If you are looking for the memorial tournament leaderboard today, you might notice something weird. The greens at Muirfield Village are quiet. No thunderous drives from Scottie Scheffler. No roars from the crowd at the 18th.
That’s because it is mid-January.
The Memorial Tournament doesn't actually kick off until June 1, 2026. Right now, the PGA Tour is out in the tropical heat of Honolulu for the Sony Open. But if you’re a golf fanatic, you know the "Memorial" never really stops being a topic of conversation. This year especially. We are coming up on the 50th anniversary of Jack Nicklaus’s crown jewel, and the buzz is already different.
The State of the Memorial Tournament Leaderboard Today
Honestly, looking for a live leaderboard in January is a bit like looking for a snow shovel in July. You won't find active scores for Muirfield Village right now. However, the shadow of the 2025 results still looms large over the current season's rankings.
Last time we were at "Jack’s Place," Scottie Scheffler did what Scottie Scheffler does. He won. Again.
He joined Tiger Woods as the only back-to-back winner in the tournament's history. That -10 finish was a masterclass in staying patient while everyone else was losing their minds on those lightning-fast greens. Ben Griffin nearly pulled off the upset of the century, finishing solo second at -6.
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Why the 2026 Memorial Tournament is Different
This June is the 50th anniversary. That's a massive milestone for a tournament that started as Jack Nicklaus's dream to bring a "Masters-like" experience to Ohio.
The PGA Tour has designated this as a Signature Event once again. What does that mean for the leaderboard?
- Smaller Field: Only about 70 to 80 players.
- Massive Purse: We're talking $20 million total, with $4 million going to the winner.
- No Cut (Usually): Most Signature Events have ditched the cut, though the Memorial has fought to keep its tradition of a 36-hole trim.
Muirfield Village is currently undergoing its usual winter "nap," but course superintendent Chad Mark and his team are likely already prepping the turf for the June 1-7 stretch.
Who is Expected to Dominate the 2026 Leaderboard?
Predicting the memorial tournament leaderboard today requires looking at who handles "The House That Jack Built" the best. It’s not just about distance. It is about precision.
Scottie Scheffler is obviously the betting favorite. His ball-striking is statistically the best we have seen since the peak Tiger era. If he wins in 2026, he becomes the first person ever to "three-peat" at the Memorial.
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Viktor Hovland is another name that always pops up. He won here in 2023 and seems to thrive when the conditions get difficult. Muirfield Village is notorious for penalizing "good but not great" shots. You have to be perfect.
Then there is Ludvig Åberg. The young Swede is the talk of the tour right now. He finished T16 last year in his debut, and many experts think his game is tailor-made for the long, demanding par-fours in Dublin, Ohio.
Tracking the Field: How Players Get In
The field for the 2026 Memorial isn't fully set yet, but we know the path. Since it is a Signature Event, the top players from the previous year’s FedEx Cup standings are locked in.
- The Top 50 from the 2025 FedEx Cup points list.
- The "Next 10" — players who are performing well in the current 2026 season.
- The "Swing 5" — top performers from recent standard tour events.
- Past winners of the Memorial (who are still active).
- Jack Nicklaus’s personal sponsor exemptions.
If you are tracking the memorial tournament leaderboard today through the lens of world rankings, keep an eye on guys like Nick Taylor and Sahith Theegala. They have been grinding in the early 2026 events like the Sony Open to ensure their spot in the high-stakes June showdown.
The Muirfield Village Factor
You can't talk about this leaderboard without talking about the course. Jack Nicklaus redesigned almost every hole a few years back. The greens were completely rebuilt with a new sub-air system.
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It's basically a lab for professional golf.
The 12th hole, a par-3 over water, is the "Golden Bell" of the Midwest. It ruins scorecards. One gust of wind and your ball is wet, and you've gone from the top of the leaderboard to the middle of the pack in five minutes.
Practical Steps for Fans and Bettors
Since the actual tournament is a few months away, here is how you should handle the "Memorial" hype right now:
- Watch the Signature Events: The results of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am (February) and the Genesis Invitational (February) are the best predictors for who will thrive at Muirfield. The same elite players will be there.
- Check the Ticket Status: Officials announced that 50th-anniversary tickets went on sale late last year. If you're looking to attend, the "Any One Day" practice round tickets are usually the first to vanish.
- Monitor the OWGR: The Official World Golf Ranking is what determines the final few spots in the field. Players on the bubble will be fighting hard through March and April.
While the memorial tournament leaderboard today might be empty, the race to get on it is very much alive. Scottie Scheffler is the king of the hill until someone knocks him off this June.