Weekly Preview: Rocket Mortgage Classic

This article is part of our Weekly PGA Preview series.

Rocket Mortgage Classic

Detroit Golf Club
Detroit, MI

The PGA Tour heads to Detroit for the fifth edition of the Rocket Mortgage Classic.

Well, this is it --  the rough patch of the season is finally here. There's no brutal stretch of events like there used to be when the majors were stretched out over five months, but this upcoming period could be tough for those of us that have become accustomed to top-notch on a weekly basis. Though we've got some weaker fields on the horizon, we do at least have a decent group of players teeing it up this week, and the Open Championship is not far away. We can do this!

As for the event at hand, a talented group of youngsters who just turned pro will be in the field, so we could see a breakthrough win for one of them. There is plenty of course history in play, so let's just enjoy this one and worry about next week and beyond when the time comes.

All odds via FanDuel Sportsbook as of 12:00 PM ET Wednesday.

LAST YEAR

Tony Finau shot a final-round 67 on his way to a five-stroke victory over Patrick Cantlay, Cameron Young and Taylor Pendrith.

FAVORITES

Rickie Fowler (14-1)

He won't have come full circle until he wins again -- which he will -- but this is a long way from where he was just a year ago. As a spokesperson for Rocket Mortgage, Fowler played in all four previous editions of this event, but he hasn't had much success. That should change this year, as he enters in great form. The only issue is that when a quality result is anticipated, it can be tough to deliver.

Tony Finau (14-1)

Though he ripped through this course last year, expectations probably won't be an issue for Finau, as his recent play leaves a lot to be desired. That should work to his advantage, though. While it's never easy to defend, I'm guessing most of the attention will be on Fowler, leaving Finau free to find his game. His recent play makes me wary of wagering on him, but he finished a whopping 26-under-par last year, and that gives me some confidence.

Justin Thomas (20-1)

One good showing and suddenly he's among the favorites again. It makes sense, as his poor play earlier this season was the actual surprise, not the fact he bounced back. The question remains, though, was Thomas simply in a funk earlier this year or was it something more? Considering his skill level and his age, I'm chalking it up to a bump in the road and nothing more. We should find out quickly if he's actually back, as this is a course he could decimate if he's on.

THE NEXT TIER

Tom Kim (22-1)

Speaking of rough patches, Kim was supposed to be the next big thing, and while he started this season well, he hit the skids soon thereafter. He appears to be back, though, and Kim is a golfer who rarely struggles to make birdies, so he has a chance to go really low in Detroit. I'm not sure there is enough value at this number, but he certainly warrants a look.

Ludvig Aberg (35-1)

Aberg hasn't shown an ability to close on the PGA Tour as of yet, but he is at least putting himself in position to finish well. Aberg seems like he's ready to make a move on the PGA Tour, but he's still working his way up the ranks. In his two starts since turning pro he has finished T24 and T25.

Brian Harman (50-1)

Harman played well in the fall, but his results in 2023 have been pretty poor. That started to change this past week with his runner-up at the Travelers Championship. Harman hasn't had much luck in this event, but he's always been pretty streaky, and if last week's result is a sign it could be worth putting down a few dollars to find out.

LONG SHOTS

Austin Eckroat (55-1)

As recently as a couple months ag  it looked like Eckroat would be fighting for his Tour card, but a recent hot stretch has put any worries about that in the rearview mirror. Eckroat first made noise at the Byron Nelson, where he posted a T2, but his solid play didn't stop there. In his four starts since, he didn't finish worse than T30. Yeah, that's a long way from winning, but he's heading in the right direction.

Chris Kirk (60-1)

The steam on Kirk has slowed since a stretch of golf that saw him post two top-3s and a win in four starts earlier this year. I realize he enters this week amid a string of three missed cuts, but check back on that Honda Classic win in February and you will see that it came after he missed the weekend two weeks prior. A week off should help Kirk get back on track, and he returns to a track on which he has never finished worse than T21.

ONE-AND-DONE LEAGUES

Highly-chosen Pick: Rickie Fowler - I can't argue with this pick. He's going to be popular, but I can't fault anyone for taking him in this spot. Fowler has a lot going for him, and as mentioned above, the only thing working against him is expectations. Fowler seems more comfortable on the course these days, and this could be the week he returns to the winner's circle.

Moderately-chosen Pick: Tom Kim - Everyone has been waiting for Kim to be the guy we saw late last year, and he appears to be close. He posted a T7 here last year, so maybe everything clicks and he picks up his third PGA Tour victory.

Lightly-chosen Pick: Chris Kirk - It's getting late in the game, and if you need to make a move you need to find someone off the radar. Kirk has a good track record here, but his recent results are going to scare most OAD players away. Kirk has plenty of upside, so if he can just start well he should post a top-10 -- or better.

Buyer Beware: Keegan Bradley - For the second time in as many weeks I'm listing the guy who won the last time out. I expected a major hangover for Wyndham Clark, and for the most part it played out that way. Bradley won last week in the northeast, which is huge for him being that's where he is from. The easy track might take less of a toll mentally, but I wouldn't expect too much from Bradley.

This Week: Chris Kirk - There are several good options to consider, but I used Fowler already and am afraid that Kim will be too popular. I honestly can't remember the last time I took someone off of three missed cuts, but Kirk's track record here makes me think he will post a useful result.

Previous Results

FANDUEL PICKS

Upper Range: Rickie Fowler ($12,000)
Middle Range: Chris Kirk ($10,200)
Lower Range: Mark Hubbard ($8,800)

SURVIVOR LEAGUES

This Week: Tom Kim - I fully expect Kirk to play well, but the missed cuts are a little too much to overlook in this format. Kim hasn't been ultra-reliable this season, but he has made a lot of cuts and seems to be finding his groove again.

Previous Results