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Tiger Woods says he is inspired by the chance to equal the US PGA Tour's all-time winning record at one of his happiest hunting grounds - the Jack Nicklaus-hosted Memorial Tournament in Ohio.

Woods sent 'Tigermania' into meltdown with his Masters victory at Augusta National in April, his 15th major and 81st PGA Tour title.

Nicklaus himself conceded on Tuesday in Ohio that his own record of 18 majors is now within reach for Woods.

But 43-year-old Woods could sooner equal golf great Sam Snead's all-time record 82 PGA Tour victories.

Perhaps his best chance is this week's prestigious $US9.1 million ($A13.1 million) Memorial event near Columbus, Ohio.

"To be able to come this close and get to one behind Sam Snead has been pretty amazing," Woods said after playing his Wednesday pro am with American football legend Peyton Manning.

"It has been a pretty amazing run during my 20-something odd years out here. Hopefully I have a few more."

Woods has won the Memorial five times - the most in the event's 43-year history - which includes three straight victories from 1999.

Woods also has three other top-four results at the Nicklaus-designed Muirfield Village Golf Club, the Memorial's permanent host venue.

The only courses Woods has had more success on are California's iconic Torrey Pines - where he has won eight times including the 2008 US Open - as well as Florida's Bay Hill and Ohio's Firestone Country Club (eight wins each).

Woods has also won the Masters and BMW Championship five times.

"To get into those numbers it takes longevity and it takes years," Woods said.

"I think it's been ten years where I've won five or more tournaments; you need multiple win seasons like that.

"To be able to do it for decades is something I'm very proud of, because it's not something that happens overnight."

Woods' most recent start was the US PGA Championship at New York's Bethpage Black, where an underprepared Woods missed the cut.

It was his first hit-out since the Masters and Nicklaus said the dip in form "was a wake-up call" for Woods which he "would not let happen again".

Woods, who has had four back surgeries including spinal fusion surgery in 2017, admitted his body was broken after the PGA Championship - where he was sick and "took a little bit" to recover.

"I lost quite a bit of weight and wasn't feeling my best, but I was able to put most of it back on," Woods said.

"I'm feeling a lot better; I just need to play a little bit more now. Hopefully it will be four solid days this week heading into the (US) Open (in two weeks)."

The $US9.1 million Memorial is an invitational event with an elite field of 120 players which affords the winner a $US1.64 million prize and a three-year exemption on the PGA Tour.

Hometown hero Jason Day admits his record at the Memorial Tournament is "terrible" but is determined to turn it around at the Jack Nicklaus-hosted event in Ohio this week.

Former world No.1 Day lives within 30 minutes of host venue Muirfield Village Golf Club - and is a member at the course - but he has only ever posted one top-25 result from 10 starts.

The 12-time PGA Tour winner's best finish at the prestigious event is a tie for 15th in 2017.

"Oh, yeah. It's terrible,"Day told AAP at Muirfield Village on Tuesday.

The 31-year-old admits the poor results are compounded by having extra family and friends in the gallery.

"Maybe I'm putting too much pressure on myself, but it's definitely frustrating to not get into contention," Day said.

"I really enjoy the golf course; it's fantastic. But I think I've been too aggressive in the past.

"My record is slowly getting better and I hope to change that this year."

Day puts it down to the fact Nicklaus, arguably the greatest iron players in golf's history, designed Muirfield Village as a tough test for approach shots.

"This is a second shot golf course, and typically my irons haven't been the strongest part of my game," he said.

"If you can have your irons firing, you can play well around here.

"That's why Tiger Woods has won here five times. He's one of the best iron players ever."

Day's record has bemused Nicklaus, who last year said he was surprised the talented Australian had not enjoyed more success.

"Some (golfers) are really good playing at home, some guys aren't," Nicklaus said in 2018.

But Day is desperate to win the Memorial - one of the biggest tournaments on the US PGA Tour outside the four majors.

It is custom for the Memorial champion to shake hands with 18-time major winner Nicklaus on the 18th green on Sunday.

