PGA Tour star Rory McIlroy is taking on the Memorial Pro-Am Tournament at Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio. McIlroy hopes to have a standout showing against elite competition, but professional golfers were not the only ones in his company. Former NFL quarterback Peyton Manning and actor Chris Pratt highlight some of the big names in the tourney, as seen from USA Today's coverage.
The Memorial Pro-Am is the final event before spectators turn their attention toward Pinehurst No. 2 in North Carolina for the U.S. Open. The Open is the third men's major championship of the year, scheduled to take place from June 13-16.
Defending champion Victor Hovland leads the professional field in Dublin. He is joined by world No. 1 and Masters winner Scottie Scheffler, PGA Tour Championship victor Xander Schauffele, Rory McIlroy, and two-time Memorial winner Patrick Cantlay along with other stout competitors.
McIlroy wants to win another title after claiming the throne four times. In addition, Peyton Manning, Chris Pratt, and other celebrities are getting into the action. Pratt provided insight into his experience after playing nine holes with some of the tourney's stars on Wednesday.
“Chipping in for birdie on the number one handicap and the crowd behind me exploded and for a brief moment I knew what it felt like to be a professional golfer and it was pretty darn cool,” Pratt said, via NBC4.
Pratt revealed more about the experience with some eye-opening takes.
Chris Pratt discusses Memorial Pro-Am experience alongside PGA Tour stars
Pratt admitted that most of his time on the course was embarrassing, but he had fun playing for a greater cause.
“I know what to expect out here. I’m not a professional golfer but man it’s been a lot of fun. Rory [McIlroy] is great, so nice, so gracious and playing with Peyton Manning, it’s just cool man. It’s good to be here,” Pratt said.
Many celebrities wore gold ribbons representing pediatric cancer awareness. Moreover, Pratt gave a message to kids fighting illness at Nationwide Children's Hospital.
“I want to say that I’m thinking about you, that I love you, that I’m praying for you, God bless you. Be strong. And take it from Star Lord, you got this,” Pratt added.
The official Memorial Tournament kicked off on Thursday morning with elite golfers looking to make their mark. One intriguing competitor to watch is Scottie Scheffler. Scheffler is coming off a May arrest before he took up his second round in the 2024 PGA Tour Championship at Valhalla Golf Club. He drove past a traffic stop outside the golf course that sparked a heated interaction with a police officer.
The incident turned out to largely be a misunderstanding and charges against Scheffler were dropped. Scheffler returned to the competition and finished in eighth place. He looks to have an improved showing in Dublin for the Memorial.
Scheffler's traffic altercation came in light of a PGA-Valhalla vendor associate's tragic death. The associate was struck by a bus and killed by the course. Scheffler extended his condolences to the man and his family.
It will be interesting to how the 2024 Memorial plays out with the high-caliber competition in the event.