the Memorial Tournament

Mike Weir chats with his caddie Brennan Little on the 12th hole during the second round of PGA Tour Championship at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta, Georgia.

I'd like to start off my caddy report this week by congratulating the newly crowned Memorial Cup champions, the London Knights!  Growing up in the St. Thomas area, it was great to be home last week and catch some hockey games, as well as spend some quality time with my family.

I managed to get six of the Cup games in and had a great time.  The city of London and the organizers of the Memorial tournament ran a first class event.  I think this years London team has to be one of the best Junior A hockey teams in the history of the CHL, and their championship title was a great way to cap off a terrific season for the Knights

Now it is time to get back to business, and Mike is playing the next three weeks in a row.  This week happens to be one of my favorite events all year, The Memorial Tournament in Dublin, Ohio hosted by Jack Nicklaus.  Muirfield Golf Course is one of the best-conditioned golf courses in the world.  It is hard to find a blade of grass out of place on the entire property, and the greens are maybe the best we play all year. 

There have only been a few changes to the course since we played here last in 2003.  The 10th tee has been moved back some 40 yards, which now makes the hole 470 yards in length making it a long, uphill par 4.

The most significant change at Muirfield is the removal of about 1000 trees from all over the course.  Most of the trees don't affect the way the course plays, but they do affect the way the course looks and the amount of sun the course gets.  It looks much more open now and should allow the wind to be more of a factor. I am not sure if the trees were removed due to the fungus that has affected a lot of trees up North this year or it was just to open the course up and allow it to receive more sun.  Whatever the reason the change has really benefited the condition of the course.

The rough this week is very average by tour standards and will cause a little bit of havoc if trying to caught in it.  It won’t be impossible though to hit out of it and to advance the ball to the green.   

Driving the ball will be the most important aspect of the week, because of the length of the course at 7265 yards.  There is also rain predicted for later in the week, which will make the course even longer.  This week players will need to get the ball on the proper sides of the green as the greens  are playing very fast and will speed up as the week goes on. 

Mike played 18 holes on Tuesday in the Pro-Am, and 9 holes on Wednesday in the practice round and is striking the ball really well this week, in fact it is the best I have seen him hit it in a while.

All in all, The Memorial Tournament at Muirfield Village Golf Club is just one great golf course that is demanding from start to finish.  I think the perfect way to cap off this week would be with a win here in Ohio…that way I could witness two Memorial wins in 8 days!  

Thanks for reading,