Sports

Memorial Picks, Props, Predictions: Betting Xander Schauffele, Cameron Young, and Tommy Fleetwood

By Brian Giuffra Sports Illustrated

Updated June 3, 2026 2:10 AM

The SI Golf betting panel had a double win last week, with The Model Maniac Byron Lindeque and yours truly, Minute Media VP of Betting Content Brian Giuffra, both cashing our +2000 tickets on Russell Henley to win the Charles Schwab. That's my fourth outright of the season and the first for Byron, who has also hit a few FRLs and a big longshot prop.

Let's cash another win at Jack's Place!

The SI Golf betting panel features Byron, me, SI Betting insider Iain MacMillan, Inside Sports Network Tap in Birdie podcast host Brian Kirschner, Betting analyst Brad Thomas, and FanSided content director Cody Williams . Each Wednesday, we post our betting picks for outright and longshot winners, first-round leader, our favorite prop bet and a final score prediction.

This week we get Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy in the same field for the Memorial Tournament at Muirfield Village. Jack Nicklaus is the tournament host. He designed the course. They are the betting favorites with +350 and +1200 odds, respectively. This is a signature event, so all of the other big names on the PGA Tour are in the field as well.

Muirfield is a long course with thick rough. It favors big hitters who are elite tee-to-green. You could say that about most courses, but elite ball strikers tend to win here. Scheffler has won two straight. Other recent winners include Viktor Hovland, Patrick Cantlay, and Jon Rahm. Again, elite ball strikers.

Let's get into our betting picks with a full write up below the graphic.

Outright

Iain MacMillan: Patrick Cantlay +3000 (FanDuel)

If Patrick Cantlay is ever going to get back in the winner's circle, Jack's place seems like it's the spot it's going to happen. He has two wins at Muirfield Village and four top-five finishes over the years. He's also played some solid golf lately, ranking sixth in the field in strokes-gained tee to green over the past three months. I may regret this, but I'll take a shot at Cantlay at 30-1.

Brian Kirschner: Justin Thomas +4000 (FanDuel)

Although he did not win, I really liked what I saw out of JT last week. He had one of his best driving performances of the past couple of years in Texas, and I think he can build on that this week at Jack's place. JT seems fully recovered from the injury that kept him on the sidelines earlier this year and had an amazing PGA Championship. Seems like JT is due for a win in 2026.

Brad Thomas: Xander Schauffele +1800 (DraftKings)

Backing Xander Schauffele this season feels strange because, despite the great finishes he's had, he's struggled to put it all together. It feels like when he's gaining a ton on approach, he's losing with his putter, and vice versa. At a place where golfers need to ball tee-to-green, I trust X to put together a few blazing rounds that should put him in contention. He's going to win soon, and I want to be early on him when he does.

Byron Lindeque: Ben Griffin +3200 winner w/o Scheffler (DraftKings)

Benjamin Griffin would have had FIVE wins last year if Scottie Scheffler had not scorched the earth everywhere he walked. Griffin finished solo 2nd to Scheffler at the ProCore and 2nd to Scottie at last year's Memorial. So check that course history box as well as the ability to win golf tournaments. When Ben G was doing his best work last year, he was exceptional with the long irons and paired that with a driver that had him overdosing on Creatine later in the year. Griffin has now rattled off a pair of thirds and a 14th at the PGA Championship in his last four starts. He can finish 2nd to Scheffler this time around at 32-1.

Cody Williams: Cameron Young +1600 (BetMGM)

Brian Giuffra: Tommy Fleetwood +2800 (DraftKings)

The two courses Fitzjunior has thrived on this year were two monstrous venues at Doral and Quail Hollow, snagging his first two PGA Tour top 10s (individually). He did yb peppering fairways (#7 in driving accuracy) and assaulting flagsticks from 200+ (#7 in strokes gained from 200+). If Alex keeps cooking the way he has, another Top 20 is within reach for the blossoming Brit!

Longshot

Iain MacMillan: Nick Taylor +10500 (DraftKings)

Nick Taylor made a run at this tournament last year, finishing in solo fourth place. He's now rounding into form this season and seems poised to make another run at Muirfield Village this year. He's coming into this week in great form, finishing T9, T14, and T26 in his last three starts. His strong short game will keep him in play at a tough course this week.

Brian Kirschner: Keegan Bradley +8000 (DraftKings)

Keegan has been open about his struggles since the loss at Bethpage, but I think he is turning a corner. He has gained on approach in five out of his last six starts, with his only MC at the PGA. Keegan posted a T7 at this event last year and has played the event since 2011, so I'm sure he is comfortable here. I like Keegan to get in the mix again.

Brad Thomas: Alex Smalley +6000 (DraftKings)

Alex Smalley may just be a guy who can't get over the hump. He's consistently a guy who hangs around on Sundays but can't get it done. I have no problem going back to a guy in the 60s who is consistently in the mix. Checking in on what he's done these past few weeks: T7, T17, T2, and T3. The win is coming soon.

Byron Lindeque: Sepp Straka +5100 winner w/o Scheffler (DraftKings)

Sepp Straka has a 3rd, 5th and 16th in his last three strolls around Jack's Place. It comes as no surprise, since the course demands control of your golf ball off the tee and exceptional long iron play, roughly 7 shots a round from 200+, from which Straka remains exSepptional, ranking #1 alongside Rory in strokes gained. Considering that he has great history at this event and has been replicating the skills needed to dominate this place on a ball striking front, the burly Austrian should have a fantastic opportunity to notch his second Signature event win.

