Scott in Memorial mix in spite of rollercoaster round

| June 2, 2023

Adam Scott has experienced the highest of highs and the lowest of lows in a rollercoaster opening round at the Memorial. 

But in spite of his many thrills and spills, the Australian remains firmly in contention at the PGA’s Memorial in Dublin, Ohio.

Scott fired a two-under 70 to sit alongside world No.2 Jon Rahm in a seven-player group in joint 10th, three shots behind leader Davis Riley.

The Queenslander could have been forgiven for thinking he was back at Dreamworld on the Gold Coast on Thursday after his up-and-down ride.

Beginning on the 10th, the 42-year-old mixed three bogeys with two birdies.  

He then posted three birdies, two bogeys and an eagle on the par-five fifth in his back nine.

Scott and the rest of the field will now try to hunt down Riley, who birdied three of his last four holes to make 67.

The American leads by one from Matt Wallace while Jordan Spieth is in the group at 69.

Wallace, who needs a victory this week to avoid US Open qualifying, posted his 68 in the morning before the wind and the temperatures picked up.

Rory McIlroy was 3 under for his round playing the 18th when his drive went right and was tumbling toward the sand until it stopped. The ball was nearly belt-high and he could barely take a stance. He did his best to chop it out, and it just cleared the bunker into thick grass.

From there, his 9-iron caught a flyer and sailed over the green to the shaggy hill. His flop shot came out clunky and over the green and its front pin. He missed the putt and his triple bogey wiped out an otherwise good day.

Riley’s only bogey was nearly a superb par, from the back bunker on the 18th to four feet, but then he missed the putt. A very good round turned into a great one when he made a 12-foot birdie on the sixth, hit wedge to four feet on the par-5 seventh and finished with a 12-foot birdie on the ninth hole.

Australians Cam Davis (74), David Micheluzzi (75), Jason Day and Lucas Herbert (both 76) have their work cut out to make the cut.  

Chad Ramey shot a 16-over 88 to prop up the field.

He hit four shots into the water on the ninth hole, which featured a front pin and a stream in front of the green. He made a 13, the highest score ever recorded on any of the holes at Muirfield Village.