Golf fans, if you tailed our last article for the Travelers Championship, then you cashed in on 2 of 3 tickets! This week we head to Detroit, Michigan for the Rocket Mortgage Classic, where the weather is expected to be a nice 76-83 degrees the entire weekend! This field does not have a lot of top end names, but there is still some value on the board!
The Course
The Rocket Mortgage Classic is held at the Detroit Golf Club. This course loves long hitters, players with a strong approach game, and ones that know their way around the putting surface. Past winners of this course can drive the long ball.
In order to finish well, you need to have a strong strokes-gained(SG) overall game, and good scrambling. The guys I targeted are strong in these two categories for the most part, along with putting, course history, and recent form.
Alex Noren Will Show Top Form Again
In last year's event he finished T9, and in 2021, he finished T4, he knows this course. This season he has been on a tear, finishing top 30 in 11 of his 15 events, hitting 9 of his last 11, where the 2 he missed cut. Long story short, if he makes the cut he has a high percentage to finish inside the top 30.
Noren ranks 9th in SG:Total, 20th in greens in regulation, 5th in scoring average, 3rd in scrambling, and 7th in scrambling from the rough. His 37th ranking in SG: Approach to green and SG: Putting ranking of 55th, will help him navigate this field this weekend.
Stephan Jaeger Looking For Another Great Finish Here
Stephan has had a great run in this event, finishing T9 last year and solo 5th in 2022. His form has also been good enough to make it on this card this weekend. He has 8 top 30 finishes in 17 events, missing 4 cuts. He has finished top 30 in 5 of his last 9 events.
He finished T21 at the US Open, then T31 at last week's event, coming in with good form. He ranks 37th in SG: Total, 27th SG: Off the tee, 22nd in birdie average, 43rd in scoring average, 16th in total driving and 17th in driving distance. His putting average of 44th, and scrambling from rough of 40th should give him a good shot to finish well again.
Taylor Pendrith May Win This Event
Taylor finished T14th last year, and T2nd in 2022, he’s been close to touching this crown. If you wanted a shot at winner, he would be a good option. He has been in 17 events this season, missed 7 cuts, but when he makes the cut he usually finishes high on the leaderboard.
All 10 finishes have been inside top 40, 8 have been inside top 30, 4 top 10s, and he won the CJ Cup Byron Nelson. He ranks 27th in SG: Total and 4th in SG: Putting. He is a master around the greens with his putter ranking 5th in putter average. He ranks 55th in scrambling, 62nd from around the rough, and 15th in driving distance. All recipes for success on a course like this.
Aaron Rai Has Another Top 40 In Him
Aaron has finished inside the top 40 in 5 straight events, coming in with spectacular form! He placed T9 at last year's event, so he does have some knowledge about the course as well. Aaron has finished top 40 in 10 of his 16 events and this number is too good to pass up.
Aaron ranks 11th on tour in SG: Total, 26th in SG: Off the tee, and 7th in SG: Approach to the green. His putting rankings are not the greatest, but he ranks 24th in proximity, 21st in scrambling, and 6th in greens in regulation. If he stays sharp with his approach game leaving good putts, his putting should not be an issue this weekend!
Best Bets:
Alex Noren Top 30 (+105) Bet365
Stephan Jaeger Top 30 (-105) Bet365
Taylor Pendrith Top 30 (+105) Bet365
Aaron Rai Top 40 (-130) Bet365
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