Having won the Arnold Palmer Invitational in 2016, the last player to win while the late Palmer was still alive, Day wants to shake 79-year-old Nicklaus' hand at Muirfield Village.

"I got to shake Arnie's hand ... it'd be nice to shake Mr Nicklaus' hand after you win a tournament," he said.

"It'd be amazing to have this win on your resume."

Day is grouped with fellow Australian Adam Scott and Japanese ace Hideki Matsuyama for the opening rounds.

Joining Day and Scott in the field are countrymen Marc Leishman, Cameron Smith, Aaron Baddeley and Matt Jones.

World No.2 Minjee Lee and six other Australians will be playing for a $US1 million winner's cheque at this week's US Women's Open, a first even if prize money continues to lag well behind the riches on offer in the men's game.

The United States Golf Association (USGA) announced the amount at the Country Club of Charleston on Tuesday, revealing a record total purse of $US5.5 million, up $US500,000 from last year.

That is less than half the record $US12.5 million on offer at the men's US Open at Pebble Beach in two weeks' time, though the $US500,000 increase from last year is the same for both sexes.

"We looked at it from the overall championship experience and just felt that those were the amounts that would be meaningful and would be impactful," USGA senior managing director of championships John Bodenhamer told reporters.

American world No.8 Lexi Thompson said the purse announcement had been greeted positively by the players.

"I can definitely say I think the players are very excited about the news, and hopefully we can just keep on improving," Thompson said.

"I think it's amazing news. And I think it strikes us as the women's game is growing so much. I think it's very well-deserved."

Total prize money on the LPGA Tour this year will amount to about $US70 million, about a fifth of what the men play for.

Commissioner Mike Whan said it was unrealistic to expect parity.

"The difference in purses is the difference in total viewership," he said in an interview with Reuters in January, referring to television ratings.

MInjee Lee, a winner at the recent LA Open, heads the Australian cast in the field, joined by legend Karrie Webb, Katherine Kirk, Hannah Green, Sarah Kemp, Su Oh and amateur Gabriela Ruffels.

Golf great Jack Nicklaus says a resurgent Tiger Woods is "absolutely" a chance to surpass his record 18 major championship wins after overcoming a former weakness in the driver.

Admitting he was transfixed by Woods' emotional Masters victory in April, his 15th major title, Nicklaus says Woods' significantly improved driving means he is clear favourite to win the US Open.

Woods is using this week's Memorial Tournament in Ohio hosted by 18-time winner Nicklaus as his US PGA Tour warm up before attempting to claim a 16th major at California's famed Pebble Beach next month.

Although Woods missed the cut at the recent US PGA Championship in New York, 79-year-old Nicklaus says Woods' quest for 19 major wins is still on the table.

"Absolutely; it always has been," Nicklaus said in Ohio on Tuesday.

"Before he even won at Augusta, (I always knew) he had another 10 years or 40 major championships in front of him.

"Coming off a win as emotional as the Masters was for him, (the PGA Championship) was understandable and I don't think he's going to let that happen again. It was a wake-up call."

Nicklaus says the fact Woods is averaging 299 yards off the tee and finding 63 per cent of fairways is a recipe for success.

"He won (his first 14) majors hitting it all over the world off the tee; now he's driving the ball well now and it's a huge difference for him," Nicklaus said.

"And he's always been a great iron player; that's not going to change. He's always chipped well. He always putts well."

Woods sent 'Tigermania' into overdrive with his first major victory in 11 years at Augusta National.

"Once I sat down and saw that shot on the 12th hole (where Woods took command of the Masters), I didn't move again. What he did was pretty special to watch," Nicklaus said.

"I was very proud of him; he just played the way a champion should play."

Nicklaus believes Woods is again the man to beat at Pebble Beach, where he won the 2000 US Open by a record 15 shots.

"I would consider him the favourite, he won by 15," Nicklaus said.

"For Tiger to dominate (like 2000) will be difficult. He could win but (not like) 15 years ago."

But Woods' attention is on this week's Memorial Tournament, where he has won five times including three straight from 1999.

"I expect him to play very well this week," Nicklaus said.

