Establishment (Jim Furyk) vs. Youth (Bubba Watson)

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One of the themes for the 2011 PGA TOUR season is the competition involving the younger players and the established ones. How will the veteran players -- those with significant TOUR experience and long-standing championship pedigree -- fare against the hungry up-and-comers who are looking to nudge their way into the TOUR's elite?

Each week, PGATOUR.COM will select two players and analyze their chances heading into the tournament. We'll then track which player has the better score for his team, and keep a running team tally throughout the year.

This week for the Memorial Tournament presented by Nationwide Insurance we've selected Jim Furyk, who won the FedExCup last year, and Bubba Watson, who currently leads the standings in the hunt for the $10 million bonus.

ESTABLISHMENT AGE: 41 YEARS ON TOUR: This is his 18th year on the PGA TOUR. He has won 16 PGA TOUR events, including three last year when he won the FedExCup. OVERVIEW: Furyk has been one of the PGA TOUR's steadiest players since turning pro in 1994. He won for the first time in his 62nd start at the Las Vegas Invitational -- the finale to the 1995 season. Furyk needed just six more starts to win again at the United Airlines Hawaiian Open, and the man with perhaps the TOUR's most unconventional swing has been a consistent winner ever since. Prior to last year's FedExCup championship, Furyk's best season was 2003 when he won the U.S. Open at Olympia Fields, tying the 72-hole record, and followed with a win at the Buick Open. He also won twice during the 2006 season before ending a three-year victory drought in a big way with a PGA TOUR Player of the Year campaign in 2010. Furyk edged K.J. Choi by one stroke at the Transitions Championship, then parred the first playoff hole to beat Brian Davis at the Verizon Heritage. His win at THE TOUR Championship presented by Coca-Cola secured the FedExCup and its $10 million bonus for Furyk, who started the event ranked 11th in the standings. HISTORY IN THIS EVENT: Furyk won the 2002 Memorial Tournament, closing with a 65 that included a chip-in birdie at the 12th hole and an eagle from the front bunker on the par-5 15th. His two-stroke victory over John Cook and David Peoples is one of six top-10s at Muirfield Village, two of which were runners-up. OUTLOOK THIS WEEK: Given his record at the Memorial, Furyk always has a shot. He's had a solid, if unspectacular season, to date, though, with two ties for ninth his only top-10s. Furyk's got the same fairways-and-greens game, though -- ranking 13th and 34th, respectively, in those categories -- so he could be a threat.   YOUTH AGE: 32 YEARS ON TOUR: This is Watson's sixth full season on the PGA TOUR and he leads the FedExCup standings. He has won three times, all of which have come in the last 11 months. OVERVIEW: The affable Watson is one of the PGA TOUR's free spirits. He was one of the first to engage his fans on Twitter and he delights in making off-the-wall videos like the one that earned him a guest appearance on the Ellen DeGeneres Show. Don't be fooled, though. He's also a talented player who is known for his length but underappreciated for his ball-striking ability. Consider this: Watson currently ranks second on TOUR in driving distance and first in greens in regulation. Watson's first victory was an emotional one last year at the Travelers Championship where he made up a six-stroke deficit with a final-round 66 and beat Scott Verplank and Corey Pavin in a playoff. He tearfully dedicated the win to his father, Gerry, who was dying of cancer, and his wife Angie, who had been misdiagnosed with a brain tumor. Watson later lost to Martin Kaymer in a playoff at the PGA Championship and played on his first Ryder Cup team. The 2011 season has been just as exciting with Watson making birdie on the 72nd hole to beat Phil Mickelson at the Farmers Insurance Open in his third start of the year and beating Webb Simpson on the second hole of sudden death at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans. HISTORY IN THIS EVENT: Watson has played in the Memorial Tournament five times but has never posted a top-10 finish. That said, he has only missed one cut and twice has tied for 23rd. OUTLOOK THIS WEEK: Watson has been one of the TOUR's hottest golfers this season -- joining Mark Wilson as the only two-time winners. His combination of length and accuracy with his irons should be a good fit for Muirfield Village, as long as his putter (he ranks 130th in strokes gained-putting) cooperates.

Tee times

Tee Times for Furyk, Watson

Jim Furyk is playing his first two rounds with Mark Wilson and Jonathan Byrd at Muirfield Village. They tee off from the first tee at 12:43 p.m. on Thursday and the 10th tee at 7:53 a.m. on Friday. Bubba Watson is paired with Keegan Bradley and Justin Rose. They tee off from the 10th tee at 7:53 a.m. ET on Thursday and the first tee at 12:43 p.m Friday.

For all tee times, please click here

Here are the results of the previous matchups this year

Score/Finish Tournament   Score/Finish   Steve Stricker 20 under (T-4th) Hyundai TOC Dustin Johnson 14 under (T-9th)   Ernie Els 4 under (T-42nd) Sony Open Jason Day 8 under (T-20th) Stewart Cink 5 under (MC) Bob Hope Classic Bubba Watson 7 under (MC) Davis Love III 5 over (MC) Farmers Insurance Open Rickie Fowler 5 under (T20) Angel Cabrera 7 under (T-49th) Waste Management Phoenix Jhonattan Vegas 2 under (MC)     Padraig Harrington 2 over (T63) AT&T Pebble Beach National Dustin Johnson Even (T55) Jim Furyk 1 under (T35) Northern Trust Open Louis Oosthuizen 3 over (T62)     Vijay Singh 9 over (MC) The Honda Classic Anthony Kim 7 over (MC) Luke Donald 11 under (T6) WGC-Cadillac Championship Jhonattan Vegas 2 under (T31)   Sergio Garcia 7 under (T15) Transitions Championship Matteo Manassero 6 under (T20)   Phil Mickelson 1 under (T24) Arnold Palmer Invitational Graeme McDowell 9 over (MC)     Fred Couples Even (T60) Shell Houston Open Gary Woodland 10 under (T13) Tiger Woods 10 under (T4) The Masters Martin Kaymer 6 over (MC)   Justin Leonard 2 under (T30) Valero Texas Open Anthony Kim 7 over (MC)     Jim Furyk 5 under (T21) The Heritage Jason Day 7 under (T9) David Toms 7 under (T18) Zurich Classic of New Orleans Brandt Snedeker 2 over (MC)   Phil Mickelson 10 under (T9) Wells Fargo Championship Bubba Watson 3 under (T48)     Tiger Woods Withdrew THE PLAYERS Championship Charl Schwartzel 6 under (T26) Paul Goydos 5 under (T10) Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial Jason Day 3 under (T31)     Vijay Singh 5 over (T27) HP Byron Nelson Championship Nick Watney 1 over (T8)