PGA Power Rankings: Top 5 Golfers For 2024 Rocket Mortgage Classic

PGA Power Rankings: Top 5 Golfers For 2024 Rocket Mortgage Classic

A field of 156 golfers are set to tee off during the 2024 Rocket Mortgage Classic at Detroit Golf Club on Thursday.

This event has been a birdie-fest since it was added to the PGA Tour schedule in 2019. Last year's winner, Rickie Fowler, won a one-hole playoff to end a multi-year win drought, defeating Collin Morikawa and Adam Hadwin. Fowler returns with lackluster production on the PGA Tour in 2024, which is why oddsmakers have him valued at +5000 in the outright winner betting market.

Tom Kim, who forced a playoff against Scottie Scheffler at the Travelers Championship on Sunday with a clutch birdie putt on the 18th hole, will look to bounce back after falling to the World No. 1 on the first playoff hole at TPC River Highlands. Kim is the betting favorite at 12-1 odds this week, despite missing the cut at this event in 2023. He did record a solo seventh-place finish at the 2022 Rocket Mortgage Classic.

Cameron Young, fresh off of shooting a round of 59 on Saturday at Travelers, is the second betting favorite at 14-1 odds. Young's last outing at this event yielded a runner-up finish at 21-under-par, winding up five strokes behind outright winner, Tony Finau.

PGA handicapper Matt MacKay is back to share his latest power rankings, a course overview of Detroit Golf Club, and how to watch the action unfold this week at the 2024 Rocket Mortgage Classic.

2024 ROCKET MORTGAGE CLASSIC START TIME AND WHERE TO WATCH

• Date: June 27-30, 2024
• Where: Detroit Golf Club (North Course), Detroit, Michigan
• Where to Watch: ESPN+, Golf Channel, CBS

Click here for the latest the Rocket Mortgage Classic odds

ROCKET MORTGAGE CLASSIC COURSE

Detroit Golf Club is a par 72 that runs 7,330 yards in length. Originally a Donald Ross design, it's among the flattest courses on the PGA Tour circuit, while utilizing a piece of the South Course on the third hole par 4. Otherwise, the entirety of the event is played on the North Course.

Water hazards are present but don't oversaturate the course. With Poa annua greens running 12.5 feet via Stimpmeter, the two-tiered putting surfaces will provide a bit of a challenge at times, measuring 5,150 square feet for average surface area.

Four inch rough and a few tight fairways with undulations demand precision off-the-tee on on approach to avoid errant lies. Birdies should be flowing, so making bogey feels like an extra obstacle to overcome at Detroit Golf Club this week. Tree-lined fairways and plenty of sand bunkers form the majority of hazards

ROCKET MORTGAGE CLASSIC ODDS

2024 ROCKET MORTGAGE CLASSIC POWER RANKINGS

1. CAMERON YOUNG +1400 CLICK HERE TO SEE WHICH SPORTSBOOK HAS THE BEST ODDS

It'd been a rough stretch for Cameron Young after falling short of victory at Valspar to Peter Malnati in late March. We've seen Young record seven runner-up finishes in search of his first PGA Tour victory, but he nearly tied the record for lowest round at TPC River Highlands last week with a 59 in Round 3, while opening up with four more consecutive birdies to open up Round 4.

Young posted a runner-up finish during his only previous outing at Detroit Golf Club in 2022. He's 14-1 in the outright winner betting market, behind only Tom Kim, so oddsmakers agree that Young is likely going to contend this week. Ranked 21st strokes gained: off-the-tee, plus 39th tee-to-green, Young's putter is the X-factor.

A half unit wager at 14-1 is sufficient to place on Young as he searches for his first outright win since joining the PGA Tour in 2022.

2. AKSHAY BHATIA +2000 CLICK HERE TO SEE WHICH SPORTSBOOK HAS THE BEST ODDS

Akshay Bhatia contended for most of the week at Travelers, falling short on Sunday in the final group with Scottie Scheffler and Kim. Bhatia has two wins in the past calendar year, including a playoff win at Valero over Denny McCarthy.

Ranked 36th strokes gained: off-the-tee, 23rd strokes gained: approaching the green, and 29th strokes gained: putting, Bhatia has minimal flaws in his game right now. 20-1 is solid value considering his form, recording three consecutive finishes inside the top-25, including T5 at Travelers on Sunday.

Yes, he missed the cut here in 2023, but Bhatia is a different player right now. A half unit wager at 20-1 is justified.

3. TAYLOR PENDRITH +2500 CLICK HERE TO SEE WHICH SPORTSBOOK HAS THE BEST ODDS

Taylor Pendrith finally broke through with his first PGA Tour win at The CJ Cup Byron Nelson a couple of months ago. Now, the Canadian is primed to contend once again at a course he's played well at in previous appearances.

Pendrith has gone T14 and T2 since 2022 at the Rocket Mortgage Classic. He's ranked fourth strokes gained: putting, inside the top-50 for total driving, and has a 34.4 percent birdie or better conversion rate, 13th best on the PGA Tour this season.

It's mostly his putter that keeps him in contention, but playing a course where he's had a lot of previous success, combined with his current form, posting seven top-25 finishes across his last nine events, warrants a 0.25 unit wager to be placed on Pendrith at 25-1 odds this week.

4. STEPHAN JAEGER +2500 CLICK HERE TO SEE WHICH SPORTSBOOK HAS THE BEST ODDS

Another golfer I like in the 25-1 range is Stephan Jaeger. The German has also enjoyed similar success to Pendrith, posting back-to-back top-ten finishes at Detroit Golf Club in 2022 and 2023.

Jaeger beat Scheffler at the Houston Open in late March and he's ranked top-40 in total strokes gained metrics, including 26th tee-to-green, 27th off-the-tee, and 33rd around the green. His irons and putter need to improve a bit, however, Jaeger is also eighth in going for the green percentage.

Three of his past four finishes have been outside the top-25, which is why we're getting this number on Jaeger at Detroit Golf Club. A 0.25 unit wager returns over six units of profit, so don't miss out on Jaeger before his opening round gets underway on Thursday.

5. AARON RAI +3000 CLICK HERE TO SEE WHICH SPORTSBOOK HAS THE BEST ODDS

Aaron Rai started red-hot at the 2023 Rocket Mortgage Classic, going 7-under-par. Then, the Englishman faltered in the final round, going 1-under-par to wind up with a T9 finish on the final leaderboard.

Rai has yet to record an outright win since joining the PGA Tour in 2022, however, he's among the best iron players in this field. Rai ranks seventh strokes gained: approaching the green, which is a pivotal skillset to possess at Detroit Golf Club. He's also 26th strokes gained: off-the-tee, giving Rai a solid one-two punch to create numerous birdie putt opportunities.

Around the green, Rai is fine, but his putter has been an issue, ranked 118th strokes gained: putting in 2024. His accurate driver, paired with precise ball-striking, still means we should place a 0.25 unit wager on Rai to contend for his first outright win this week in Detroit.

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GOLF ODDS

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