of Homa’s followers, who tweeted, “You’re quickly moving up the list of greatest Jewish athletes. My parents gave me a book for Hanukkah in 1977 highlighting guys like Sandy Koufax and Hank Greenberg. Page 3 was Bobby Fischer, and I was like ‘the 3rd greatest Jewish athlete is a chess player? Keep it going Max!”

Keep it going, indeed.

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A ‘nobody’ not long ago, Cameron Young continues impressive rise at Memorial Tournament

Less than two years ago, Cameron Young hadn’t cracked the top 2,000 in the golf rankings.

Now the 25-year-old from New York is the favorite to be the PGA Tour’s rookie of the year. Young continued his sizzling play Thursday in the first round of the Memorial Tournament with a 5-under 67, which was tied for the lead among the morning golfers.

Two weeks ago, Young finished tied for third at the PGA Championship. He tied for second and tied for third in the two tournaments that preceded that.

“It’s been really fun,” Young said. “It’s been certainly a climb.”

Memorial: Thursday tee times | PGA Tour streaming on ESPN+ | Columbus Dispatch live blog

“I think we knew what was possible,” he said, “but I think I’ve also gotten a lot better throughout this season. I think I’m continuing to figure out how to play professional golf better. I think I’m learning what I can and can’t do, and having done well, makes it a lot easier.

“If I was really fighting to keep my card for next year, I think it gets a lot harder. To have been around the lead and then finish high a few times, that comfort level has gone up.”

“To have the opportunity to play here at (Jack Nicklaus’) playground is awesome,” said Young of appearing in his first Memorial Tournament.

He said the key has been to keep the game as uncomplicated as possible.

“I think it’s something that I strove with in college and amateur golf,” the Wake Forest alum said. “Learning to keep yourself playing simple golf, whether it’s going good or bad, is a major thing for me.

“If I can figure out a way to play a golf course most simply, that’s what we’re going to choose. Sometimes that means a really conservative shot and sometimes it means a shot that feels right.”

Young played well from the start Thursday. Starting on the back nine, he birdied the 12th and 13th holes. Young then eagled the par-5 15th hole, making a 15-foot putt. After two bogeys on the front nine, he birdied No. 7 and No. 9, the latter from 27 1/2 feet.

“I just hit a bunch of good shots early and made kind of the crucial little saves to kind of keep that momentum going with some pars,” Young said. “The eagle in the middle was obviously a nice little bonus.”

Cameron Young of the United States looks on during the first round of the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday at Muirfield Village Golf Club on June 02, 2022, in Dublin, Ohio. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

Though he’s only 5-11 and 185 pounds, Young is the eighth-longest driver on tour (317.2-yard average) and ranks second off the tee.

“If I can hit the driver well, I’m going to put myself in a lot of places where not only do I have a chance to make birdie, but it’s hard to make a bogey,” he said.

This is Young’s first Memorial, and Jack Nicklaus’ tournament is one he has long wanted to play.

“This is a special one,” he said. “Obviously, he’s one of, if not the best, players of all time. To have the opportunity to play here at his playground is awesome. I mean, it’s a place I’ve watched on TV for years. To get to play the golf course is amazing. It’s a special place.”

But his first impressions of Muirfield Village were daunting.

“When we got here on Monday and the greens were like concrete, it was a little scary,” he said. “But thankfully we had a little rain last night, so it wasn’t quite as hard today.”

Young said he has had only one brief encounter with Nicklaus. It happened at the 2019 U.S. Open.

“He was walking at me and I said, “Hi, I’m Cameron,'” Young said. “He was very nice. Said hello and kind of moved on. But I was nobody. I’d just gotten out of college.”

Asked if he thought Nicklaus had any idea who he was, Young replied, “Definitely not.”

If Young continues his strong play and gets his first PGA Tour win, a more memorable greeting from Nicklaus will await him on the 18th green Sunday.

Bill Rabinowitz covers Ohio State football for The Columbus Dispatch. Contact him at brabinowitz@dispatch.com or on Twitter @brdispatch.

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Hideki Matsuyama disqualified from the Memorial for equipment violation

Hideki Matsuyama was informed after he finished the ninth hole that he was disqualified.

