The latest of the PGA Tour’s Signature Events, the Memorial Tournament at Muirfield Village, will feature some huge names, including defending champion Scottie Scheffler and eight more of the world’s top 10.
However, one world-class player who won’t be competing is the 2023 champion, Viktor Hovland.
The 72-player field for the event has been released, but the Norwegian’s name is not among them, while the event’s official X account has confirmed that he has withdrawn.
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Three years ago, Hovland beat Denny McCarthy in a playoff to seal the title, while he finished T15 a year later and T25 12 months ago.
No reason has been given for Hovland’s absence, but despite being eligible, he will miss the first edition of the event since he turned pro in 2019.
Hovland, who has played in the previous six Signature Events this season, missed the cut in his most recent start, at the PGA Championship.
Viktor Hovland won the event in 2023
(Image credit: Getty Images)
While there is no Hovland in the field, the event, which is one of the most beloved in the PGA Tour schedule, has no shortage of world-class talent.
The standout name is Scheffler, who will be hoping to make it three consecutive Memorial Tournament titles.
In the tournament’s 50-year history, only one player, Tiger Woods, has achieved that, when he won the title three times between 1999 and 2001.
Rory McIlroy is another huge name in the field, who makes his first start since placing T7 at the PGA Championship, while Cameron Young will be looking for his third win of the season, along with another two-time PGA Tour winner in 2026, Chris Gotterup.
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World No.1 Scottie Scheffler is the defending champion
(Image credit: Getty Images)
One player who has already achieved three titles this year is Matt Fitzpatrick, and he will also play.
Justin Rose, Tommy Fleetwood, Xander Schauffele and JJ Spaun complete the players in the world’s top 10 in the field.
Aside from Scheffler, other former champions in the field include 2022 winner Billy Horschel and Patrick Cantlay, who received handshakes from Nicklaus in 2019 and 2021.
The Memorial Tournament is the last of three player-hosted Signature Events.
Like the Tiger Woods-hosted Genesis Invitational and the Arnold Palmer Invitational, the Memorial Tournament is a little different from the other five Signature Events as it has a cut, while the winner will earn $4m rather than $3.6m.