Photo: Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports
Riley Hamel
June 25, 2024 10:05 am ET
After a busy signature event-major championship-signature event stretch, the PGA Tour heads to Detroit and Detroit Golf Club for the 2024 Rocket Mortgage Classic. Defending champion Rickie Fowler — T-20 at the Travelers Championship last week — and Mr. 59 Cameron Young highlight the field in Michigan.
Since the tournament’s debut in 2019, the winning scores have been 25 under (Nate Lashley, 2019), 23 under (Bryson DeChambeau, 2020), 18 under (Cameron Davis, 2021), 26 under (Tony Finau, 2022) and 24 under (Fowler, 2023). So, like last week in Cromwell, Connecticut, expect a birdie-fest.
Travelers Championship runner-up Tom Kim is the betting favorite at 12/1, followed by Young at 16/1, Min Woo Lee at 20/1 and Akshay Bhatia at 22/1.
Before we cover five picks for the week, let’s take a look at the odds, tournament history and golf course information.
Golf course
Detroit Golf Club | Par 72 | 7,370 yards | Donald Ross design
Course history
— Ron Klos (@PGASplits101) June 24, 2024Course history at Detroit Golf Club for the @RocketClassic going back to its start in 2019.
-Includes average finish position and Strokes Gained per round in each category. Players are sorted by SG: Total.
-12th least predictive annual course on Tour. pic.twitter.com/XCL0J1Zp5o
Betting odds
| Player | Odds | Player | Odds |
| Tom Kim | +1200 | Aaron Rai | +3000 |
| Cameron Young | +1600 | Robert MacIntyre | +3500 |
| Min Woo Lee | +2000 | Davis Thompson | +3500 |
| Akshay Bhatia | +2200 | Rickie Fowler | +4500 |
| Stephan Jaeger | +2500 | Taylor Moore | +5000 |
| Maverick McNealy | +2800 | Matt Wallace | +5000 |
| Alex Noren | +2800 | Ryan Fox | +5500 |
| Will Zalatoris | +3000 | Chris Kirk | +5500 |
| Taylor Pendrith | +3000 | Ben Griffin | +5500 |
| Keith Mitchell | +3000 | Adam Svensson | +5500 |
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Picks to win
Stephan Jaeger (25/1)
Stephan Jaeger acknowledges the fans after making a putt on the 15th green during the third round of the RBC Heritage golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports
Jaeger has loved him some Detroit Golf Club over the last two seasons, finishing solo fifth in 2022 and T-9 a year ago.
The German ranks 24th in birdie or better percentage entering the week, an important stat for an event that will surely have a winning score of 20 under or deeper. His newfound distance off the tee — ranks 17th on Tour — will come in handy at a golf course that can be overpowered a bit.
Jaeger tied for 21st at the U.S. Open and 31st at the Travelers in his last two starts.
Taylor Pendrith (30/1)
Taylor Pendrith hits a tee shot from the 2nd hole during the final round of THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Dieb-USA TODAY Sports
Pendrith has been playing consistent golf for the majority of 2024. In his last four starts, the Canadian has finished T-21 (RBC Canadian Open), T-33 (Memorial), T-16 (U.S. Open) and T-23 (Travelers Championship).
In two previous starts at the Rocket Mortgage Classic, Pendrith has finished T-2 (2022) and T-14 (2023).
His game perfectly fits this track. Don’t be surprised if he’s in the mix again Sunday.
Aaron Rai (30/1)
Aaron Rai plays his shot from the second tee during the third round of THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III-USA TODAY Sports
Rai’s name has been bouncing around leaderboards for the last few months. Since the start of May, the Englishman has finished T-4 (CJ Cup Byron Nelson), T-39 (PGA Championship), T-32 (Charles Schwab Challenge), T-14 (RBC Canadian Open) and T-19 (U.S. Open).
In his lone start at Detroit Golf Club, Rai tied for ninth in 2023.
Davis Thompson (35/1)
Davis Thompson acknowledges the gallery after putting on the first green during the final round of the U.S. Open golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports
Since missing the cut at the CJ Cup Byron Nelson, Thompson has grabbed finishes of T-2 (Myrtle Beach Classic), T-17 (Charles Schwab Challenge), MC (RBC Canadian Open), T-27 (Memorial) and T-9 (U.S. Open).
Thompson has made it to the weekend in both appearances at the Rocket Mortgage Classic, highlighted by a T-24 finish in 2023.
Jake Knapp (110/1)
Jake Knapp walks from the second tee during the third round of THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III-USA TODAY Sports
Knapp hasn’t had his best stuff of late — three missed cuts in his last four starts — but this pick is about feel and course fit.
The 30-year-old can absolutely pound it off the tee and will use that as a weapon around this Donald Ross design.
Thirty percent of approaches at DGC come from wedge range — 50-125 yards — and Knapp ranks 21st on Tour from that range and 11th from 100-125 yards.
In a weak field and at these odds, Knapp is worth a flyer.
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