US Women’s Open
Purse: €10.5m/$12m (€2.1/$2.4m to the winner)
Where: Erin, Wisconsin, USA
The course: Erin Hills is one of the newer courses on the USGA championship rota but has established itself in jig-time, with Brooks Koepka winning the men’s US Open in 2017 and, then, in 2022, two Irish internationals Matt McClean and Hugh Foley reached the final of the US Mid-Am Championship where McClean triumphed. The course, which has links characteristics featuring hillocks and fescue grasses, measures 6,835 yards (par 72) and will pose a severe examination in determining the winner.
The field: Nelly Korda, the world number one, heads a field that includes 24 of the leading 25 in the world rankings while Japan’s Yuka Saso is the defending champion. The Japanese players are enjoying a tremendous season on the LPGA Tour, with Mao Saigo winning the first Major of the season at the Chevron Championship. The 156-woman field will be reduced to the leading 60 and ties through 36 holes.
Quote-unquote: “It’s a diabolical green for sure, especially if the wind gets up. It’s going to be a very interesting test. I wonder how many groups are going to be on the tee box? But yeah, that’s the US Open; it’s supposed to test every part of your game. You’re supposed to have holes like that” – Nelly Korda’s take on the par 3 ninth hole, which is expected to wreak havoc.
Irish in the field: Leona Maguire is in a rather familiar position as being the lone Irish player in a major stateside. Maguire, who is aiming to bounce back from back-to-back missed cuts in her last two events, has been grouped with Hyo Joo Kim and Gaby Lopez (off the 10th at 7.14pm Irish time).
Betting: On a course suited to longer hitters, Jeeno Thitikul (8-1) and world number one Nelly Korda (9-1) are the market leaders while Lydia Ko is a 20-1 prospect. However, it might be worth looking at the Japanese twins Chisato Iwai (who secured her breakthrough win in last week’s Mexico Open) and Akie Iwai, both enjoying strong rookie seasons. Chisato is available at 33s and Akie at 50s.
On TV: On Sky Sports Mix from 5pm.
The Memorial
Purse: €17.75 million/$20m (€3.55m/$4m to the winner)
Where: Dublin, Ohio, USA
The course: Muirfield Village Golf Club – 7,569 yards par 72 – is affectionately known as “Jack’s Place,” being owned and designed (in collaboration with Desmond Muirhead) by the tournament host Jack Nicklaus. The venue’s name is inspired by Muirfield in Scotland, where the Golden Bear won the first of three Opens in 1966. The course, which opened in 1974, has undergone renovations in recent years but retains its reputation as being tough and demanding, known for its heavy rough and quick greens.
The field: Another of the new PGA Tour-designated signature tournaments with a $20 million purse, USPGA champion and world number Scottie Scheffler returns to defend his title but Masters champion and world number two Rory McIlroy has opted to skip the tournament and instead wait until next week’s Canadian Open as his final event ahead of next month’s US Open. Rickie Fowler, Matt Kuchar, Brandt Snedeker and Jordan Spieth are playing on sponsors’ invites. The tournament features a 36-hole cut to the top 50 and ties, plus any player within 10 shots of the lead.
Quote-Unquote: “I’m going to step on the first tee, try and hit my shot, step up to the approach shot, try and hit my shot, and then deal with whatever the results are. And if I miss the green, I’m going to try to get up-and-down. It’s always kind of on to the next thing in golf, and I try to hit each shot kind of objectively and kind of go from there” – defending champion Scottie Scheffler on his mindset of staying in the moment.
Irish in the field: Shane Lowry – riding high at ninth in the current FedEx Cup standings and 14th in the official world rankings – is the lone Irish player in the field. Lowry has been paired with last week’s Charles Schwab winner Ben Griffin (off the 1st at 2.45pm Irish time).
Betting: Scottie Scheffler – unsurprisingly given a form-line that has seen him go 1st-1st-4th in his last three appearances – is the market leader at 11-4 to defend his title with world number three Xander Schauffele rated a 16-1 chance alongside Collin Morikawa. Sepp Straka missed the cut at the US PGA but he has two wins on tour this season in the Truist and the American Express (both signature events) which makes him decent value each-way at 40-1.
On TV: Live on Sky Sports (early round coverage from 4.30pm).
