Pittsburgh Golf Now’s Betting Picks for Rocket Mortgage Classic

After an exciting weekend at the Travelers Championship, where Keegan Bradley dominated the impressive field by winning with a score of 23 under par, the PGA Tour now shifts to Detroit Golf Club for the Rocket Mortgage Classic.

Just like last week, be ready for some very low scores at this tournament. This event is not elevated, but there is still some serious star power playing this week. 

The Detroit Golf Club is a Donald Ross design; it is 7,370 yards and will be playing at a par 72. The only defense this course has to its competitors is the small greens. Players have to hit and be able to putt on these unique greens.

Players have many different ways to play this course. A lot of experts will say the “bomb and gauge” strategy works the best here because of past winners like Bryson Dechambeau and Cam Davis, but we have also seen shorter hitters win here like Tony FInau and Nate Lashley. With the Rocket Mortgage only being on tour for five years, I think it is still up for debate which play style fits here the best. 

In my opinion there is a couple determining factors this week we can use to gain an advantage and win some bets! I once again will be picking five outrights and five placement bets. Last week we hit four of five placement bets for a nice profit, and Denny McCarthy gave us hope for an outright winner until Sunday, when Keegan Bradley stole the show.

This week I think the approach game is going to be a huge factor. A lot of the time at the Detroit Golf Club players will be hitting driver off the tee and then a wedge into the green. One of my favorite stats while doing research for this tournament is 46 percent of approaches at DGC are coming from under 150 yards. It shows how short this course can be for a lot of players and how often they will find themselves with a wedge in their hand.

I also think with this course being so wide open for players off the tee, strokes gained off the tee will also be very important. There are minimal hazards on this course and the rough isn’t going to ruin many shots. Lastly, I think players coming into this event either need to be putting well lately, or have always putted well here.

Anyways, enough with the golf lingo and statistics lets get into some bets! 

OUTRIGHTS

Rickie Fowler | Win | 14/1 

Is It finally Rickie’s time? Man, do I hope so! Rickies form has been so impressive this year, finishing 13th at the Travelers last week after a fifth at the U.S. Open. In his last nine tournaments he’s only finished outside the top 20 once.

Everybody is a Rickie fan and I think everybody wants to see him win this year at some point. Some handicappers will tell you 14/1 is too expensive for Rickie, but in my opinion all signs are pointing to Rickie this week. We know he can compete in a birdie contest, which is what this week is going to turn into.

His putting has been phenomenal, gaining 4.5 strokes at the Travelers and 3.6 strokes at the U.S. Open. His approach game has also been fantastic this year, in his last three tournaments he’s gaining a little over three strokes on his approaches. The only thing Rickie has done below average this year is his driving off the tee, but we know this week without any hazards or threatening rough in play, Rickie should have no troubles bombing it away here.

Hideki Matsuyama | Win | 16/1

After his neck injury and missing two cuts in late February and March, Hideki finally looks a lot like his old self. The good part of Hideki’s game is his approach game and his ball striking. He’s a top 10 player in both of those categories on tour, but Hideki also has his flaws.

He has always struggled putting and sometimes around the greens. Hideki has also lost a little bit of distance off the tee since his injury. This week however I am super high on Hideki. He ranks first in the PGA Tour when it comes to approach shots 150 yards in. He also throughout his career has putted better here than he usually does at other courses on tour.

He also played here three times in the last five years, 2022 he had to withdraw, but 2021 he finished 21st and 2020 he finished 13th. If Hidekis putter can get hot this week, I think he’s a great bet.

Tom Kim | Win | 20/1

He made an appearance in the betting card last week and now he’s back again. Maybe it’s fandom, maybe it’s me having FOMO, but I know Tom Kim is going to win soon, and his game fits perfectly here. He finished seventh last year and is back to play again this year to gain some momentum in his game before the Open Championship next month.

It’s been an up and down year for Tom Kim, in his last 4 starts he has missed two cuts, but he finished eighth at the U.S. Open and 36th at the Travelers. Kim is still young and figuring out his game, but I think we have learned early on he’s an elite ball-striker that’s not going to miss many greens.

His putting can be hot and cold as well. I think here he’s going to stick it close and not have to deal with many putts 25 feet plus. Kim has also putted better here than he usually does at other events. He also ranks 11th on Tour for strokes gained approach from 150 yards in. If Kim can hit fairways this week and have his putter not cost him strokes, he has a great chance of winning this thing.

Ludvig Åberg | Win | 40/1 

Åberg cashed our top-40 bet last week easily and I’m ready to bet him again. This time I think he has a real chance at winning. He’s getting comfortable on tour and he finally gets to play in a field that’s not loaded with the best players. He’s fantastic off the tee since joining the tour this year and he always plays aggressive.

With 4 par 5s being on the course this week, I think Ludvig will play fearlessly and score very low here. He also fits the mold this week with his great ball striking and putting game. Ludvig is going to win soon just like we have seen other college players do when they make it on Tour early, like Matthew Wolff and Collin Morikawa.

Austin Eckroat | Win | 50/1

It’s a non elevated event, so you can’t play all superstars. These next couple events don’t have the firepower majors and elevated events have. I wouldn’t be surprised seeing someone win for the first time on Tour, someone that’s a little lesser known. 

My pick this week for that to happen is Austin Eckroat. He’s been in fantastic form, finishing top 30 in his last five events, most notably 10th at the U.S. Open and second at the Bryon Nelson.

What’s so great about Austin’s game is there really isn’t a weak point. He drives about Tour-average distance. He gains strokes everywhere on the course. The best part of his game this year is his approach shots and his putting. In his last five tournaments he’s gaining 1.9 strokes approach, 2.4 strokes putting, and 2.4 strokes off the tee.

For my theory this week this should bode well for him. He’s not going to spray the ball off the tee and he can definitely compete in the chip-and-putt contest this tournament might turn into. 

PLACEMENTS

Max Homa | Top 20 | +125

I think it’s a perfect week to buy low on Max Homa. Remember when everybody was crowing him the U.S. Open champ? Now he’s missed two straight cuts. The good news is Homa finished 25th here last year, while losing strokes on his approach shots. I think Max has shown this year that his approach game has leveled up. If his wedges are on, Max can compete in a birdie contest.

J.J. Spaun | Top 40 | -115

J.J. missed the cut last week, but in a lesser field and a golf course he’s familiar with, I think he plays really well this week. My biggest reason why is J.J. is notoriously a bad putter, but he always putts well here. Two years in a row his best putting performance of the year has been here at the Detroit Golf Club. He also finished eighth last year at this event.

Ben Martin | Top 40 | +220

A little riskier of a bet here, but plus money is always enticing. Every model I ran this week, Ben Martin pops up. This tournament has only been in existence for five years and twice two people have won with odds greater than 100/1 — Cam Davis and Nate Lashley. I don’t know if Martin can win, but I do think he plays pretty well this week.

Gordon Sargent | Top 40 | +140

Another young star in the making is Gordon Sargent out of Vanderbilt University. We have only seen him twice this year, making the cut once at the U.S. Open. I think it’s a good week for Sargent to play cocky and bomb the ball. His average drive on tour is 324 yards and I think his wedges and putter can keep pace in this field.

Keegan Bradley | Top 40 | -150

A safe bet this week? Nothing is a guarantee, but after seeing Keegan’s recent form I can’t see him not making the cut this week and contending. My only concern is the victory hangover from last week, but I think Keegan is loving golf again and wants to play well every week.