Cody Williams: Kristoffer Reitan +10000 (Bet365)

Brian Giuffra: Sam Burns +5500 (FanDuel)

After absolutely choking away the Canadian Open last year (I bet on him and noted him in this panel), I swore off betting on Sam Burns. But like a burning rash that keeps coming back, here we are again. Burns hasn't won since 2023, and that was the match play event. He hasn't won a stroke play event since 2022. That's crazy. Simply too talented to continue. He was T12 here last year, T15 the year before, and T16 in 2023. Clearly, he likes the course. His putting remains elite, but he'll need a strong week on approach to win. He's shown spike potential there this year.

First-Round Leader

Iain MacMillan: Kurt Kitayama +5000 (FanDuel)

Kurt Kitayama has quietly been playing some elite golf lately, finishing T8, T9, T19, and T10 in his last four starts, all of which were signature events or a major. What's even more important than that is he's brought his best stuff in the opening round of tournaments, ranking sixth in the field in strokes-gained tee to green in Round 1s in the past six months.

Brian Kirschner: Shane Lowry +5000 (FanDuel)

It feels like Shane has been irrelevant in the golf world since he had an all-time collapse at the Cognizant Classic, but I can see him coming out of the gates hot this week. He is one of the straightest drivers of the ball on Tour and can always be lethal with the irons. His price for this caliber of player is too high this week, in my opinion.

Brad Thomas: Si Woo Kim +3100 (DraftKings)

I'm not sure if this is a Si Woo Kim course, but he's been a first-round guy all season. He's ninth in first-round Strokes Gained. I think his playing exclusively from the fairway and being in really good form gives us value on his number.

Byron Lindeque: Pierceson Coody +15000 (Caesars)

Coody gets the honor of going off first at 7:45 AM alongside two-time PGA Tour winner Brian Campbell, allowing him to play freely and continue to drive the ball exceptionally well, while remaining on Bentgrass greens, which he has putted really well on lately (it's also his best putting surface long term). Going off first allows you to get into a round-leading rhythm with nobody ahead holding you up. If you have R1 top 10s available, I would also dabble in that market with Coody, given his triple-digit odds.

Cody Williams: Rory McIlroy +1900 (FanDuel)

Brian Giuffra: Jordan Spieth +4100 (DraftKings)

Spieth is fifth on Tour in first-round scoring average (67.8) and has a history of success at Memorial. He was T7 here last year, T5 in 2023, and has two other Top 10s in his career. Still, no win. I was considering using him as my longshot, but the odds weren't quite long enough (+4500). I do like him to start fast and keep it rolling as he finally notches his first Top 10 of the season (that's called foreshadowing).

Prop Bet

Iain MacMillan: Hideki Matsuyama Top 20 +118 (DraftKings)

Hideki Matsuyama has fallen off the odds boards in recent weeks, and I've been waiting for a good time to buy Matsuyama stock. Now I think this is the best chance to do it. He returned to some level of form last week, finishing T13 at the Charles Schwab Challenge while gaining +1.42 strokes on the field with his approach play. He's had success at Muirfield Village in the past, winning here in 2014 and posting top-10 finishes in 2015, 2019, and 2024.

Brian Kirschner: Ludvig Aberg +160 Top 10 (DraftKings)

It is truly incredible how well Ludvig has been playing this year. Extremely consistent golf, but he has failed to get over the finish line. I don't know if I trust his outright odds at the moment, but a top 10 feels like a safe pick at these odds. The Swede has been inside the top 10 six out of his last eight starts.

Brad Thomas: Cameron Young Top 10 +175 (FanDuel)

On a hard and long course that requires you to play out of the fairway, yeah, that sounds just like a Cameron Young course. He's a mix of elite driving ability and strong iron play. He also doesn't make a lot of bogeys. I like him to win, but a top 10 at this price is very playable.

Byron Lindeque: Alex Fitzpatrick Top 20 incl. ties +275 (BetMGM)

The two courses Fitzjunior has thrived on this year were two monstrous venues at Doral and Quail Hollow, snagging his first two PGA Tour top 10s (individually). He did so peppering fairways (#7 in driving accuracy) and assaulting flagsticks from 200+ (#7 in strokes gained from 200+). If Alex keeps cooking the way he has, another Top 20 is within reach for the blossoming Brit!

Cody Williams: Alex Fitzpatrick Top 30 incl. ties +170 (BetMGM)

Brian Giuffra: Jordan Spieth Top 10 incl. ties +305 (DraftKings)

As mentioned, Spieth doesn't have a Top 10 this year. He does have to T11s and two T12s. So four strokes and he would have four Top 10s. No better place to break the streak than here. I mentioned his Top 10s at the Memorial, but he also has five other Top 20s here. He's elite tee-to-green and remains a must-see around the greens. Let's see if the putter cooperates.

Winning Score

Iain MacMillan: -11
Brian Kirschner: -10
Brad Thomas: -12
Byron Lindeque: -14
Cody Williams: -10
Brian Giuffra: -13

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.

This article was originally published on www.si.com as Memorial Picks, Props, Predictions: Betting Xander Schauffele, Cameron Young, and Tommy Fleetwood .

This story was originally published June 3, 2026 at 2:00 AM.