Masters champion Rory McIlroy had to settle for a one-under 71 on day one of the 2026 Memorial Tournament. The Northern Irishman is making his 14th appearance at the Jack Nicklaus-hosted signature PGA Tour event in Columbus, Ohio.

The Memorial Tournament is underway. Here's what we learned from the first round of action, including updates on Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy.

The SportsLine Projection Model simulated the Memorial Tournament 2026 10,000 times and came up with a shocking leaderboard

DUBLIN, Ohio (WCMH) — At the PGA Championship in May, 29-year-old Alex Smalley stood alone atop the leaderboard after three rounds. He finished in a tie for 2nd place, his best performance on the PGA Tour.

Pat Mayo, Underdog/Fantasy National, Mayo Media Network analyst: Justin Thomas (41-1, DraftKings) — Second in ball-striking a week ago to Henley but saw his putter come crashing back to earth. Still, with his improved accuracy and hot irons, I’ll gamble on a putting rebound at this number.

The PGA Tour is back at the iconic Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio, for the 2026 Memorial Tournament. The first round begins Thursday.