The 2025 Memorial Tournament at Muirfield Village in Dublin, Ohio, is set for a thrilling final round as Scottie Scheffler holds a narrow one-shot lead after 54 holes. Starting Sunday at eight under par, Scheffler will face off against Ben Griffin, who trails just behind and is eager to claim his biggest victory yet at Jack Nicklaus’ prestigious event.
Scheffler, the defending champion and current world No. 1, has been in remarkable form, having won the PGA Championship just weeks ago. His four-under 68 on Saturday solidified his position atop the leaderboard, setting the stage for a high-stakes showdown with Griffin, who recently captured the Charles Schwab Challenge, marking his second win of the year.
The final pairing will tee off at 2:05 p.m. ET, with both players riding impressive momentum. Griffin expressed confidence ahead of the decisive round, stating, “I’ve just got to stay aggressive, continue to execute. My game feels really good. Obviously, Scottie Scheffler’s the best player in the world, but No. 1 can be beat. … I want to stack up my game against his. I feel like right now, you know, I beat him last week. Obviously, he’s coming off a major win. But I feel like he obviously can be beaten, and I’ve just got to keep the pedal down and make a lot of birdies because I know he’s going to as well.”
The rivalry between Scheffler and Griffin runs deep, with both having played junior golf together. Scheffler noted, “I’ve known him for a long time. He always had a lot of talent. He had a very interesting swing growing up, and he’s made some pretty significant changes to his swing over the years and has been one of those guys that always have a lot of talent, and he’s done a really good job of continuing to improve, and the results are speaking for themselves at this point.”
Beyond the head-to-head competition, the Memorial Tournament carries significant prestige and a lucrative prize purse. The total purse stands at a staggering $20 million, with the winner set to receive $4 million and the runner-up $2.2 million. The payout structure rewards top finishers generously, reflecting the tournament’s status as one of the PGA Tour’s premier events.
As the PGA Tour wraps up its time at Muirfield Village, the Memorial Tournament also marks the beginning of golf’s summer schedule, strategically positioned two weeks before the U.S. Open. This scheduling move, designed to reduce conflicts and allow players a better tune-up before the third major of the year, has attracted most of the tour’s top talent, although Rory McIlroy opted out to prepare at the RBC Canadian Open next week.
Scheffler entered the Memorial as the heavy favorite according to BetMGM odds, with notable competitors such as Collin Morikawa, Justin Thomas, Patrick Cantlay, and Xander Schauffele trailing behind. As the final round kicks off Sunday morning at 9:30 a.m. ET, fans can follow the action live on PGA Tour Live, Golf Channel, CBS, and streaming platforms including Paramount+ and CBSSports.com.
The leaderboard remains tightly contested, with Ben Griffin and Nick Taylor just behind Scheffler, and players like Keegan Bradley and Jordan Spieth within striking distance, all within five shots of the lead. With so much talent in the field, the final 18 holes promise to deliver drama and excitement.
Adding to the event’s significance is its deep connection to golf history and philanthropy. The Memorial Tournament was founded by golf legend Jack Nicklaus in 1976 to honor individuals who have made significant contributions to the sport. Now 85 years old, Nicklaus continues to serve as the tournament’s host, lending his iconic presence and vision to the event.
One of the tournament’s most heartfelt traditions is the “Play Yellow” campaign, a charitable initiative led by Nicklaus and his wife Barbara in partnership with the PGA Tour and Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. The campaign encourages golfers and fans to wear yellow in support of children’s health initiatives and has raised more than $130 million since 2019.
The inspiration for “Play Yellow” traces back to a touching story involving a young boy named Craig Smith, who battled bone cancer in 1971 and sadly passed away at age 13. Craig idolized Nicklaus and believed that wearing yellow brought good luck. Nicklaus honored Craig by wearing yellow during tournaments, most famously during his 1986 Masters victory. Reflecting on this, Nicklaus shared, “His mother asked Barbara if I would call him. So I called him and talked to him and developed a relationship. And I talked to him quite frequently. One day I called him after a tournament I had won and Craig said to me, he says, ‘Jack, do you know why you won today?’ And I says, ‘Why is that, Craig?’ He says, ‘I wore my lucky yellow shirt.’ So that’s where it started. I won that tournament, we didn't really say much about it. He passed away at the age of 13, 1971.”
“I wore yellow quite often then on Sunday for him, and I was rummaging through my suitcase [before The Masters] in 1986 and I found this yellow shirt. And I said, ‘What do you think, Barbara?’ And she says, ‘Craig would love it. Go for it.’ So I wore a yellow shirt on Sunday in ’86, and then I won and ended up having to tell the story.”
As the Memorial Tournament moves toward its conclusion, the blend of fierce competition, rich tradition, and charitable spirit makes this event a highlight on the golf calendar. Whether Scheffler can defend his title against the surging Griffin remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: the final round at Muirfield Village will be a must-watch for golf fans everywhere.
