Taylor and Griffin lead Memorial in the rain; Scheffler lurking

In a day marked by persistent rain, Nick Taylor showcased his skill at the Memorial, securing a tie at the top of the leaderboard.

Taylor, facing the most adverse conditions, achieved an impressive round of 68 strokes, four under par, thanks to exceptional putting on almost every hole. His strategy was based on maintaining calm and simplicity, which allowed him to avoid mistakes.

It was a clean card, something I didn’t necessarily expect. But it was good to keep it as simple as possible.

Nick Taylor

Ben Griffin also stood out, taking advantage of a break in the rain to complete his round with 72 strokes, tying Taylor for the lead with a total of 7 under par. Akshay Bhatia, with a round of 69, was two strokes off the lead, closely followed by defending champion Scottie Scheffler. Scheffler, despite not converting several birdie opportunities, demonstrated solid play amidst inclement weather.

The difficulty of the course was increased by the rain and the rough, which, according to Taylor, resembles that of other demanding tournaments.

Other players also made significant progress. Sam Burns signed a card of 65 strokes, while Justin Rose, with an outstanding performance, was at par.

The round was marked by the cut, which left out several important players, including Hideki Matsuyama, who managed to save his participation in the tournament with a birdie on the 17th hole.

Jordan Spieth had a highlight moment by making an impressive par after a tricky situation on the 11th hole. Spieth, despite a poor initial shot, managed a par thanks to an excellent recovery. The player finished his round with 69 strokes, approaching the top of the leaderboard.

Only 11 players managed to stay under par, including Collin Morikawa, who struggled on the par 5 holes.

Xander Schauffele also had a notable performance, recovering from an initial double bogey to finish with four birdies in his last five holes.