Rocket Mortgage Classic: One-and-Done Picks & Predictions

The 2024 Rocket Mortgage Classic is set to tee off from Detroit Golf Club on Thursday. It’s produced extremely low scores since being added as an event to the PGA Tour circuit in 2019. Four of the past five outright winners have recorded final scorecards of 23-under-par or lower, including 2023 champion, Rickie Fowler, who won at 24-under-par in a playoff against Collin Morikawa and Adam Hadwin.

Without Scottie Scheffler and most of the other top-ranked golfers on the PGA Tour in the field this week, it’s a great event to deploy lower-tier golfers in one-and-done and survivor league contests. In this article, I’ll recommend several golfers that warrant consideration at a course with wide fairways and small tiered greens that can yield low scores with strong putting ability.

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Big Guns

Tom Kim
Tom Kim missed the cut at the 2023 RMC but he’s coming off of a hard-fought playoff loss to Scottie Scheffler at the Travelers Championship. Ranked 13th in driving accuracy and 20th in birdie average, the South Korean native did turn in a solo seventh-place finish at Detroit Golf Club in 2022.

He’s best off the tee and can get red-hot, just like we saw at TPC River Highlands, so he’s a viable option this week.

Cameron Young
After going on an insane run in Round 3, Cameron Young’s 59 on Saturday held up early on Sunday. Then, regression hit, keeping Young from contending outright.

His only appearance at Detroit Golf Club came in 2022, when he carded a runner-up finish behind Tony Finau. His off-the-tee game is his strength, so don’t hesitate to deploy Young in one-and-done formats.

Secondary Options

Stephan Jaeger
Stephan Jaeger is set to make his return to an event he’s carded two consecutive top-ten finishes at since 2022. The German golfer beat Scheffler at the Houston Open in late March and hasn’t performed well lately, but he’s ranked 27th strokes gained: off-the-tee and 33rd strokes gained: around-the-green.

Putting and irons need some fine-tuning, but Jaeger’s historic success at this course is enough to justify using him in survivor contests this week.

Akshay Bhatia
Akshay Bhatia’s ascension into a top performer makes him one of the most intriguing prospects on the PGA Tour. His win at Valero during a playoff against Denny McCarthy showcased his talent, while his 10th top-25 finish and second top-ten finish of the season just came at TPC River Highlands this past weekend.

Ranked highly in all strokes gained metrics, excluding around the green, Bhatia is the third betting favorite in the outright winner market this week. He’s a strong secondary option.

Sneaky Plays

Taylor Pendrith
Canadian golfer Taylor Pendrith just broke through with his first career win at the CJ Cup Byron Nelson this season. Pendrith has a runner-up finish and another T14 finish since 2022 at Detroit Golf Club.

Ranked fourth strokes gained: putting and 15th driving distance, Pendrith should be a high performer at a course rewarding good play on the Poa annua greens this week.

Aaron Rai
Despite searching for his first PGA Tour win, Aaron Rai is an elite ball-striker who got off to a 7-under-par start at the 2023 Rocket Mortgage Classic. Ranked seventh strokes gained: approaching the green and 26th strokes gained: off-the-tee, Rai is a premium iron player whose only weakness is with the flat stick, ranked 118th strokes gained: putting.

Still, oddsmakers like his ability to contend at 35-1 odds this week, where he’ll look to record a second consecutive top-ten finish.

Favorite One-And-Done: Taylor Pendrith

Without a doubt, Taylor Pendrith is my favorite golfer to deploy in one-and-done leagues this week. Pendrith will make his third appearance at Detroit Golf Club, never falling outside of the top-15, plus he’s a phenomenal putter on the PGA Tour in 2024.

Entering this event with four top-ten finishes, including his first career win a couple of months ago, his powerful driver and talented putting ability make him a contender for the outright win this week. While his approach shots and game around the green need to be refined, this isn’t the type of course that punishes weaknesses in those areas.

Pendrith has four top-25 finishes in the past six events he’s played, not including his outright win, so he’s a prime candidate to deploy in survivor and one-and-done leagues at the 2024 Rocket Mortgage Classic.