2023 Memorial Tournament standings, scores: Jordan Spieth, Jon Rahm behind Davis Riley after Round 1

It’s only the first round, but Muirfield Village is already solid, fast and fiery as the 2023 Memorial Tournament gets underway on Thursday. Reflecting major championship conditions, Jack’s Place often determines the best players, and this year’s tournament’s first round was no different. Three-time major champion Jordan Spieth used a late birdie to climb the leaderboard before a bogey in the final game left him a few points behind first-round leader Davis Riley by five points below.

“The track was really solid and fast and tough,” Spieth said after the lap. “The fairways bounce more than usual. We often get rain here. So you can talk about the surface of the greens, but I think they are very solid and extremely clean. Maybe these are good surfaces. the best I’ve ever played in a Thursday afternoon game. You really don’t have to fix anything. I was shocked at how great they are.”

It’s been a rough month for the three-time major champion, and his first-round 69 rate could be a sign that he’s going to turn things around. After making it past the Masters and losing the playoffs at RBC Heritage, Spieth then missed a chance at the Wells Fargo Championship, injuring his wrist and missing a chance at Colonial (a popular Spieth hot spot. ). The possibility of a return to form could not have come at a better time when the third major championship of the season is due in a few weeks.

Fellow Open champion Shane Lowry was three points below as well as Rory McIlroy before a bogey in the final sent him to the balance. Jon Rahm is well positioned 2 under to win his second Memorial title in his last four tries. Adam Scott and Sungjae Im are side by side with the reigning Masters champion while Collin Morikawa, Viktor Hovland, Patrick Cantlay, Tyrrell Hatton and Sam Burns are behind with a score of 1 under.

Leader

1. Davis Riley (-5): Playing among the last men on the golf course, Riley ran to the finish line with four birdies in his final seven holes. Scoring six goals for the day with just one bogey on a tough 18th, the Zurich Classic winner beat the afternoon average with eight full hits. He will have a chance to widen his distance when he gets an early morning break when the golf course is more humid and windy. What does Friday morning could have a lasting impact on the outcome of this tournament.

other candidates

2. Matt Wallace (-4)
T3. Jordan Spieth, Davis Riley, Mark Hubbard, Adam Hadwin, Shane Lowry, Austin Eckroat, David Lipsky (-3)
T10. Jon Rahm, Patrick Rodgers, Justin Suh, Wyndham Clark, Seamus Power, Adam Scott, Sungjae Im (-2)
T17. Collin Morikawa, Viktor Hovland, Sam Burns, Patrick Cantlay, Tyrrell Hatton and nine others (-1)

Aside from a few hiccups around his turn, Rahm’s first round is a master class on how to play Muirfield Village. The world No. 2 has won two more strokes on tee and two more on approach. Ranked fourth in terms of shots to green, the Spaniard was able to score four birdies, three of which were four seconds across. If the batter heats up and par-5 scoring returns to normal, Rahm could have his fifth win of the season.

“I’m happy with it,” Rahm said. “Too bad I wasn’t able to take advantage of the easier conditions up front nine. No wind, great temperatures, perfect turf. I gave myself a chance and couldn’t convert a few of them. If I had to say anything to make it better today, I think with a few tee shots that I hit, give yourself a better birdie on a couple of par-5s. That being said, I think it’s a really good round of golf if a pair of putts are made that can be a really good shot.”

Rory used to be roll in the right direction

Entering the tournament with only 10 rounds played in the past two months, the Northern Irishman relies on a two-pronged approach of explosive shots and well-timed placement. It had all the hallmarks of a 69, but a final treble sent McIlroy off the red number and five strokes behind.

Despite the early signs of quality, McIlroy still has much to be proud of and plenty of room for improvement. There were loose wedge turns, untimely approaches and blunders. The world number 3 proved at the PGA Championship that he can compete with his game C, but McIlroy will need something closer to his game A if he wants to take down the Monument and overcame a bunch of big names in the process.

Scottie Scheffler’s dangerous streak

Scheffler arrives at the Memorial with all the momentum in the world having finished in the top 12 of 14 consecutive PGA Tour events since October 2022. That momentum may have been halted as the world No. continued to lose steam on the pitch and posted his highest opening lap (74) since October 2021.

Even without his baton, the Texan was able to consistently find a spot on the first page of the leaderboard, but that simply didn’t happen on Thursday. Scheffler lost more than three strokes with a putter in hand after needing to replace his flat club on Wednesday. The new wand doesn’t help, and he’ll need to be a friend if he wants to beat the record held by Tiger Woods.

Update the odds, picks of the 2023 Memorial Tournament

Odds via Caesars Sportsbook

• Jon Rahm: 41/10
• Patrick Cantlay: 4/27
• Jordan Spieth: 11-1
• Viktor Hovland: 14-1
• Rory McIlroy: 16-1
• Shane Lowry: 16-1
• Sungjae Im: 18-1
• Tyrrell Hatton: 18-1
• Scottie Scheffler: 18-1
• Collin Morikawa: 18-1
• Davis Riley: 22-1

Try hitting a golfer who has won on this course before: Morikawa 18-1. The two-time major champion has won more than four strokes on approach in Round 1, which puts him in the top 10 for tees to green. He’s just one point behind favorite bet Rahm and his laser-iron play will continue to create birdie scoring opportunities.

While his putting stats on paper are poor, Morikawa feels as comfortable as ever with his putter in hand — the shot looks solid. With his caddy JJ Jakovac reading the green, Morikawa should start seizing the advantages instead of just burning them as he did on Thursday.

Rick Gehman with Patrick McDonald through the opening round of the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday. Scorecards, storylines and betting favorites from Muirfield Village. Follow and listen to The First Cut on Apple Podcasts And Spotify.