'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
The Memorial Tournament 2023 will feature most of the top players, as 15 of the top 20 players are listed on the playing field. The tournament will begin on Thursday, June 1, at Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio.
While most of the top-ranked golfers will be teeing off on Thursday at Muirfield Village, there are a few prominent names who will not be in action this week due to various reasons.
Here's a look at five top-ranked players not playing in the 2023 Memorial Tournament:
Five top-ranked players not competing in the Memorial Tournament 2023
1) Max Homa
Max Homa is the highest-ranked player to skip the Muirfield Village event. The World No. 7 golfer will be absent from this week's action as his sister is getting married. For the uninitiated, each top-ranked player is allowed to skip one designated event per season.
Homa was last seen at the Charles Schwab Challenge last week, where he finished T-9. Last year, he had finished tied for fifth at the Memorial Tournament.
2) Cameron Smith
Cameron Smith is another top-10 player not playing at the Memorial Tournament, but it is not due to his choice. The World No. 9 golfer joined LIV Golf last year after winning the Players Championship and the 150th Open. As a result, he was suspended from all PGA Tour events, just like other Saudi-backed circuit-associated golfers.
The 29-year-old Aussie last competed at LIV Golf's DC event last week, where he finished at T-9. He also finished tied for ninth at Oak Hill.
3) Will Zalatoris
For Will Zalatoris, nothing went well in 2023. The World No. 10 had a memorable last season with several runner-up finishes. However, he suffered a back injury later in 2022 and has still not recovered from it.
Zalatoris tried to make a comeback and played a handful of events this season but had to undergo back surgery after withdrawing from the 2023 Masters. Later, he announced the premature end of his 2023 season. Fans will hope to see a fully fit Zalatoris in the next season.
4) Tony Finau
Tony Finau won the Mexico Open last month, beating red-hot Jon Rahm. However, since that victory, he has had a poor outing at Oak Hill with a T-72 finish and then went on to miss the cut at Colonial.
The World No. 12 golfer decided to give Memorial Tournament a skip but hasn't disclosed the reasons behind the absence.
5) Brooks Koepka
Brooks Koepka is another player like Cam Smith who is out of the the Muirfield Village event but not by his choice. The World No. 14 golfer had a worrying start to the 2023 season as he missed the cut at the Asian Tour event but since then it has been only onwards and upwards.
Koepka went on to win LIV Golf's Orlando event, finished runner-up at the 2023 Masters Tournament, and then ended up winning the 2023 PGA Championship for the third time in his career.
Koepka anyway never had an impressive outing at the Memorial as he never finished in the top 25 at the event with his best performance being T-31 in 2017.
