Golf
Memorial Tournament 2026 Predictions: Two Picks to Beat Favourite Scheffler
Xander Schauffele and Russell Henley both look like smart ways to take on the favourite at this year’s Memorial Tournament, according to William Hill News.
Muirfield Village demands elite approach play, control off the tee and the patience to grind when scoring hovers close to par rather than turning into a birdie‑fest, and these two fit that profile perfectly.
Xander Schauffele – 18/1
Xander Schauffele arrives at Muirfield Village in the kind of form that routinely puts him on shortlists for big events.
His tee‑to‑green game has been among the best on the PGA Tour this season, and he brings the added confidence of a recent major breakthrough.
Across recent starts here, he has averaged just over 71 around Muirfield, placing him right alongside the very best in the field for course scoring.
From a numbers point of view, he ranks near the top in strokes gained on approach and performs strongly on the long par‑4s and par‑3s that define this layout.
That kind of all‑round consistency is exactly what this event tends to reward – previous champions have overwhelmingly been players who were already winning or contending regularly in big fields.
With the market’s attention understandably drawn towards Scottie Scheffler (16/5), Schauffele’s price in the mid‑teens offers a more backable way to side with a proven elite who has both the ceiling and the floor to stay in the hunt all week.
Pick: Xander Schauffele as the main outright selection – a world‑class ball‑striker with major form and top‑tier Muirfield stats at a much bigger price than the favourite.
Russell Henley – 20/1
Russell Henley brings a different but equally appealing profile. He arrives having just lifted a PGA Tour trophy, so confidence and sharpness are both high, and his recent numbers reflect that surge: he has been gaining heavily on approach and with the putter, particularly on weeks where conditions are demanding.
That blends neatly with his record at Muirfield Village, where only a handful of players – notably Scottie Scheffler and Patrick Cantlay – have averaged a better score here over the past few seasons.
A fifth‑place finish last year underlined how well his game travels to this course.
Henley’s lack of outright power is offset by accuracy off the tee, strong mid‑iron play and one of the more reliable putters on the greens.
In markets where he sits around the 20/1 mark, he offers genuine each‑way and finishing‑position value: his combination of current form and course comfort suggests a high likelihood of contending again, even if the very top of the board proves tough to shift.
Pick: Russell Henley as the primary value play – a recent winner with one of the best Muirfield scoring records in the field, ideal for each‑way, top‑10 and top‑20 bets.
On a week where Muirfield Village is again expected to reward total ball‑strikers who can handle a grind, this two‑man approach gives solid coverage at attractive prices without needing to chase the shortest name on the board.
