As rain swept across Muirfield Village during the second round of the 2025 Memorial Tournament, the leaderboard tightened, but one familiar name continued to hover within striking distance.
World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler sits just three shots off the lead heading into the weekend, and more importantly, he’s beginning to feel like his swing is right where it needs to be.
“If I holed a few more putts, probably would have been a little bit of a different score,” Scheffler said. “Definitely felt better with my ball striking.”
A Rebound After a Shaky Start
Scheffler’s second round wasn’t spotless. After making the turn at 3-under 33, Scheffler encountered challenges on the back nine. He double-bogeyed the par-4 10th hole, birdied the 11th and 12th, and then parred the final four holes. This sequence resulted in a 1-over 37 on the back nine. His overall round was a 2-under 70.
His steady ball-striking has been a hallmark of his game, and the slight uptick in comfort on Friday could spell trouble for the leaders if his putter heats up over the weekend.
Ben Griffin and Nick Taylor share the 36-hole lead at 7-under-par. Griffin, who held the overnight lead, followed his opening 65 with an even-par 72, managing to stay level despite two balls in the water. Taylor, meanwhile, played the round of the day–a bogey-free 68 that included birdies on four of his first 10 holes.
Both players have had strong seasons already–Griffin with two PGA Tour wins in 2025, Taylor with a playoff victory at the Sony Open, but neither has the major pedigree or ranking of the chasers behind them.
Spieth, Lowry Among the Contenders
Just behind Scheffler, a familiar name is making noise: Jordan Spieth. At 3-under-par, Spieth is tied for fifth with Sam Burns and Shane Lowry. While he hasn’t yet notched a win in 2025, his game has looked more stable in recent months, and he’ll be looking to channel his Sunday magic at one of the Tour’s most prestigious non-major events.
Lowry and Burns are both former Tour winners who could also pose a threat, especially if the weather continues to level the playing field.
As Scheffler eyes his third win in a month–following titles at the CJ Cup Byron Nelson and the PGA Championship–confidence in his swing might be all he needs to surge to the top. “I’m close,” he said. “It’s just a matter of getting the putts to fall.”
With only 11 players under par and conditions expected to remain tough, his steadiness could be the key. If the ball-striking sharpens further, the world’s No. 1 may once again prove why he’s the best closer in the game.
When and How to Watch
Fans can catch the third round action from 2:00 to 5:30 p.m. ET on Golf Channel, followed by CBS coverage (5:30-7:30 p.m.). Additionally, PGA Tour Live on ESPN+ will provide exclusive online streaming starting at 10:00 a.m. ET.
There’s still plenty of golf left, and the leaderboard is far from settled. As Golf.com reports, Saturday’s tee times are set:
Tee No. 1
10:00 a.m.: Hideki Matsuyama
10:05 a.m.: Cameron Young, Wyndham Clark
10:15 a.m.: Matt Kuchar, Adam Hadwin
10:25 a.m.: Matt Fitzpatrick, Justin Thomas
10:36 a.m.: Max Greyserman, Michael Kim
10:47 a.m.: Alex Noren, Stephan Jaeger
10:58 a.m.: Adam Scott, Brandt Snedeker
11:09 a.m.: Nick Dunlap, Thomas Detry
11:20 a.m.: Jhonattan Vegas, Harry Higgs
11:31 a.m.: Denny McCarthy, Viktor Hovland
11:42 a.m.: Si Woo Kim, Sepp Straka
11:58 a.m.: Max Homa, Tommy Fleetwood
12:09 p.m.: Min Woo Lee, Sam Stevens
12:20 p.m.: Andrew Novak, Maverick McNealy
12:31 p.m.: Austin Eckroat, Ludvig Åberg
12:42 p.m.: Davis Thompson, Corey Conners
12:53 p.m.: Tony Finau, Bud Cauley
1:04 p.m.: Keegan Bradley, Rickie Fowler
1:15 p.m.: Robert MacIntyre, Patrick Cantlay
1:26 p.m.: Sungjae Im, Taylor Pendrith
1:37 p.m.: Eric Cole, Ryan Gerard
1:48 p.m.: Harris English, Justin Rose
2:04 p.m.: Mackenzie Hughes, Jacob Bridgeman
2:15 p.m.: Collin Morikawa, Ryan Fox
2:26 p.m.: Russell Henley, Xander Schauffele
2:37 p.m.: Jordan Spieth, Tom Hoge
2:48 p.m.: Sam Burns, Shane Lowry
2:59 p.m.: Akshay Bhatia, Scottie Scheffler
3:10 p.m.: Nick Taylor, Ben Griffin
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