Rocket Classic Tournament Preview
We are off to Detroit for the Rocket Classic at Detroit Golf Club. In this article, we will breakdown the course itself, identify the key metrics to success, create a course fit model and use that data to identify some of the best option on Draftkings for this week's tournament.
Rocket Classic - Detroit Golf Club
- Par 70, 7,370 yards
- Par 3s: 4
- Par 4s: 12
- Par 5s: 2
- Greens: Bentgrass/Poa
- Green Size: 5,500 sq. ft.
- Water: 0 Holes
- Design: Original - Donald Ross, 1909, Redesign - Tyler Rae, 2025
- Location: Detroit, MI
- Format: Non-Elevated
- Field: 141 Golfers
- Cut: 36 Hole Cut, Top 65 + Ties
- Purse: $10,000,000
About the Course:
Detroit Golf Club as we know it from previous iterations is a thing of the past. Tyler Rae has completely overhauled this entire course to give it a similar design to what Donald Ross originally envisioned back in the early 1900s. Just to give a rundown of all of the changes. Again, the course went from a Par 72 to a Par 70 with two of the Par 5s converting to long Par 4s. They removed a lot of trees to widen the fairways and positioned multiple new bunkers to make it tougher for bombers to just rip driver as far as possible. A lot of the green complexes now have more undulation, making approach shots in more of a strategic game vs. pin seeking. To give a rundown of how we expect to see the golf course played, off of the tee will be a blend of distance and accuracy, opening things up for shorter hitters to possibly thrive. Bombers can still hit it far, but they run into possibly finding the new fairway bunkers. On approach, you will have to be a lot more strategic, making approach play incredibly important. Missing to the wrong parts of these greens will make it tough to save par. With this being an incredibly long course, we will have more emphasis on long iron approach shots vs. the mid to short irons. Around the green itself, I think will play more of a factor than years past with the expected GIR% to go down and the shots themselves increasing in difficulty. Lastly, putting will likely be necessary to make your way up the leaderboard with the winning score still pushing -20 if not higher.
Inside the Field:
This field is 141 golfers deep, with 8 of the top 25 in the OWGR all teeing it up. Featured golfers include Cam Young, Russell Henley, Chris Gotterup, Wyndham Clark, JJ Spaun, Xander Schauffele, Si Woo Kim and rising star Jackson Koivun. We have a good blend of top notch golfers looking to continue their strong run of form and young, up and comers looking to make a name for themselves. Not only that, but for the first time since 2017, Youtube sensation Brad Dalke will be teeing it up in a PGA Tour event. Can he compete amongst some of the best on the planet? Only time will tell.
Below is a Tournament Breakdown, looking at some of the favorable golfers and using the best data possible to make informed decisions on who to target on DraftKings or the betting markets for this week:
Course Fit Model:
Here are the metrics I will be basing my Course Fit Model on:
- SG:APR - 15%
- SG:ARG = 10%
- SG:PUTT = 10%
- Birdie or Better % = 10%
- Total Driving = 10%
- SG:OTT = 5%
- Driving Distance = 5%
- Sand Saves = 5%
- SG: PUTT Bentgrass = 5%
- 175-200 yards = 5%
- 200-225 yards = 5%
- SG:TOT 2+ = 5%
- SG: Long Courses = 5%
- Club Speed = 5%
Favorite Golfers:
$9,000 Range and Above:
- Chris Gotterup ($9,800): Even with the course changes, it still should play more towards distance which he is well at the top of in this price range. He makes a ton of birdies which is going to be necessary and is top 20 in this field in gaining 2+ strokes on the field which is going to be a big separator this week. He is a very strong putter having gained in 13 of the last 14 events with the flat stick so sign me up for Gotterup at this price tag. This course feels like a perfect fit for him to possibly capture his 4th win of the season.
Other Notables: Cam Young, Si Woo Kim, Wyndham Clark
$8,000 Range:
- Jake Knapp ($8,800): He hits it far, picks up birdies at an elite rate and is coming off of a week where he gained 7 strokes on approach. That was the exact bounce back I needed to see to jump back on the Knapp train.
Other Notables: JJ Spaun, Akshay Bhatia, Rickie Fowler, Brooks Koepka
$7,000 Range:
- Kevin Yu ($7,200): Yu hits it far, picks up birdies at an elite rate and has been good enough over the last 36 rounds with his irons and putter that I think he can continue his strong run of form where he has 3 top 25s in his last 4 events. He feels similar to a discount Jake Knapp when it comes to course fit.
Other Notables: Keegan Bradley, Davis Thompson, Eric Cole, Jackson Suber, Johnny Keefer. Mac Meissner, Christian Bezuidenhout, Jordan L. Smith, Sudershan Yellamaraju, Stephan Jaeger, Taylor Pendrith, John Parry
$6,000 Range:
- AJ Ewart ($6,800): While he doesn’t hit it the furthest, he makes up for it his great long irons and putting. He is 1st in this entire field in SG:PUTT on Bentgrass which is the grass type on these greens and is also top 35 in Birdie or Better %. The combination of putting and approach play should be on full display this week and as long as he can keep his driver in check then finding his way into the cut and up the leaderboard shouldn’t be a tall task.
Other Notables: Chris Kirk, Zach Bauchou, William Mouw, Austin Eckroat, Erik Van Rooyen
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