Steve Palmer's free Rocket Classic predictions & golf betting tips: our golf guru has 45-1 and 40-1 selections
Golf tips, best bets and predictions for the Rocket Classic on the PGA Tour
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When to bet on the Rocket Classic
By 11.45am on Thursday
Where can I watch the Rocket Classic
Live on Sky Sports Golf from 5.30pm on Thursday
Steve Palmer's Rocket Classic predictions
Rickie Fowler
3pts each-way 45-1 bet365
Luke Clanton
3pts each-way 40-1 Betfair, Paddy Power
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Steve Palmer's Rocket Classic preview
Collin Morikawa heads the betting for the Rocket Classic, but it is difficult to get excited about him as a short-priced favourite. The Californian has not won a Stateside event since February 2021 and has been in unconvincing form since the Masters in April.
Morikawa, who sacked his long-time caddie at the end of April, was bemusing spectators at the Travelers Championship last week with his random use of his glove. He took it off for some drives, but had it on for shorter shots, looking ill at ease on his way to a share of 42nd place.
Steve Palmer's top tip
Rickie Fowler 45-1
The arrival of a second child last August contributed to Rickie Fowler's lack of form – he threw himself into fathering duties with his two young daughters – but there have been hugely encouraging signs in recent weeks that the former world number four is back in business.
Fowler, a Rocket Mortgage brand ambassador, will tee up in one of his favourite events this week and could win it for a second time. He was champion in 2023 and could get the job done again on the evidence of recent weeks.
An opening 63 in the Truist Championship last month was vintage Fowler. He went on to finish 15th, then showed flashes of his A-game at Colonial next time out, carding a Friday 64 on his way to 16th spot. Seventh at Memorial was another positive outing and last weekend at TPC River Highlands provided further encouragement.
Fowler got tailed off early in the Travelers, carrying an ice-cold putter, but closing rounds of 64 and 67 have sent him into the Rocket full of belief. Fowler matched the scoring of a triumphant Keegan Bradley over the final 36 holes of the Travelers – and beat Tommy Fleetwood by four shots over those two rounds.
Fowler's short-game was in fantastic nick on Sunday and the 36-year-old can claim a seventh PGA Tour title on Sunday.
Next best bet
Luke Clanton 40-1
A 21-year-old teeing up in just his third tournament as a professional looks ready for take-off in the Rocket. Luke Clanton was thrown in at the deep end in the Canadian Open this month – handed a tee-time with Rory McIlroy and Ludvig Aberg – and missed the cut. Last week was better as he took 34th place in an elite field of 72 in the Travelers and further improvement can be expected in Detroit.
Clanton made his course debut in Canada and in the Travelers, but he has competed at Detroit GC before, finishing tenth in last year's Rocket. That was his first regulation PGA Tour event and he outscored everyone in the field in round three, carding a 65.
Clanton nearly won the John Deere Classic the following week, finishing second, then was fifth in the Wyndham and second in the RSM Classic, so he contended for PGA Tour titles as an amateur. Pro success seems inevitable and this looks a golden opportunity.
Clanton signed for TaylorMade last week – a smart move considering he has always used TM irons and wedges. His driving cost him in Canada and the Travelers, so replacing his Titleist driver this week with a TM model could actually be a positive. The rest of his game has been in mint condition, so the cocksure youngster should contend if he finds enough fairways.
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Course guide for the Rocket Classic
- Course Detroit Golf Club, Detroit, Michigan
- Prize money $9.6m ($1.656m to the winner)
- Length 7,370 yards
- Par 72 – four par-fives; ten par-fours; four par-threes
- Field 156 The cut Top 65 and ties qualify for round three
- Highest-ranked players in field (world ranking in brackets) Collin Morikawa (5), Keegan Bradley (7), Hideki Matsuyama (12), Ben Griffin (17), Patrick Cantlay (20)
- Course records - 72 holes 262 Tony Finau (2022) 18 holes 63 Nate Lashley (2019, twice), JT Poston (2019), Davis Thompson (2021), Cameron Young (2022), Tom Kim (2022), Adam Hadwin (2023), Stephan Jaeger (2023)
- Course winners taking part Nate Lashley, Cameron Davis (twice), Tony Finau, Rickie Fowler
- When to bet By 11.45am on Thursday
- When to watch Live on Sky Sports Golf from 5.30pm on Thursday
- Time difference Michigan is five hours behind the UK and Ireland
- Last week – Travelers Championship 1 K Bradley (35-1), T2 T Fleetwood (35-1), R Henley (40-1), T4 H English (60-1), J Day (80-1), T6 S Scheffler (3-1), R McIlroy (12-1), 8 B Harman (80-1)
- Course type Parkland
- Course overview The inaugural Rocket Mortgage Classic at the Donald Ross-designed Detroit GC took place in 2019 and it has been played every year since. Despite tree-lined fairways, heavy bunkering and small, poa annua greens, the course has proved a doddle for the Tour stars, with an average winning score of better than 22 under par
- Story of last year Cam Davis won the Rocket for a second time, repelling a quartet of challengers by a shot
- Weather forecast The first two days carry a thunder threat, while plenty of breeze is expected on Friday, before a sunny, calm weekend
- Type of player suited to the challenge Big-hitters have generally been successful in the Rocket Mortgage Classics – Bryson DeChambeau, Cam Davis and Tony Finau are on the honours board – but every Rocket winner has putted well in the week of their victory
- Key attribute Touch/putting
Steve Palmer's Rocket Classic key stat
The average strokes-gained putting ranking of the six Rocket winners is 11.8
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