DUBLIN, Ohio – Hideki Matsuyama was disqualified from the 2022 Memorial Tournament midway through Thursday’s first round.

Matsuyama, who won his first PGA Tour title here in 2014 and won his first major championship at the 2021 Masters, was informed after he finished the ninth hole that he was disqualified. He had changed equipment during the round, which necessitated his disqualification, the first of his PGA Tour career.

Matsuyama made three bogeys in his first nine holes and would have made the turn in 3-over 38.

Earlier in the round, Matsuyama had perhaps the day’s biggest highlight. On the second hole, his approach bounded off a slope guarding the green and inexplicably came to rest on a slim bridge.

Saved by the bridge 😅 pic.twitter.com/COEgxvobdZ

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) June 2, 2022

Memorial: Thursday tee times | PGA Tour streaming on ESPN+ | Columbus Dispatch live blog

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With 11 consecutive 1-putts, Will Zalatoris puts himself into position at Memorial to knock on victory’s door again

New town, different tournament, same story.

DUBLIN, Ohio – New town, different tournament, same story.

That has become the story for Will Zalatoris, who once again put himself into contention to win his first PGA Tour title Thursday in the opening round of The Memorial at Muirfield Village Golf Club.

Zalatoris, who is the highest-ranked player in the world (No. 14) who does not have a Tour title, lost in a three-hole, aggregate score playoff two weeks ago to Justin Thomas in the PGA Championship and lost in a playoff earlier this year to Luke List at the Farmers insurance Open.

Not one to sulk – he missed the cut last week in the Charles Schwab Challenge – Zalatoris picked himself up and made eight birdies on Jack Nicklaus’ gem that had been softened by overnight rain and shot 4-under 68.

He’s one shot behind the clubhouse lead.

“Crazy. Making eight birdies around this place obviously is really nice,” Zalatoris said. “I was just saying earlier before I came out here, Monday, Tuesday, if you said I was going to shoot 68 in the first round, I thought it would be four birdies, no bogeys. I’m shocked at how this place has softened up, with the weather we’ve had, because Monday and Tuesday were probably one of the firmer practice rounds I think I’ve had in my short stint out here.

Memorial: Thursday tee times | PGA Tour streaming on ESPN+ | Columbus Dispatch live blog

“I guess it feels like Augusta. When you get out there Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, it’s crazy firm. All of a sudden greens keep the same pace, but they soften up a little bit.”

Atop the leaderboard is the foursome of List, Cameron Young, K.H. Lee and Cameron Smith. Young, who has five top-3 finishes this season, also is looking for his first PGA Tour title. List and K.H. Lee won their first Tour titles earlier this year. Smith won the 2022 Players Championship.

“If I can hit the driver well, I’m going to put myself in a lot of places where not only do I have a chance to make birdie but it’s hard to make a bogey,” said Young, who was ranked in the 500s a year ago before winning consecutive tournament on the Korn Ferry Tour and staring so well on the PGA Tour. He’s now ranked 30^th.

“I think we knew what was possible, but I think I’ve also gotten a lot better throughout this season. I think I’m continuing to figure out how to play professional golf better,” Young added. “I think I’m learning what I can and can’t do. And having done well, I think, makes it a lot easier. If I was really fighting to keep my card for next year, I think it gets a lot harder. To have been around the lead and then finish high a few times, I think, just that comfort level has gone up and I’ve been able to keep going, doing what I’ve been doing.”

After watching Thomas hoist the Wanamaker Trophy, Zalatoris told the assembled media he knew he was going to win a Tour title and it was just a matter of time.

Well, that time could be this week, especially if he continues to putt like he did in the first round. After starting on the 10^th with a bogey, Zalatoris had 11 consecutive 1-putt greens, a stretch that included seven birdies.

He had 24 putts.

“I made some nice par saves to keep the momentum going and had a couple of bonuses in there with a couple of 20-footers,” he said. “Pretty pleased where my game is at but need to drive a little better the next few days.”

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‘There are no better milkshakes anywhere in the world’: Memorial’s famous frothy libations major hit with PGA Tour players

The only thing better than playing in The Memorial at Muirfield Village is enjoying a delicious milkshake.

DUBLIN, Ohio – On his first trip to Muirfield Village Golf Club for his maiden start in The Memorial in 2019, Joel Dahmen knew exactly what he had to do first.