Australia's world No.2 Minjee Lee has ensured she'll enter this week's US Women's Open with momentum as she chases a maiden major championship title.

On the eve of her 23rd birthday, Lee shot a second consecutive four-under 67 on Sunday to tie for 13th at the LPGA's Pure Silk Championship in Williamsburg, Virginia.

All eyes now turn to the biggest event on the women's golf calendar, the $US5 million ($A7.2 million) US Women's Open at the Country Club of Charleston in South Carolina, starting Thursday.

Lee is set to play the first two rounds in stellar company alongside current world No.1 Jin-young Ko and former No.1 Inbee Park, who boasts two US Open titles among her eight majors victories.

Coming off a great 2018 season, the super-consistent Lee appears closer to a breakthrough at the majors after winning her fifth LPGA title at last month's LA Open among five top-10 finishes this year.

Her best result at the five majors remains a third placing at the 2017 ANA Inspiration while her best result at the US Women's open to date is tied 11th in 2017.

Lee heads a field of seven Australians at the US Women's Open, joining Karrie Webb, Katherine Kirk, Hannah Green, Sarah Kemp, Su Oh and amateur Gabriela Ruffels.

Kevin Na has settled for a 1-under 69 third round at the PGA event in Texas, taking a two-shot lead over a group including local favourite Jordan Spieth and 2003 US Open champion Jim Furyk.

Na recovered from a double bogey at the par-5 11th that cost him the lead, steadying himself over the final seven holes at Fort Worth to reach 9 under on Saturday.

His 62 in the second round was his third at least that low over a span of six rounds at the tournament.

Spieth and Furyk, winless since 2015, both shot 68 and were among the group at 7 under along with C.T. Pan, who was tied with Na before bogeys on the final two holes.

Pan settled for a 68 as well.

First-round leader Tony Finau (71) fell into the group at 7 under with a bogey on 18 after hitting his driver into the water.

The only remaining Australian in the field, Aaron Baddeley, is 12 shots off the pace at 3 over after a round of 71.Compatriots Matt Jones (four-over) and Rod Pampling (five-over) failed to make the cut.

Na, looking for his third PGA Tour title, would have done better had he not thinned a bunker shot from the greenside sand at the 11th after being distracted by a spectators' phone ringing and then duffed his chip back.

"I played solid the whole front nine and after a double-bogey I grouped it together," the 35-year-old told Sky Sports.

"If I shoot a few under par I should stay ahead of the other guys and I should be all right."

Birdies among the leaders were scarce with most of them playing in windy conditions that have made afternoon rounds difficult all week on the cosy Colonial Country Club course made famous by Ben Hogan.

Second-round leader Jonas Blixt didn't have any, opening with a bogey on the easy par-5 first before three more in his 74. He is four shots back.

The best rounds came from players with significantly earlier tee times.

Mackenzie Hughes shot 65 to join Spieth, Furyk and company.

Charley Hoffman had the day's best round at 7-under 63 and was tied at 6 under with Austin Cook, who shot 65.

Austrian Bernd Wiesberger has bogeyed his last hole of his third round but still leads the Made in Denmark golf tournament by a shot.

Seeking a fifth European Tour title, Wiesberger started Saturday at five under and climbed to nine under after eight holes at Himmerland Golf & Spa Resort.

Bogeys either side of the turn set him back, only for the Austrian to reel off three consecutive birdies to go to 10 under.

But Wiesberger failed to get up and down on the 18th, and the bogey gave him a four-under 67, still his lowest round of the year.

The round was enough to give him a one-shot lead over Robert MacIntyre of Scotland, who carded a three-under 68.

Australian Jason Scrivener carded a four-under 67, hitting six birdies, to finish the round six shots off the pace.

Wade Ormsby remains seven shots off the lead after carding a one-under 70.

Overnight leader Matthias Schwab of Austria hit a one-over 72 and dropped to two shots off the lead. Schwab was tied at seven-under with Max Schmitt of Germany.

Lee Westwood, with an eagle and double bogey, carded the round of the day, a five-under 66, and was five shots behind Wiesberger.

