The PGA Tour heads to Detroit this week for the Rocket Mortgage Classic! This will continue our PGA Tour odds series as we hand out a Rocket Mortgage Classic prediction and pick. We will also let you know how to watch the event.
Scottie Scheffler won last weekend at the Travelers Championship, and nobody is surprised. Luckily for everyone participating at the Rocket Mortgage Classic, Scheffler is taking the week off. This truly means anybody can win this event. In fact, the highest ranked player in the FedEx Cup rankings is Akshay Bhatia, and he is 15th.
The Rocket Mortgage Classic is played at Detroit Golf Club in Detroit, Michigan. It is going to be rainy to begin the week in Detroit, but Thursday and Friday should remain dry. Saturday there is some rain in the forecast, and then dry again on Sunday. Nonetheless, this course should play somewhat easy. It comes in at just over 7,300 yards, and is a par-72. Last season, Rickie Fowler was able to win in a playoff, and he shot 24-under par.
Detroit Golf Club plays more normal than the past courses the PGA Tour has gone to. It is back to a par-72, and the yardage is pretty standard. However, the course is just a bit easier. The par-4 holes really give golfers the chance for birdie. They are short, so it will be interesting to see if golfers decide to go with driver off the tee. Nonetheless, the golfers this weekend have to be comfortable with their short irons. There is going to be plenty of use with those this weekend, so approach shots from 170 yards and in are going to play a big part.
Rocket Mortgage Classic odds, courtesy of FanDuel
Rocket Mortgage Classic odds
Tom Kim: +1200
Cameron Young: +1400
Min Woo Lee: +1800
Akshay Bhatia: +2000
Taylor Pendrith: +2500
Stephan Jaeger: +2500
Alex Noren: +2800
Maverick McNealy: +2800
Aaron Rai: +3000
Keith Mitchell: +3300
Will Zalatoris: +3500
Robert MacIntyre: +3500
Davis Thompson: +3500
Rickie Fowler: +5000
Taylor Moore: +5000
Chris Kirk: +6000
Nicolai Hojgaard: +6000
Cam Davis: +7000
How to Watch Rocket Mortgage Classic
TV: Golf Channel
Stream: ESPN+
Time: 6:45 AM ET/ 3:45 AM PT
Rocket Mortgage Classic favorite picks
Tom Kim: Kim is young, but he is one of the best golfers on tour. Kim has been able to play very well, and he is coming off a second place finish at the Travelers Championship. Of everyone participating this weekend, Kim is second in total strokes gained in the past five events. He is striking the ball well, and he should be able to continue that in this one.
Min Woo Lee: Min Woo Lee has made 11 of his 12 cuts this season. He has just one top-10 finish, but he does have six top-25 finishes. Along with that, Min Woo Lee is eighth in strokes gained: off the tee. He is also 26th in driving accuracy. He should put himself in great position to hit greens in regulation this weekend. He needs to get much better at doing that, but if he can hit his irons well, he will be at the top of this leaderboard.
Maverick McNealy: McNealy has not played since the RBC Canadian Open, and he finished seventh in that event. On the season, McNealy is eighth in total strokes gained, seventh in putts per round, and fourth in scoring average. He has quietly been playing some very good golf lately, but he has yet to win this season. He seems due for a victory, and with the way he has been playing, McNealy should be at the top of the leaderboard on Sunday.
Rocket Mortgage Classic sleeper picks
Aaron Rai: Of everybody in the event this weekend, Rai leads the group in strokes gained: approach to green in the last five events played. Rai is also seventh in the entire PGA Tour in that category on the season. Rai is sixth in greens in regulation, as well. Rai hits his irons very well, and that will continue in this event. As long as Rai can hit sink his putts, he will finish at the top.
Robert MacIntyre: As mentioned, Kim is second in total strokes gained the last five events. The one person in front of him is McIntyre. McIntyre won the RBC Canadian Open, and he just finished T16 at the Travelers Championship. MacIntyre has a great chance to win this event, as long as he hits his irons well. He is 43rd in greens in regulation, so he does hit a fair amount of greens. If MacIntyre can strike it well, he will finish at the top of the leaderboard.
Rocket Mortgage Classic final prediction and pick
This event is up for grabs, so picking a winner is going to be extremely tough. However, I am going to take Tom Kim to win. He is playing very well, and I think he will carry the momentum from the Travelers Championship into the Rocket Mortgage Classic.
Rocket Mortgage Classic final prediction and pick: Tom Kim (+1200)