Memorial Tournament: Top 10 power rankings for 2020

I probably should have put Jon Rahm in this spot. Maybe Brooks Koepka or Patrick Reed.

But it’d feel downright blasphemous to leave Tiger Woods off of a Memorial Tournament power rankings. He was having a nice season in limited starts in the PGA Tour in 2019-2020. Woods won the inaugural Zozo Championship in the fall. He also took fourth as host at the Hero World Challenge (an unofficial event), and was T-9th at Torrey Pines.

Plus, Woods was the star of the show at the Presidents Cup where he led the Americans to victory as a player-captain.

I think I’m burying the lede of why he’s a worthy pick for Muirfield Village.

Woods has made this place his playground, winning five times in 16 starts. He won back-to-back-to-back from 1999-2001. Mix in the fact that he’s never missed a cut, has three other top-fours and finished T-9th (70-72-70-67) in 2019, and it’s clear that this is one of his favorite Tour stops.

Prior to the 2013 Memorial, Woods reflected at his press conference how he’s always seem to won and play well at Jack Nicklaus courses going back to his junior golf days.

“For some reason, I’ve, I just feel comfortable in his golf courses, the way he sets it up,” Woods was quoted by ASAP Sports. “There is ample room off the tees.  The greens are really severe.  If you miss the greens, it tests your short game.  Those are the things that I think I do well.

The 44-year-old doesn’t bomb it past the rest of the field like he used to, but he’s still got enough length to contend any week. His iron play is still elite. That will serve him well at a second-shot golf course like this week.