2024 Rocket Mortgage Challenge: Preview, Props, Best Bets
The race is on for the PGA Tour's rank-and-file with only six weeks of tournaments remaining to qualify for the FedEx Cup Playoffs.
This week's Rocket Mortgage Classic presents a great opportunity for the field, with only one top-20 player making the trip to Detroit. The grind is on for those trying to earn -- or keep -- their spots in the playoffs and trying to get into the top 50 in the world for next year's signature events.
Our golf experts preview the event starting Thursday at Detroit Golf Club, and provide their favorite prop picks along with best bets to win this week.
ROCKET MORTGAGE CLASSIC
Location: Detroit, June 27-30
Course: Detroit Golf Club, North Course (Par 72, 7,370 Yards)
Purse: $9.2M (Winner: $1.65M)
Defending Champion: Rickie Fowler
FedEx Cup Leader: Scottie Scheffler
HOW TO FOLLOW
TV: Thursday-Friday: 3-6 p.m. ET (Golf Channel); Saturday-Sunday: 1-3 p.m. (GC), 3-6 p.m. (CBS)
Streaming (ESPN+): Thursday-Friday, 6:45 a.m.-6 p.m. ET; Saturday-Sunday, 7 a.m.-6 p.m.
X: @RocketClassic
PROP PICKS
--Stephan Jaeger to Beat Taylor Pendrith (-110 at DraftKings): Jaeger isn't a household name, but he is playing some really solid golf. In addition to tying for ninth in Detroit last year, the German won the Texas Children's Houston Open in March and has finished T21 or better in four of his past seven starts. Pendrith also claimed his maiden PGA Tour win in May and is coming off a T16 at the U.S. Open and a T23 at the Travelers.
--Tom Kim Top 20 (+100 at BetRivers): Kim is enjoying an excellent string of golf following an inconsistent start to the year. Including last week's playoff loss to Scheffler, the young South Korean has made 10 consecutive cuts. While posting only three top-20s during that span, two of them have come in Kim's past four starts and he should fare well against a modest field.
--Alejandro Tosti Top South American (+165 at DraftKings): Tosti last teed it up at the Charles Schwab Challenge, where he tied for 17th following a T73 at the PGA Championship. The fiery Argentinian finished runner-up to Jaeger in Houston and has made five of his past seven cuts. The other three in this prop are Jhonattan Vegas (+230), Nico Echavarria (+260) and Camilo Villegas (+650)
2024 Prop Picks Record: 34-38-1
BEST BETS
--Tom Kim (+1200 at DraftKings) is the top-ranked player in the field at No. 16. He tees it up a week after losing to Scheffler in a playoff at the Travelers. Kim has been backed by the most total bets (9%) and money (10%) at the book.
--Cameron Young (+1600) is coming off a T9 last week that included a 59 in the third round. He finished runner-up here in his last visit in 2022, when Young tied the 18-hole record with a 63 in the second round. He's second at the book with 8 percent of the money supporting Young to finally claim his first PGA Tour title this week.
--Min Woo Lee (+2000) is coming off a T21 at the U.S. Open, his 11th made cut in 15 starts this year. The young Australian has also been backed by 8 percent of the money.
--Akshay Bhatia (+2200) finished T5 last week after a T16 at the U.S. Open.
--Stephan Jaeger (+2500) also tied the 18-hole record in the final round last year to finish T9. He has only two top-20s since winning the Texas Children's Houston Open.
NOTES
--Miles Russell, 15, makes his PGA Tour debut after being the youngest player to make the cut in a Korn Ferry Tour event. He is a +100000 longshot at BetRivers. Other sponsor's exemptions included Auburn star Jackson Koivun and Neal Shipley, who won low amateur at the Masters and U.S. Open.
--Detroit Golf Club is hosting the event for the sixth time.
--Fowler won a three-man playoff last year to claim his first tour title since 2019.
--Tony Finau set the tournament scoring record of 262 in 2022.
--The North Course is set to undergo a renovation following the completion of next year's event.
--Field Level Media REUTERS