Wiesberger missed seven months last year because of a wrist injury, but could post a first top 10, at least, in his 10th tour event this year.

Kevin Na has eagled the par-five first hole at the PGA tournament in Texas on his way to an impressive 62. He is tied for second at eight-under with Tony Finau - the two Americans trailing Swede Jonas Blixt by one stroke.

Aaron Baddeley, who shot 69 to finish the second round at two-over, is the only Australian remaining in the field at Fort Worth, with compatriots Matt Jones (four-over) and Rod Pampling (five-over) failing to make the cut.

This second-round 62 is Na's third score at least that good in the past six rounds on the cosy course made famous by Ben Hogan.

After opening with a 62 and closing with a course record-tying 61 to finish fourth last year, Na followed the eagle with six birdies in a bogey-free round after being happy to shoot par-70 on a windy afternoon in the first round.

"One of those golf courses I look forward to coming to," said Na, a two-time PGA Tour winner. "Fits my game. You've got to take advantage of those weeks because there is not too many golf courses like this on tour anymore."

Blixt, a three-time winner playing with Na, holed out from 132 yards for eagle on the 17th hole and shot 64 to reach nine-under. Finau, playing the back nine first, started with nine straight pars before three birdies and a bogey on his final nine for a 68.

Local favourite Jordan Spieth, one shot off the lead to start the day, shot 70 and was four behind Blixt. Defending champion Justin Rose, the highest-ranked player in the field at No.3, shot 67 and was one-over, a single stroke above the cut line.

Rory Sabbatini, the 2007 champion at this tournament, shot 66 and was alone in fourth at six-under. Jim Furyk, the 2003 U.S. Open champion who hasn't won in four years, shot 66 and was among five at five-under.

Blixt, a three-time tour winner, had a little more success navigating the wind than Na in the first round, shooting 67. Both were thinking more about hanging on while hoping to make a move in the second round.

Na didn't waste any time, hitting his second shot to 3 feet for the easy eagle before three birdies on putts of at least 30 feet. After Blixt went up two shots with his pitching wedge from 132 yards at hole 17, Na pulled within one with a closing birdie when his approach settled inside five feet.

"Well, I was trying to do it, so ..." Blixt said about his eagle, the 35-year-old Swede pausing for effect without smiling.

"Nah, so the last two times I played the hole it's been the same kind of wind. We've been thinking it's like left-to-right wind or almost into us, so today I just played more like a little downwind."

Jason Dufner got to eight-under with four straight birdies and a 25-foot putt to save par. But the two-time runner-up at this tournament missed a short birdie putt at hole six, his 15th hole, and bogeyed three of the last four for a 68 that left him at five-under.

Spieth made birdie putts of 50 feet on hole 10 and 46 feet at hole 12, giving him three putts of more than 40 feet in the same tournament for the first time after making a 46-footer in the first round. But the three-time major winner missed three par putts under 10 feet among his five bogeys.

"I thought today was average; I thought yesterday was spectacular," Spieth said

"Today I missed maybe an eight-footer and a couple five-footers, but then I made a couple long ones to make up for it. They were kind of misreads. They weren't bad strokes. That's the difference."

Rickie Fowler missed the cut by one shot at 3 over, ending a streak of 21 straight cuts made. It was tied for the second-longest active streak with Tommy Fleetwood and Hideki Matsuyama, one behind Jason Kokrak (22).

Other than the 16th-ranked Finau, this tournament has been unkind to the eight players in field among the top 20 in the world rankings. Francesco Molinari, ranked seventh, and Rose are the only others playing on the weekend. Molinari joined Rose at 1 over after a double bogey on his last hole.

No.11 Jon Rahm shot 71 and missed the cut at six-over after finishing in the top five in both of his first two Colonials the past two years.

Eighth-ranked Bryson DeChambeau (four-over) and No.9 Xander Schauffele (six-over) missed along with Fowler (10th). Paul Casey, ranked 13th, withdrew because of flu-like symptoms after opening with a 69.

Two-time Fort Worth winner Zach Johnson shot 75 to finish seven-over, missing the cut for the second straight year after playing on the weekend in his first 12 appearances at this tournament.

