Since the COVID-19 pandemic tore the sports world apart, the PGA Tour has been doing everything it can to keep fans entertained. That level of entertainment will be ratcheted up a notch on Thursday as Tiger Woods will make his long-awaited return to the course at the Memorial Tournament at Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio.
Woods will be joined by some familiar faces, and that will give us fans a dream trio to follow for the first two rounds. Joining Woods in the pairing will be fellow PGA superstars Rory McIlroy and Brooks Koepka, creating some must-see TV for viewers on Thursday and Friday.
In fact, this will be the most star-studded PGA event since the reboot from the coronavirus stoppage. The top five golfers in the world will all descend upon Dublin in hopes of getting a shot at the title.
Featured Groups for Memorial Tournament
- Phil Mickelson–Justin Rose–Shane Lowry
- Bryson DeChambeau–Collin Morikawa–Patrick Cantlay
- Justin Thomas–Xander Schauffele–Dustin Johnson
What to Expect from Woods’ Return to Golf
Many experts are expecting Woods to play well this weekend at Muirfield, but they don’t necessarily think he’ll win. According to FanDuel Sportsbook, Woods has +2700 odds to win the Memorial, with +470 odds to finish in the top five and +240 odds of finishing in the top 10.
Sure, he could be an interesting play in DFS formats or finishing in the Top 10, but winning the whole thing is a bit far-fetched. After all, we’re talking about a guy that has only won once since 2014.
Then, there are the back issues that will only get worse with age. Father time is undefeated, and Woods will certainly start to feel that sooner than later.
Having no fans in the crowd will be another thing for Woods to get familiarized with. Most of these golfers had to adjust, but it could very well be a positive for him if everything works out.
Some wonder if this will be the only time we see Woods before the PGA Championship next month.
“I think it’s 50/50,” said ESPN analyst Michael Collins. “If I was Tiger, I’d do exactly what he says he’s doing — listen to his body. If he feels like he’s healthy and can stay that way playing the WGC and then the PGA, he should (and will) do it. But if there’s any risk or he’s not absolutely 100% great after Memorial week, he should shut it down until the PGA Championship.”
Everyone knows that the ratings jump off the page whenever Woods is on the course. The TV networks and sponsors have already been foaming out the mouth waiting for his return back into their lives.
If Woods can stay relevant in this tournament, it’ll be a great sign of things to come moving forward. True savants of the game will always tune in, but the PGA knows that getting him back will mean way more recreational watchers will find their way to the television sets.
