Memorial Tournament Preview – Tiger’s Back

After nearly a month off Tiger Woods returns to the links this weekend and gives golf betting fans something to think about, as the PGA Tour heads to Muirfield for the Memorial Tournament.

With Woods returning it’s guaranteed that he’ll also return to the top of the golf odds, but is he the smart pick for bettors? A decade ago Woods totally owned the Memorial with three straight tournament titles from 1999 to 2001. Since his last win in 2001 Woods has finished in the Top 4 at Muirfield three times, but in 2007 (he missed the 2008 event) he posted his second-worst result in the Memorial, tying for 15th place. Also making Woods a questionable choice for bettors this week for what seems like the first time ever are his most recent performances on the tour. Woods has finished in the Top 10 in his last five tournaments, but he hasn’t looked like the Woods of old after failing to put together a winning round on Sunday in The PLAYERS Championship and the Quail Hollow Championship.

At last year’s Memorial Kenny Perry tied Woods for most career wins at Muirfield with his third. Perry had also won in 1991 and 2003. Last year Perry shot eight-under par, which was two stokes better than Jerry Kelly, Justin Rose, Matthew Goggin, and Mike Weir, who all tied for second. Perry could likely use the familiarity of Muirfield right now after struggling lately. Since his collapse at The Masters, where he finished second, Perry has played in three tournaments, and his best finish was tying for 22nd in The PLAYERS Championship. Last weekend Perry tied for 34th at the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial, and unless he can find his game again this weekend at Muirfield bettors may want to avoid him no matter where he appears on the golf odds.

While Perry checked in at 34th place last week, Steve Stricker climbed to the top of the leaderboard for the first time in nearly two years. Stricker shot 17-under par at Colonial and went i nto a playoff against Tim Clark and Steve Marino. After Clark missed what looked like an easy birdie putt on the first playoff home that would have given him the title, Stricker came through on the second playoff hole and claimed the tournament.

Aside from Woods and Perry six other former Memorial winners will be back at Muirfield this weekend looking to repeat as champion – they include K.J. Choi (2007), Carl Pettersson (2006), Bart Bryant (2005), Ernie Els (2004), Jim Furyk (2002), and Vijay Singh (1997).