The leaderboard is littered with big names through two days at Muirfield Village in Dublin, Ohio.
Justin Suh, who made a run at the Honda Classic earlier this season, leads at 8 under after 36 holes. He played solidly on Thursday, signing for a 2-under 70. But Friday was a different story.
Suh used birdies on Nos. 3, 5, 8, 11, 14 and 15 to get to 6 under on his day before giving one back at No. 16. However, he stuffed his 174-yard approach into 18 to nine feet and converted the birdie to finish off his 6-under effort.
On his heels at 7 under is Hideki Matsuyama, who rode a hot putter all day Friday to a 7-under 65. Matsuyama won at Muirfield in 2014 and is in prime position to add another Memorial Tournament trophy to his collection.
Patrick Cantlay, Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm and Rickie Fowler are all inside the top 10.
If you missed any of the action on Friday, no worries, we have you covered. Here’s everything you need to know from the second round of the Memorial Tournament.
Memorial: Photos
Rory McIlroy bounces back from disastrous triple late Thursday
Rory McIlroy was 3 under through 17 holes on Thursday afternoon, and then he teed off 18. His drive found the right rough outside of a fairway bunker, meaning he had to hit his second with a baseball swing. It just got out of the bunker, leaving a tough lie for his third. McIlroy caught a jumper and flew the 18th green. After a failed flop shot and a chunked chip, he missed an eight-footer for double and walked off the course with an even-par round.
Teeing off No. 10 Friday morning, McIlroy pummeled a drive, hit a beautiful wedge inside six feet and started his day with a birdie.
He’d add five more circles to his card before his day was done — and two bogeys — for a second-round 4-under 68. A nice way to bounce back from a disastrous end to his opening 18.
After a week at Oak Hill where he was uncomfortable over every shot, McIlroy put in a lot of work back home to get the swing dialed in — and it’s paid dividends so far in Dublin.
“It’s just a matter of working little by little, sort of trying to do it every day that the feels become more and more comfortable so that over time it just sort of beds in itself,” he said Friday in regard to tuning up his swing.
Per stats guru Justin Ray, McIlroy gained strokes with the putter in the first two rounds at the Memorial, the first time he’s done so since the CJ Cup in the fall. He’d go on to win that week.
Xander Schauffele shows heart to extend made-cut streak
Schauffele struggled on Thursday, shooting an opening 5-over 77 that included a quadruple bogey on the par-3 12th after hitting two shots in the water.
With the cut hovering around 2 over, Schauffele needed a solid round on Friday to make the weekend — and that’s exactly what he produced.
After a bogey on his first hole of the day — No. 10 — Schauffele birdied Nos. 15, 17, 2, 3, 6, 7 and 9 for a Day 2 6-under 66. He’s now 1 under for the tournament, comfortably on the right side of the cut line and has extended his made-cut streak. His last missed weekend? The 2022 Masters.
In fact, Schauffele hasn’t finished outside the top 20 since the Arnold Palmer Invitational in March (T-39).
Patrick Cantlay in position for third Memorial title
Patrick Cantlay has had the honor of shaking Jack’s hand twice off the 18th green. The 31-year-old claimed the 2019 Memorial for his second win on Tour, then won again in 2021 — in part to Rahm’s COVID diagnosis after 54 holes.
His last solo win on Tour — he won the 2022 Zurich Classic alongside Schauffele — was at the 2022 BMW Championship where he bested Bryson DeChambeau in a marathon playoff.
Cantlay’s been playing well all season, but especially of late. After tying for 14th at the Masters, he’s finished third, T-4, T-21 (PGA Championship) and T-9 in his last four starts.
So, it’s no surprise to see him two back of the lead after 36 holes at the Memorial. Cantlay shot a pedestrian 1-under 71 on Thursday, but turned up his game on Friday, firing a 5-under 67.
If he were to win Sunday, he’d become the third player to win three Memorials. Kenny Perry won in ’91, ’03 and ’08, while Tiger Woods — an absolute shocker to see him on this list — won at Muirfield in ’99, ’00, ’01, ’09 and ’12.
Shot of the day
Rickie Fowler made this eagle chip at the par-5 15th to move to 4 under for the tournament and three shots off the lead.
Here comes @RickieFowler 🔥
After a chip-in eagle, he is just three shots off the lead @MemorialGolf. pic.twitter.com/eJdcbD1YB4
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) June 2, 2023
Fowler is seeking his first win since the 2019 WM Phoenix Open and is no stranger to playing well at Muirfield Village. He’s finished runner-up here twice, in 2017 and 2010. More recently, he finished 11th in 2021.
Saturday's forecast
According to Windy.com, there’s a slight chance of rain in the afternoon. The temperature is expected to reach 88 degrees with winds up to 10 mph with gusts up to 20 mph possible.
