2026 Memorial Tournament Preview: Scottie Scheffler and Top Contenders on the PGA Tour
2026 Memorial Tournament Preview: Can Anyone Stop Scottie Scheffler?
The 2026 Memorial Tournament at Muirfield Village Golf Club begins on June 4 and concludes on June 7, with a world-class field assembling for one of the PGA Tour’s most demanding tests. World number one Scottie Scheffler returns as defending champion, while elite challengers including Rory McIlroy, Xander Schauffele, Ludvig Åberg, and Patrick Cantlay headline a stacked leaderboard.
With precision and patience required around Jack Nicklaus’ demanding layout, the opening round tee sheet offers several key groupings that could shape the early tournament narrative.
Scottie Scheffler Leads the Late Wave at the 2026 Memorial Tournament
Scottie Scheffler begins his title defence at 6:35 PM UK time alongside Aaron Rai, forming one of the standout late two-balls of the day. The world number one will be looking to assert control early as he aims for another strong start at Muirfield Village.
The final groups feature several of the tournament favourites, including:
- 5:55 PM – Ben Griffin & Brian Harman
- 6:05 PM – Gary Woodland & Patrick Cantlay
- 6:15 PM – Russell Henley & Matt Fitzpatrick
- 6:25 PM – Xander Schauffele & Ludvig Åberg
- 6:35 PM – Scottie Scheffler & Aaron Rai
- 6:45 PM – Matt McCarty & Lucas Glover
- 6:55 PM – Min Woo Lee & Mac Meissner
This late wave is particularly strong, featuring multiple major contenders who are capable of setting the pace for the week if scoring conditions prove favourable.
Rory McIlroy Leads the Afternoon Tee Times at the 2026 Memorial Tournament
Rory McIlroy tees off at 3:25 PM UK time alongside Justin Thomas in one of the marquee early feature pairings. McIlroy’s aggressive style off the tee gives him the ability to build momentum quickly if conditions allow.
The mid-afternoon wave also includes several key two-balls:
- 1:05 PM – Jason Day & Jordan Spieth
- 1:35 PM – Adam Scott & Alex Smalley
- 1:55 PM – Keegan Bradley & Corey Conners
- 2:10 PM – Andrew Novak & Hideki Matsuyama
- 2:20 PM – Chris Gotterup & Sepp Straka
- 2:30 PM – Shane Lowry & Sungjae Im
- 2:40 PM – Akshay Bhatia & Sam Burns
- 2:50 PM – Wyndham Clark & J.J. Spaun
- 3:00 PM – Justin Rose & Rickie Fowler
- 3:10 PM – Cameron Young & Tommy Fleetwood
- 3:25 PM – Rory McIlroy & Justin Thomas
2026 Memorial Tournament Morning Tee Times: Early Wave of Experienced and Rising Players
The morning groups feature a mix of experience and rising talent, with several players capable of posting low early scores if conditions are soft.
- 12:45 PM – Brian Campbell & Pierceson Coody
- 12:55 PM – Ryan Fox & Daniel Berger
- 1:15 PM – Billy Horschel & Sam Stevens
- 1:25 PM – J.T. Poston & Ryo Hisatsune
- 1:45 PM – Nico Echavarria & Nick Taylor
2026 Memorial Tournament Final Wave: Contenders to Watch in Late Tee Times
- 3:35 PM – Kurt Kitayama & Michael Kim
- 3:45 PM – Matt Kuchar & Bud Cauley
- 3:55 PM – Tom Hoge & Alex Noren
- 4:05 PM – Patrick Rodgers & Nicolai Højgaard
- 4:15 PM – Jhonattan Vegas & Sudarshan Yellamaraju
- 4:25 PM – Taylor Pendrith & Tony Finau
- 4:40 PM – Ryan Gerard & Mark Hubbard
- 4:50 PM – Brandt Snedeker & Eric Cole
- 5:00 PM – Sahith Theegala & Si Woo Kim
- 5:10 PM – Harry Hall & Denny McCarthy
- 5:20 PM – Harris English & Robert MacIntyre
- 5:30 PM – Alex Fitzpatrick & Jacob Bridgeman
- 5:40 PM – Kristoffer Reitan & Maverick McNealy
2026 Memorial Tournament Players to Watch
Scottie Scheffler
The defending champion remains the player to beat, combining elite ball-striking with unmatched consistency tee-to-green.
Rory McIlroy
McIlroy’s power off the tee makes him a constant threat, especially if he gains early momentum in the afternoon wave.
Ludvig Åberg
One of the most promising young stars in the game, Åberg’s control from tee to green suits the demanding layout perfectly.
Xander Schauffele
A model of consistency, Schauffele rarely falls out of contention in elite fields and thrives in major-calibre setups.
Patrick Cantlay
A two-time Memorial winner, Cantlay’s history at Muirfield Village makes him one of the most dangerous players in the field.
2026 Memorial Tournament Wrap-Up: Who to Watch and Early Insights
The Memorial Tournament once again delivers one of the strongest fields of the season outside the majors. While Scheffler leads the betting as defending champion, a deep field including McIlroy, Åberg, Schauffele, and Cantlay ensures a tightly contested opening round and a competitive week ahead.