It wasn’t to hit golf balls or check out the course. Wasn’t to go search for host Jack Nicklaus to shake his hand. Wasn’t to go and putt. Wasn’t even to unpack.

Instead, the first thing Dahmen did when he got on property – well, the first thing he did after he parked his car – was to head to a special bar in the clubhouse.

And get a milkshake.

“I had watched this tournament for 15, 20 years and you’d hear about the milkshakes. And when you get here that’s what you’re supposed to do, go and get a milkshake,” said Dahmen, who went and got a milkshake shortly after talking about them earlier this week. “Since my first one, the trick is how many are you going to have. Do you limit yourself to like one a day? Do you get multiple a day? Do you not have one too late in the evening?

“There are some tough decisions to be made. And then your wife asks for one, your caddie asks for one, and then you’re having a bunch of them.”

A lot of players have a bunch of them. To listen to them, you think the milkshakes are the nectar of the golf gods. The famous concoctions of milk, ice cream and an assortment of delectable flavorings rank right up there with other highlights of Nicklaus’ no-stone-unturned approach to welcoming the players to the ultimate PGA Tour destination, from the top-flight golf course and practice facilities, the 5-star player dining, his treatment of the players and their family and the caddies.

It’s not a surprise that Nicklaus started rolling out the milkshakes long ago. He’s well known for his sweet tooth and he has his own line of ice cream.

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“I don’t remember the first one but I remember the last one. Chocolate and peanut butter, the Buckeye. And I can’t wait to finish my day to have another one,” Joaquin Niemann said earlier this week. “They’re the best. If I had to choose a place to get a milkshake, it would have to be here.

“There are no better milkshakes anywhere in the world.

“And they’re free.”

And they’re not exactly light on the calories. The 16-ounce liquid gems pack on 1,100 to 1,200 calories per serving. According to Michael Moore, who was working the milkshake bar, they take three minutes to make.

The single-day record for most shakes made sits around 600; the field is 120 players, but add on the wives and caddies and friends, and boom, it’s 600.

The milkshakes have their own menu, which features 14 flavors and can highlight the taste of a Butterfinger, Snickers, M&Ms, Twix, Oreos and Reese’s, in addition to chocolate, vanilla, strawberry and banana. You can dream up any combination you want, too.

Michael Moore of Columbus makes a Buckeye milkshake, one of 14 available flavors, in the player’s dining room during a practice round of the 2022 Memorial Tournament at Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio. (Photo: Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch)

The Buckeye, consisting of creamy peanut butter, chocolate syrup, vanilla ice cream and a splash of milk, is by far the top go-to for those who indulge.

“Typically, I never really get them because I’m a member of the club here and I get them the weeks that I’m here practicing and playing,” Jason Day said. “Someone told me about the milkshakes here. I remember playing The International (at Castle Pines in Colorado) way back in the day. And I remember, we’re playing at altitude, and having a milkshake there and I almost felt like I was going to die because they were so thick. And they were so good you couldn’t stop drinking them.

“And then I had my first one here and it was actually thicker than the one I had at The International. The Buckeye is usually what I get. They are unbelievable. I don’t know what they do, if they put some special thing in them, but they are unbelievable. I’m good for one or two or those this week.”

Not all kneel at the altar of the Mighty Muirfield Milkshake.

“I guess I don’t want to get in trouble here, but like I – like the milkshakes are good. I’ve had milkshakes that are just as good elsewhere,” Rory McIlroy said. “Maybe because it’s Muirfield Village, they taste better, I don’t know.

“I’m happy with having one or two a week. I’m certainly not one of the guys that’s standing there getting two a day.”

But McIlroy is an outliner.

Jon Rahm, the 2020 Memorial champion, gets three at the most during the week.

“I know a lot of people are going to look like oh, he’s definitely drinking two or three a day. I’m not. I would like to,” he said. “I think the first one was an Oreo milkshake, and then I remember, I forgot what year it was, I posted it on social media, like, oh, what milkshake should I get, and I posted the menu. And everybody was mentioning the Buckeye.”

Rahm said he had no idea what a Buckeye was. He found out when he, Tony Finau, Graeme McDowell and Ian Poulter played nine holes for charity on Wednesday ahead of the 2020 Workday Charity Open.

