Talented field to do battle at The Memorial

The PGA TOUR is back in Ohio for its yearly stop hosted by the game’s greatest champion, Jack Nicklaus.

The 33^rd addition of the Memorial begins Thursday morning at Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin and once again features a fantastic field. Seven of the Top 10 players in the Official World Golf Rankings will compete in the event.

Tiger Woods was aiming for a comeback this week but we'll likely have to wait until the U.S. Open at Torrey Pines for his return from arthroscopic knee surgery. Woods is a three-time champion of The Memorial having won it back-to-back-to-back from '99 to '01.

"Tiger was looking forward to playing at the Memorial but unfortunately the timing of his recovery will not allow him to do so," said Mark Steinberg, Tiger Woods' agent and senior VP and global managing director of golf for IMG Global.

"We were excited to have Tiger play this year but understand that he still has some recuperating to do," said Dan Sullivan, executive director of the Memorial Tournament. "We wish him well with the rest of his rehabilitation and look forward to seeing him at the Memorial next year."

Despite Woods' noticeable absence, there are plenty of great players to watch this week.

Phil Mickelson, the World's second-ranked player, is in the field fresh off a thrilling victory at Colonial last week. Mickelson returns to Muirfield Village after a wrist injury forced him to withdraw after 11 holes into the first round of the 2007 Tournament.

Defending champion K.J. Choi is back to defend his title. In 2007, Choi enjoyed the best season of his 13 year professional golf career and that included a one-shot victory at Muirfield Village. Last year, Choi carded a final round 65 to edge Ryan Moore by a single stroke. Choi, who stands at No. 8 in the latest Official World Golf Rankings, already has a victory to his credit in '08 after a win at the Sony Open in Hawaii.  That early season victory gave him a win in each of the last four PGA seasons.

Choi said that he is confident in his abilities and that his victory at the Memorial last year will only serve as an advantage this time around.

"I know this course, because I've won it," Choi said. "I know where you have to hit it and I know where you shouldn't hit it. I think that gives me a lot of advantage, and even with the difficult holes, I know how to approach them. So I think having won this tournament before on this course, it definitely gives me the confidence and the edge that I need."

Ernie Els originally considered skipping the Memorial but after his poor performance last week on his home course of Wentworth during the BMW PGA Championship on the European Tour where he missed the cut, the Big Easy was eager to get back on the links.

"It's one of my favorite tournaments of the year and I love Jack's course, Muirfield Village," Els stated on his personal Web site Monday. "I figure it'll be a good week to try to get back some positive vibes in my game. I'm really looking forward to it."

Recently crowned PLAYERS champion Sergio Garcia is also in the field. Garcia, who is ranked No. 10  in the World, said he is feeling good about his game after the big victory at TPC Sawgrass earlier this month.

"Well, I'm definitely rested so I feel good about that," Garcia noted. "I feel like every part of my game is getting better every week. So I'm looking forward to it (The Memorial). If nothing weird happens, I should be up there. And at least, I should have a chance at winning this tournament."

If Garcia could win at Muirfield Village, it would bode well for his chances of taking his name off the short list of best players to have never won a Major Championship; those that do well in majors, do well at Muirfield Village.

Of the 25 different champions of the Memorial, 16 have won a total of 62 Major Championships. In fact, 11 of the last 15 Memorial Champions have been a winner of a Major Championship.

Other notables in the field include Geoff Ogilvy, Steve Stricker, Jim Furyk, Justin Rose, Stewart Cink, Fred Couples, AT&T Classic winner Ryuji Imada, Wachovia Championship winner Anthony Kim and reigning Masters Champion, Trevor Immelman.

Vijay Singh is another player who was forced to withdraw after suffering an injury last week. Adam Scott will also miss the event after deciding to spend some time off in Australia.

"I think we've got a very good field," said Tournament Host Jack Nicklaus. "Obviously disappointed that we have lost a couple of guys due to injury, but you can't play if you're hurt. So you do the best you can. But I think we've got a great field."

2008 Memorial Tournament at a Glance
Name: the Memorial Tournament
What: The 24th of 38 events in the PGA TOUR Regular Season
Dates: May 26-June 1st, 2008
Where: Dublin, Ohio
Course: Muirfield Village Golf Club
Yardage/Par: 7,366/72
FedExCup Points: 25,000 (4,500 to the champion)
Purse: $6,000,000 ($1,080,000 to the champion)
Television: GOLF CHANNEL/CBS
Briefly: The tournament founded and hosted by Jack Nicklaus is conducted each year with three goals in mind: to honor the memory of individuals living and deceased who have distinguished themselves in the game of golf; to showcase the world’s best golfers competing on one of the most challenging venues in the world for the enjoyment of spectators; and to benefit charitable organizations in central Ohio.
Note: The Memorial Tournament presented by Morgan Stanley has increased its field size from 105 players to 120 beginning with the 2008 tournament. With the change, the Memorial gains additional exemption allowances and the increased ability to invite the best players from the previous year as well as the top performers in the current year.
Charitable Contributions: The tournament’s primary beneficiary is the Nationwide Children’s Hospital, dating back 30 years. Close to $4 million has been donated by the tournament to the hospital. Over 2,500 volunteers help at the tournament, with approximately 1,900 coming from Children’s. Another major beneficiary includes Dispatch Charities, founded in 1937, providing financial support to organizations dedicated to fostering the physical, mental and spiritual health and well-being of the youth of Franklin County and Central Ohio. The Memorial also benefits other Central Ohio charities, including Fore Hope, James Cancer Hospital, Wolfe Associates, The First Tee, Central Ohio Junior Golf Association, Shriners and the Lions Club. Over $80,000 was raised in 2004 by the Birdies for Children’s Charity Campaign, with 1,235 birdies. This year’s goal is to raise $100,000.