The Memorial picks 2024: Best bets for PGA Tour golf this week

Is it Scottie Scheffler or bust at the Memorial Tournament, the latest PGA Tour signature event?
the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday
the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday / Dylan Buell/GettyImages
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Few events on the PGA Tour schedule get the blood flowing quite like the Memorial Tournament. Jack Nicklaus' hosted event at Muirfield Village in Ohio is an immaculate setup that truly offers a great test every year, and this will be no exception with Scottie Scheffler headlining the 2024 field as the favorite with the likes of PGA champion Xander Schauffele and defending Memorial champion Viktor Hovland entering seemingly having found his form, among others.

Canada was none too kind to our best bets and expert picks and we're hoping that a change of scenery to Dublin, OH will help our Memorial picks. After all, it's hard to get more of a gut punch than two solid bets coming up a stroke short of hitting. Not to mention a collapse from Mac Meissner hurting us as well. But alas, we move forward.

These are our expert picks and best bets for the Memorial Tournament this week, and boy do we ever need a good week heading into the U.S. Open the following week.

Note: All odds are courtesy of BetMGM unless otherwise noted. Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change. For more betting picks and advice, check out BetSided. (BetMGM placement odds are not available as of initial writing and will be updated once populated.)

Golf betting record in 2024 through Canadian Open: 15-124-0, -38.93 Units (1-51 on outrights and longshots | -4.6 units at Canadian Open) | One and Done Total for 2024: $6,897,527 (Aaron Rai at Canadian Open, $152,750)

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.

The Memorial Tournament expert picks: Winner, Top 10 and One and Done

Top 10 pick for the Memorial Tournament: Keegan Bradley (+333)

We need to appreciate both how well Keegan Bradley has been playing of late and, more importantly for this week, how well he should fit what we're going to see at the Memorial. Bradley comes in having finished T21 at Wells Fargo, T18 at the PGA and then T2 at the Charles Schwab in his last three starts. While his last two starts at Muirfield Village have been a T30 and T37 finish for Bradley, the form right now suggests better things coming. He's seventh in this field on SG: Approach over the last 20 rounds, Top 15 on approach from 175-225 yards, sixth in Par 5 scoring over the last 20 rounds, and has been a slight gainer with the putter over that span. Top 10 is aggressive but I love the way he could pop this week.

Winner pick for the Memorial Tournament (0.5 Units): Viktor Hovland (+1800)

Obviously, Viktor Hovland is the defending champion as he essentially started a torrid finish to his 2023 season at Muirfield Village. He was lost to start the season as he tried to make some swing changes but a reunion with Joe Mayo has yielded quick positive results. He was a middling T24 at Wells Fargo but then was in contention at the PGA Championship until the 72nd hole before finishing solo third. Hovland gained a little more than 10.5 strokes ball striking but also with his short game at the PGA. He's also best in this field over the last 20 rounds on approaches from 200-225 yards and fourth from 175-200 yards. The big concern would be his short game but the reunion with Mayo seemed to fix that instantly, so I'm buying in when Hovland's odds could be even shorter if he hadn't struggled earlier in the year.

One and Done pick for the Memorial Tournament: Viktor Hovland

Even if Hovland isn't holding the trophy for the second straight year, it's going to be a good week for him. It feels like he found the special sauce we saw at the end of last year and that makes him a perfect fit for Muirfield Village this week.

The Memorial picks: More best bets for PGA Tour this week

Si Woo Kim and Billy Horschel to finish Top 30 at the Memorial Tournament (+200, DraftKings)

Si Woo Kim has been stellar at the Memorial Tournament historically with no finish outside the Top 20 in his last four starts, including finishing solo fourth at this event last year. He's also sixth in SG: Approach over the last 12 rounds and third in Good Drive Percentage over the last 20 rounds in this field. So asking for a Top 30 isn't a huge task for him, nor is it for Billy Horschel. The 2022 champion at this event, Horschel has found his groove again of late. He comes in finishing T8 and T24 at the PGA and Charles Schwab, respectively. He's gained more than 3.0 strokes putting in each of those events but has also gained on approach. More importantly, he also has two more Top 15 finishes in his last five starts at the Memorial, so I love for him to get it done with a nice showing this week too.

Collin Morikawa, Ludvig Åberg and Patrick Cantlay Top 20 Parlay (+399, DraftKings)

When it comes to Morikawa and Cantlay, this is banking on their history at this course. They finished 1-2 at this event in 2021 while the latter is a multi-time winner at this event who also finished T3 in 2022. Morikawa has gotten things rolling again, so I have no worries. And while Cantlay has looked out of form, a place like this could awaken one of the most talented players in the world. As for Ludvig Åberg, the knee issue worries me. Having said that, the fit remains stellar. He's first in SG: Off-the-Tee, sixth in SG: Approach, first in putting on bentgrass, second on approach from 175-200 and 200-225 yards, and 10th in Par 5 scoring over the last 20 rounds. He could contend this week if the knee holds up but we'll play it somewhat safe in this Top 20 parlay.

Lee Hodges to finish Top 20 at the Memorial Tournament (+275)

I'm eyeing Lee Hodges as a huge sleeper this week. He finished T12 at the Memorial last year and comes in with a pair of T12 finishes and a T24 in his last three starts, including being Top 15 at the PGA Championship. Over the last 20 rounds, he's 17th in SG: Approach in this field and is 12th in SG: Putting over the last 16 rounds. It's not necessarily the perfect profile but his recent run of strong finishes combined with how he played the Memorial last week is enough to fully catch my eye.

Longshot pick to win the Memorial Tournament (0.1 Units): Lee Hodges (+22000, FanDuel)

If we're going to pick a longshot, let's go really long with Hodges. Look, it's a loaded field at the Memorial but everything I just said about Hodges suggests he could be live to make some noise this week. Getting him at 220/1 odds feels like a misprice that we have to sprinkle on in hopes of taking advantage of it.

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