Brian Harman put himself under par for the tournament on his last hole when his approach shot at hole nine bounced off the grandstand behind the green and rolled within two feet of the hole. He made the birdie putt and handed the ball to a fan sitting not far from where it caromed.

Bronte Law kept up with the partnership of Jennifer Song and Jacqui Concolino to share the second-round lead at the LPGA Championship in Virginia, where the best-placed Australian sits six shots behind.

Rebounding from a bogey on the par-four 14th with three straight birdies, Law shot a three-under 68 on Friday afternoon at Kingsmill Resort to match early starters Song and Concolino at nine-under 133.

"It was a battle," Law said. "Seemed to feel like every time I would make a birdie and try and build on it I would have an unforced error couple holes later and make bogey and be back to where I started."

The Englishwoman had six birdies and three bogeys.

"Mistakes happen," Law said. "I'm just going to try to minimise that for the rest of the tournament. I'm creating enough chances to where I can keep shooting some low scores."

Song, tied for the first-round lead with Law and Anna Nordqvist, also had a 68.

"Overall, very happy with my round," Song said. "I managed to make great scrambles here and there and just made a couple birdies coming in. Very happy about my round."

Concolino had five birdies and a bogey in a 67 alongside Song in the first group of the day off the 10th tee.

"Jennifer and I are good friends," Concolino said. "We were just talking about it in the tent. We fed off each other. She made a birdie, I made a birdie. She was making birdies on top of me."

Song had five birdies and two bogeys.

"I had a rocky start. I started with a bogey on the first hole and managed to come back with a birdie on my third," Song said.

"Just while I was just struggling, Jacqui was having a birdiefest so I was just like, 'Wow, I need to keep up with her."'

The three leaders are winless on the LPGA Tour.

Carlota Ciganda and Madelene Sagstrom were a stroke back in the final event before the U.S. Women's Open next week at the Country Club of Charleston in South Carolina. Ciganda had a 65, and Sagstrom shot 66.

Nelly Korda, Nasa Hataoka and Ashleigh Buhai were seven-under.

Returning from a three-week break, Korda had a bogey-free 66. Hataoka and Buhai shot 67.

Brittany Lincicome had a 69 to get to five-under in her final event of the season as she prepares for the birth of a daughter in early September. Nordqvist (72), third-ranked Sung Hyun Park (66), Brooke Henderson (71) and Jessica Korda (68) also were five-under.

Hannah Green was best-placed from the Australians at three-under after shooting 69, while compatriot and world No.2 Minjee Lee sits at one-under after a disappointing 73.

Karie Webb (E) and Robyn Choi (E) just managed to beat the cut; a list which unfortunately included fellow Australians Katherine Kirk (four-over) and Su Oh (five-over).

Defending champion Ariya Jutanugarn and top-ranked Jin Young Ko were three-under after 68s. Lexi Thompson missed the cut by a stroke with rounds of 71 and 72.

Austria's Matthias Schwab has defied miserable conditions to claim the halfway lead as he chases a first European Tour title in the Made in Denmark event.

Strong winds and bursts of heavy rain made scoring difficult on day two at Himmerland Golf & Spa Resort on Friday.

However Schwab carded a superb, bogey-free 66 to finish eight under par, a shot ahead of Spain's Alejandro Canizares and France's Romain Langasque.

Australian Wade Ormsby is seven shots off the pace after carding 70 while Nick Cullen is another shot further back.

Jason Scrivener is only just on track to make the cut, falling nine shots off after bogeying six holes to card 74.

Leader Schwab, 24, said he was feeling good.

"I'm happy about how the day went and a little bit happy that it's over too because, especially early on, it was very difficult and not much fun to be out there with rain and wind and very cold," he said.

Defending champion Matt Wallace, who finished joint third in the US PGA Championship last week, fell six shots off the pace after struggling to a 73, while Welshman Bradley Dredge had to withdraw due to a pre-existing heart condition.

Dredge had shot 76 in the first round but was two under for 11 holes on Friday before pulling out as a precaution.