Reserved for the Fourth of July weekend in recent years, the 2022 Rocket Mortgage Classic has been pushed back on the playing calendar, and as such, it has gained added importance. Becoming the second-to-last regular season event on the PGA Tour schedule, the Rocket Mortgage Classic will welcome those players itching to make a late-season push into the postseason.
Headlined by last year's PGA Tour Player of the Year and FedEx Cup champion Patrick Cantlay, the field at Detroit Golf Club is surprisingly stout. Alongside Cantlay is a trio of neophytes in Cameron Young, Davis Riley and Sahith Theegala who are looking to edge each other out for Rookie of the Year considerations.
PGA Tour veterans Adam Scott, Webb Simpson, Kevin Kisner and Harris English will also make the trip to the Motor City. Simpson is of particular interest given his position in the FedEx Cup standings as he checks in at No. 125 coming into the week. While his affinity for the Wyndham Championship is well known, the 36-year-old will attempt to distance himself from the playoff bubble before heading to Sedgefield Country Club for the regular-season finale.
Other notables on the cusp of missing the playoffs include Jason Day, Rickie Fowler and Cameron Champ, who have all experienced disappointing seasons. Yet as we saw last week, fortunes can change in just four days and the 2022 Rocket Mortgage Classic presents a fantastic opportunity for players to turn a mediocre year into a memorable one.
Let's take a closer look at this week's tournament with odds provided via Caesars Sportsbook.
Event Information
Event: Rocket Mortgage Classic | Dates: July 28-31
Location: Detroit Golf Club -- Detroit, Michigan
Par: 72 | Yardage: 7,370 | Purse: $8,400,000
2022 Rocket Mortgage Classic field, odds
- Patrick Cantlay (10-1): Last year's darling of the FedEx Cup Playoffs is still in search of his first solo victory of the 2021-22 season. Perhaps the biggest surprise of the year, Cantlay has been close on a number of occasions but unable to seal the deal late on Sundays. Twice a playoff loser, the American has six additional top-10 finishes to his name including his last two starts at The Open and the Scottish Open. He typically thrives when birdies are abundant, so don't be surprised if Cantlay finally breaks through.
- Tony Finau (12-1)
- Will Zalatoris (16-1)
- Cameron Young (20-1): Similar to Cantlay, Young has been a presence on leaderboards throughout the season. Despite having not raised a trophy, he has climbed to No. 19 in the Official World Golf Rankings. He now possesses six podium finishes in his rookie campaign including a T3 at the PGA Championship and a solo second at The Open. The 25-year-old has proven his game can travel to any course in any scoring conditions.
- Max Homa (25-1)
- Cam Davis (28-1): The defending champion arrives at Detroit Golf Club playing some of the best golf of his career. Davis' recent finishes include T7 at the Charles Schwab Challenge, T8 at the John Deere Classic, solo sixth at the Barracuda Championship and T16 at last week's 3M Open. Successful defenders have been plentiful in 2022, and the Australian has a realistic opportunity to add to that total at the Rocket Mortgage Classic.
- Adam Scott (30-1): The former Masters champion's presence in this field is a bit of a head scratcher to tell you the truth. Take away the four major championships and the Players Championship, and Scott has only played six times this season. Known to meticulously pick his schedule, the Australian must like his chances around Detroit Golf Club and arrives having finished T14 and T15 in the year's final two major championships.
- Maverick McNealy (35-1)
- Kevin Kisner (35-1)
- Keegan Bradley (40-1)
- Webb Simpson (40-1): The 36-year-old is officially the bubble boy heading into this week in Detroit. This is not necessarily due to his quality but rather the quantity of tournaments he has played as Simpson has only teed it up 13 times in 2022. Having recovered from shoulder and neck injuries during the winter, he arrives to the Rocket Mortgage Classic having missed his last two cuts. Despite this, he should be a contender as his game is perfectly suited for Donald Ross designs.
2022 Rocket Mortgage Classic picks
| Winner (35-1): The 38-year-old caught fire to end last season by winning the Wyndham Championship and appears to be doing the same this year. Having finished T6 at the Travelers Championship, Kisner then made the cut on the number at The Open, posted the round of the day on Saturday and ultimately finished T21. In three prior appearances in the Rocket Mortgage Classic, Kisner has collected finishes of T8, 3 and T46. Kisner's skillset should once again thrive in what will likely turn into wedge competition and a putting contest at Detroit Golf Club. | |
| Contender (40-1): The 24-year-old has been playing a ton of golf and it finally caught up to him at the 3M Open where he was sent packing early. This marked Theegala's first missed cut since the Players Championship, and the added rest may be seen as a blessing in disguise. The rookie has performed his best on courses where missing the fairway is not penal, which Detroit Golf Club certainly falls under. Couple this with his tendency to rebound rather quickly and Theegala should be able to threaten for his first PGA Tour victory once again. | |
| Sleeper (80-1): Looking for players to follow in the footsteps of Bryson DeChambeau in 2020, Pendrith fits the bill. The Canadian recently returned from injury and has not skipped a beat having last played at the Players Championship. Capturing a T13 at the Barbasol Championship and a T11 at the Barracuda Championship, Pendrith's ridiculous length off the tee should be able to propel him into contention. He has navigated these shorter courses -- Port Royal GC, TPC Sawgrass -- effectively this season, and I expect him to do the same this week in Detroit. | |
Who will win the Rocket Mortgage Classic, and which long shots will stun the golfing world? Visit SportsLine now to see the projected leaderboard and best bets, all from the model that's nailed eight golf majors and is up almost $10,000 since the restart.