“They brought us Buckeyes on 18 and that was the first time I’ve tried it and I don’t think I’ve changed from the Buckeye since,” he said. “They’re extremely good. I mean, they do a really good job, right. Obviously, it’s not like a chain, so they do a couple for the players that are asking and they can take their time and they are really, really good. I mean, some of the best out there.

“If you see me walking out with a couple, which it could happen, remember my wife is pregnant, right. So it’s not always for me.”

We’ll take Rahm at his word.

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Rory McIlroy must overcome complicated relationship with Muirfield Village to win first Memorial

“I’ve been lucky enough to win at Arnold’s place at Bay Hill. I’d obviously love to win at Jack’s place, too.”

DUBLIN, Ohio – Rory McIlroy has won all over the world, from San Francisco to Hong Kong, from Orlando to Dubai, from Las Vegas to Scotland.

He counts 20 PGA Tour titles and 26 worldwide titles in all. He’s won four majors, the FedEx Cup twice, The Players Championship once.

But he’s never conquered Jack’s Place.

“I think like Muirfield (Village Golf Club) and I have had a bit of a complicated relationship,” McIlroy said Wednesday at The Memorial, the annual bash Jack Nicklaus hosts at the course, Muirfield Village, he built.

“It seemed to fit me quite well earlier in my career and then the last few years, I’ve sort of maybe struggled with the strategy of how to play it,” McIlroy added.

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McIlroy will be making his 11^th start at Muirfield Village. He’s had four top 10s, with a tie for fourth in 2016 his best result. In his last three starts, he missed one cut and tied for 32^nd and 18^th.

There are only two tournaments McIlroy has made more starts without a win – the Masters (14) and a World Golf Championships event that has moved around (12).

Renovations made by Nicklaus over the years have caused some heartache for McIlroy. But he’s wiser than he was 12 years ago when he first played Muirfield Village, and he knows he’s more than talented enough to adjust.

“I feel like a lot of the fairways here pinch in around 310 (yards), so it allows the sort of average hitters to hit driver,” McIlroy said. “For an example, last year I played with Viktor Hovland the first two days, and the first hole, he can hit driver sort of right to where the bottleneck starts. I can’t hit driver because I’ll hit it too far but then I hit 3-wood, you know, 15 or 20 yards short of his driver. So I’m hitting 6-iron or 7-iron in and he’s hitting an 8-iron or a 9-iron in.

“So it just seems like the length advantage has sort of been nullified here over the last few years. So it’s just finding a different way to play the golf course.”

One of those ways involves changing clubs this week.

“I’ve actually went to one of my old 3-woods this week that’s lower lofted,” the world No. 8 said. “It’s sort of like a 2-wood in a way which I think will be good to utilize.”

Despite his complicated relationship, McIlroy enjoys coming to The Memorial.

“I think it’s one of the guys favorite events on Tour. I think everyone looks forward to it. These big player-hosted Invitationals are a pretty big deal,” he said. “I’ve been lucky enough to win at Arnold’s place at Bay Hill. I’d obviously love to win at Jack’s place, too.”

Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland holds the trophy after his two-shot victory during the final round at the Arnold Palmer Invitational Presented By MasterCard at Bay Hill Club and Lodge on March 18, 2018, in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)

He’s in form to do so.

He made a mad rush in the final round of the Masters – he shot an 8-under-par 64 on Sunday – to finish runner-up. He then finished fifth in the Wells Fargo Championship in his next start. And two weeks ago, he shot a 4-under-par 31 on the front nine of Southern Hills Country Club to get into contention but couldn’t make a consequential putt coming home and finished eighth in the PGA Championship.

“It feels good,” said McIlroy, who will play The Memorial, RBC Canadian Open, U.S. Open and The Travelers in succession. “I feel like everything is going in the right direction. I feel like Southern Hills was a missed opportunity there but I have to take the positives from it. I did some really good stuff that week. It’s just a matter of trying to build on that.

“I’m embarking on a four-week stretch here. So I’m going to playing a lot of golf coming up and I feel like my game is in good shape. So I’m excited for this run and excited to give myself a few more chances to hopefully win golf tournaments.”

Starting with Jack’s tournament.

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