Steve Palmer's Memorial Tournament predictions & free golf betting tips: Resurgent Viktor Hovland ready to retain Muirfield Village crown

When to bet on the Memorial Tournament

By 12.40pm on Thursday

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Where can I watch the Memorial Tournament

Live on Sky Sports Golf from 5pm on Thursday

Steve Palmer's Memorial Tournament predictions

Viktor Hovland
4pts each-way 16-1 general

Patrick Cantlay
3pts each-way 25-1 bet365

Davis Riley
1pt each-way 175-1 bet365

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Steve Palmer's Memorial Tournament preview

Scottie Scheffler takes his standard position as a short-price favourite for a PGA Tour event, but value seekers will probably be leaving the world number one alone this week.

Since winning the RBC Heritage at the end of April, Scheffler has had much to deal with, including the birth of his first child, a controversial arrest at the US PGA Championship, the legal battles that followed, and two ultimately disappointing golf tournaments. He tied for eighth place in the US PGA, then tied a distant second to Davis Riley in the Charles Schwab Challenge.

Scheffler, who has twice finished third in the Memorial, obviously has the tools to handle Muirfield Village, but he may see this as a gentle loosener for next week's US Open and could do with conserving energy for Pinehurst.

The third Major of 2024 will almost inevitably be the focus of Xander Schauffele and Rory McIlroy, who can also be avoided at short odds. McIlroy, like Scheffler having off-course distractions to overcome, has never bettered fourth place in 12 Memorial starts.

Steve Palmer's top tip

Viktor Hovland 16-1

Third place in the US PGA Championship last time out was an enormous boost to the confidence of Viktor Hovland, who could be set for a barnstorming second half of the year.

Hovland made a curious coaching switch over Christmas, parting company with the man who helped the Norwegian become FedEx Cup champion, and it took the six-time PGA Tour winner six months to realise his blunder.

Hovland was trying to fix something that wasn't broken – his swing was in mint condition in 2023 and silverware flowed. He was a colossus for Europe in the Ryder Cup, but soon decided to search for different feels, feeling like the power chest movement he had developed with Joe Mayo meant a lack of control.

Hovland is one of the game's deep thinkers – and always on the quest for improvement – but half a year on the practice ground has left the Oslo man in no doubt that the swing he crafted with Mayo is the best on offer. The results speak for themselves.

Hovland and Mayo reunited in the lead-up to the US PGA, followed by rounds of 68, 66, 66 and 66 at Valhalla, then a return to world's top five. Hovland wisely skipped Colonial to further groove his swing back to its old order and Muirfield Village, where he triumphed last year, is the perfect place to continue his resurgence.

Hov is hungry for success – keen to make up for lost time – which is important at this stage of the season. With some of the elite becoming immune to the lure and prize money of Signature events – because there are so many of them – Hovland probably has a motivation edge. A Major is looming large, but Hovland is desperate to get back to winning ways and put a self-made mess behind him.

Next best bet

Patrick Cantlay 25-1

With an apparent stalemate reached in the unification negotiations between the PGA Tour and their rivals, Patrick Cantlay may be able to concentrate on his golf this summer, putting his Tour Policy Board duties to one side.

If Cantlay has his game face on at Muirfield Village and can focus on the job in hand, there are few more likely Memorial champions than him. Only Tiger Woods has earned more money competing in the Memorial Tournament than Cantlay, who can boast form figures of 35-4-1-32-1-3-30 at 'Jack's Place'.

Cantlay finished seventh in the 2020 Workday Charity Open at Muirfield Village and relishes this classic test. The completion of a Memorial hat-trick would come as no surprise. The seven-time PGA Tour champion should get back to winning ways soon enough.

Cantlay has been a threat this year. He led the Genesis Invitational by five shots at the halfway stage in February, before becoming ill on the Friday night, suffering with a high temperature over the weekend and dropping to fourth place. He was third in the RBC Heritage in April.

Other selection

Davis Riley 175-1

Given the brilliance of Davis Riley's frontrunning performance in the Charles Schwab Challenge last time out, it is a shock to see such juicy prices against his name for the Memorial. Riley's A-game is exquisite – and he showed it off with a five-shot triumph at Colonial. The floodgates could open for this two-time Korn Ferry Tour champion.

Fending off Scheffler for a PGA Tour breakthrough at such an historic venue should do wonders for the confidence of Riley. The 27-year-old, back working with the coach who helped make him a star, has an ideal game for Muirfield Village. Iron-play is Riley's strength and he finished 13th on his Memorial debut in 2022.

Riley's 54th place in last year's Memorial may not look much on paper, but it was respectable when you consider he turned up at the event off the back of six consecutive missed cuts. Deep in a slump, he still managed to bank a cheque at Muirfield Village, and he tees up this time carrying much more self-belief.

Course guide for the Memorial Tournament

• Course Muirfield Village Golf Club, Dublin, Ohio
• Prize money $20m ($3.6m to the winner)
• Length 7,569 yards
• Par 72 – four par-fives; ten par-fours; four par-threes
• Field 73 The cut Top 50 and ties (and anyone within ten shots of the lead) qualify for round three
• Highest-ranked players in field (world ranking in brackets) Scottie Scheffler (1), Xander Schauffele (2), Rory McIlroy (3), Wyndham Clark (4), Viktor Hovland (5)
• Course records - 72 holes 268 Tom Lehman (1994); 18 holes 61 John Huston (1996)
• Course winners taking part Justin Rose, Matt Kuchar, Hideki Matsuyama, Patrick Cantlay (twice), Collin Morikawa, Billy Horschel, Viktor Hovland
• When to bet By 12.40pm on Thursday
• When to watch Live on Sky Sports Golf from 5pm on Thursday
• Time difference Ohio is five hours behind the UK and Ireland
• Last week – Canadian Open 1 R MacIntyre (80-1), 2 B Griffin (80-1), 3 V Perez (150-1), T4 T Kim (33-1), R McIlroy (4-1), 6 C Conners (22-1), T7 M McNealy (33-1), M Hughes (40-1), R Fox (80-1)
• Course type Parkland
• Course overview This Jack Nicklaus design has hosted the Memorial since 1976. The 2013 Presidents Cup was staged there too, as well as the 2020 Workday Charity Open. The fairways are generous, but approach shots are difficult
• Story of last year Viktor Hovland beat Denny McCarthy in a playoff after both tied at seven under par after 72 holes
• Weather forecast A mixture of sunshine and clouds throughout, with temperatures between 18C and 26C. Moderate breezes for the first two days, before a calmer weekend
• Type of player suited to the challenge Accurate iron-play is the key to slaying Muirfield Village. Precise approaches to well-guarded greens are essential for success
• Key attribute Accuracy

Steve Palmer's Memorial Tournament key stat

Five of the last 12 winners finished first for greens in regulation

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