2023 Memorial Tournament: Top 10 Power Rankings at Muirfield Village
The first thing many think of when they associate Jon Rahm and Muirfield Village is his forced withdrawal due to contracting COVID-19 while leading the Memorial Tournament by six shots through 54 holes in 2021.
He handled the situation with grace and was karmically rewarded with a U.S. Open win the next month.
Rahm’s resume at Muirfield Village is still sparkling despite the WD. After missing the cut in his course debut in 2017, he took T-27th (72-70-75-64) at the 2020 Workday Charity Open.
The next week, Rahm won the Memorial (69-67-68-75).
In 2022, he played well to take T-10th (72-70-73-69).
And to think, Rahm initially despised the place.
“I can tell you the first time I played here in 2017, I believe, for some reason, I absolutely hated it. I didn’t play good. I missed the cut. I think it was my first missed the cut as a pro, and I was just like, ‘I’m done. Never going back,’” Rahm was transcribed by ASAP Sports in 2022.
"“And Adam, my caddie, kept telling me, ‘Man, I’m telling you, this place is great for you. You just need to learn how to — you know, certain holes and certain shots, and you’ll be great for it.’” We came back and I won. “Yeah, feelings changed. It’s definitely a golf course where you have to learn a bit of the strategy, and you have to think your way around it, right. The first time I played it, I hit a lot of drivers constantly. The next times, not as many, right. Being on the fairway in position is very, very important.”"
Rahm will be eager to play well this week after a lackluster T-50th in his last start at the PGA Championship, which contributed to him getting passed up for No. 1 in the Official World Golf Ranking by Scottie Scheffler, who took T-2nd at Oak Hill.
It spoiled Rahm’s season Grand Slam bid, but three out of four wouldn’t be bad.
The 2023 Masters champ has been brilliant this year with four wins, including at a designated event, the Genesis Invitational.
Next. Perseverance pays dividends for Grillo at Colonial. dark
Rahm leads the PGA Tour in birdie average (5.02) and scoring average (68.69). He has no statistical weaknesses and has both the power and the touch to handle a tough tournament like the Memorial.