The Detroit Golf Club will once again play host to the 2022 Rocket Mortgage Classic, which tees off Thursday morning.
This is the fourth year the event will be held , and it remains the only PGA Tour stop to ever set foot within the Detroit city limits.
And for local sports bettors, the key word in “Rocket Mortgage Classic” is “rocket,” as this course is built for bombers, with little to no water hazards and a rough that won’t remind anyone of St. Andrews. But as with many courses that allow for big hitters, being able to actually put the ball in the hole on the putting green is going to be the main differentiator.
“In the first three editions of this event, we have seen winning scores of -18, -23, and -25,” said Justin Van Zuiden, a PGA expert at RotoGrinders, a sister site of MI Bets. “Detroit Golf Club has allowed the lowest double bogey or worse rate on the PGA Tour over those three years. There simply aren’t a lot of trouble spots on this course, which means we should see a birdie fest with plenty of scoring opportunities in the absence of significant wind.”
As a result of the “easy” nature of the course, Van Zuiden isn’t writing anyone off, especially due to recent form.
“Don’t be afraid to target golfers who have talent but disappointed last week,” he said. “Davis Riley and Sahith Theegala are a couple of my favorites that you can get with decent odds to win.”
Riley’s best odds to win can be found at DraftKings at +4000, while Theegala can be found for the same price at BetMGM.
Bombs away
For Derek “Notorious” Farnsworth, another RotoGrinders PGA expert, it’s those bombers that are catching his eye this week.
“While being a bomber isn’t a prerequisite to winning at Detroit Golf Club, it certainly doesn’t hurt,” Farsnworth said. “The fairways are wide and, unlike last week at the 3M Open, there are very few hazards that you can find off the tee. The field should be able to pepper these greens, and when that happens, it usually turns into a putting contest.
“I am a big fan of the bomber and putter combination this week, and we’ve already seen that duo work wonders at this course when Bryson DeChambeau won here in 2020. Max Homa and Cameron Young stand out at the top of the board, while the likes of Wyndham Clark, Patrick Rodgers, and Beau Hossler are interesting sleepers if you are looking for some placement bets.”
Homa can be had for +2500 at BetMGM, and Young is +1800 at DraftKings.
As for some Top 20-finisher odds on those lesser names Noto mentioned, Rodgers is +300, Clark +350, and Hossler +450, all at DraftKings.
The favorite for the tournament is Patrick Cantlay, who can be had for +1000 at assorted sportsbooks, including FanDuel. Last week’s winner at the 3M Open Classic, Tony Finau – who has a trio of top five finishes in his last six tournaments – is the second favorite, with odds as high as +1600 at BetMGM.
Meanwhile, last year’s winner, Cameron Davis, is up to +3300 at PointsBet.
