If you’ve watched a lick of golf over the last couple of years, you knew it was coming. It’s almost a routine now. Scottie Scheffler, with that distinct foot-shuffling follow-through, standing next to Jack Nicklaus at Muirfield Village. Honestly, it’s getting to the point where the PGA Memorial 2025 leaderboard feels like a foregone conclusion the second he steps on the property.
Scheffler didn't just win; he defended. He joined Tiger Woods as the only other player to win back-to-back at "Jack’s Place."
Muirfield Village was a beast this year. The greens were baked out, the rough was thick enough to lose a small dog in, and the wind kept switching just to be spiteful. Yet, there’s Scottie, sitting at 10-under par when most of the field was just trying to keep their scorecards from exploding. It was a four-shot victory over Ben Griffin, but if you watched the Sunday broadcast, it felt wider than that.
The Names That Chased (and Faltered) on the PGA Memorial 2025 Leaderboard
Ben Griffin was the story for a while. The guy shot a 65 on Thursday and basically hung around like a bad cold. He even made a massive eagle on the 15th on Sunday to give us a little drama. But that’s the thing about playing against the World No. 1—you have to be perfect. Griffin wasn't. He made a mess of the 17th with a double bogey, and just like that, the air went out of the balloon.
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He still walked away with $2.2 million, so don't feel too bad for him.
The Top Finishers at Muirfield Village
- Scottie Scheffler (-10): The man is a machine. He shot 70-70-68-70. He was the only guy in the entire field to break par all four days. Think about that for a second.
- Ben Griffin (-6): A gutsy performance. He won the Colonial a week prior, and he proved that wasn't a fluke.
- Sepp Straka (-5): Solo third. Straka is quietly becoming one of the most consistent ball-strikers on tour. He fired a 66 on Saturday that was probably the round of the tournament.
- Nick Taylor (-4): The Canadian finished solo fourth. He’s always a threat in these "Signature Events."
The leaderboard was crowded with big names who just couldn't find the extra gear. Russell Henley and Maverick McNealy tied for fifth at 2-under. Then you had a logjam at 1-under par involving Jordan Spieth, Rickie Fowler, and Keegan Bradley.
Why Muirfield Village Was Such a Grind
Jack Nicklaus doesn't make it easy. The course was playing at 7,569 yards, and it felt every bit of it. By Sunday, the fairways were so firm the ball was rolling forever, but if you missed by a foot, you were hacking out of four-inch Kentucky bluegrass.
Scheffler’s stats were absurd. He led the field in Greens in Regulation (GIR) and Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green. He actually had a "bad" putting week by his recent standards and still won by four. He only made one bogey in his final 40 holes. That is some "Golden Bear" level efficiency right there.
"He reminds me so much of the way I like to play," Nicklaus said during the trophy ceremony. Coming from the guy who won 18 majors, that’s basically a knighthood.
Money and Points: What Was on the Line?
This was a Signature Event. That means a $20 million purse.
Scottie took home $4 million and 700 FedEx Cup points. The points are almost irrelevant for him because he's so far ahead in the standings, but the money is real. Since February 2022, Scheffler has won 16 times. That’s a Tiger-esque run that we haven’t seen in twenty years.
The Rickie Fowler Situation
One of the cooler subplots on the PGA Memorial 2025 leaderboard involved Rickie Fowler. He hasn't had the best season, but he grinded out a T7 finish. Why does that matter? It earned him a spot in the British Open at Royal Portrush.
He tied with Brandt Snedeker at 1-under, but because Rickie is higher in the World Ranking (No. 124 versus Snedeker’s 430), he got the exemption. It was a massive relief for Fowler fans who want to see him back in the majors.
The Guys Who Didn't Quite Make It
It wasn't all sunshine in Dublin, Ohio. Max Homa struggled mightily, finishing T51 at 11-over par. Wyndham Clark, a major winner himself, ended up at 13-over.
Muirfield Village exposes any flaw in your game. If your driver is slightly off, you're dead. If your lag putting is shaky, you're looking at three-putts all day. Even Ludvig Aberg, the young superstar everyone is obsessed with, had a wild week. He shot 75-71-77, then closed with a 66. It was a rollercoaster.
Actionable Takeaways for the Next Event
If you're looking at how this affects the rest of the season, there are a few things to keep in mind.
First, don't bet against Scheffler. I know, it's boring. But the guy is in a different stratosphere. He’s heading into the U.S. Open at Oakmont as the overwhelming favorite.
Second, watch Ben Griffin. He’s no longer just a "good story." He’s a legitimate top-tier player who handles pressure well.
Third, the "Signature Event" format works. Having the best players forced to play the toughest courses leads to leaderboards that actually mean something.
If you want to track how these guys move in the rankings, keep an eye on the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) updates. Scheffler's lead is now so large that he could probably take two months off and still be No. 1.
Check the upcoming schedule for the RBC Canadian Open. Most of these guys are heading straight to Ontario. It’ll be a different test, likely much softer and more of a "birdie-fest" than the grind we just saw in Ohio. If you're following the FedEx Cup race, the bubble is starting to get tight for the Top 50, so the pressure is only going up from here.