Steve Palmer's Rocket Mortgage Classic predictions & golf betting tips

When to bet on the Rocket Mortgage Classic

By 11.30am on Thursday

Where can I watch the Rocket Mortgage Classic

Live on Sky Sports Golf from 5pm on Thursday

Steve Palmer's Rocket Mortgage Classic predictions

Cameron Young
4pts each-way 16-1 Paddy Power

Davis Thompson
2.5pts each-way 40-1 Paddy Power

Davis Riley
1.5pts each-way 100-1 bet365

Pierceson Coody
1pt each-way 200-1 bet365

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Steve Palmer's Rocket Mortgage Classic preview

Tom Kim heads the betting for the Rocket Mortgage Classic, but the Korean may be lacking energy after his playoff defeat to Scottie Scheffler in the Travelers Championship. Kim made a mess of the first playoff hole to gift Scheffler victory, pushing a lob wedge into a greenside bunker.

Kim is playing tournament golf for a ninth consecutive week. Hardly any top professional would consider such a schedule, but the youngster has been working on swing changes and is keen to groove his revised technique. He is taking longer than ever over shots.

Steve Palmer's top tip

Cameron Young 16-1

Seven-time PGA Tour runner-up Cameron Young has been presented with a golden opportunity to finally get off the mark in this week's Rocket Mortgage Classic.

One of Young's second places came in the 2022 Open Championship – and another was in the 2023 WGC-Match Play – so he has come close to landing some prestigious prizes. Another of his seconds came in the 2022 Rocket Mortgage Classic – his only previous appearance at Detroit GC.

Young opened up with a 71 on his first Detroit GC visit, perhaps paying the price for his lack of course experience, but rounds of 63, 65 and 68 followed. Tony Finau was the only man to beat Young that week – one of many elite players who have scuppered the super-talented maiden. Sam Burns (twice), Joaquin Niemann, Max Homa and Cameron Smith have also left Young as an unlucky runner-up.

This time Young has arrived at the Rocket Mortgage bristling with confidence after an incredible weekend in the Travelers Championship. He made two eagles and 15 birdies in his final 36 holes at TPC River Highlands, following a Saturday 59 with a Sunday 66, closing with birdies at the 17th and 18th.

Anything close to Young's spectacular A-game this week could be enough to get the job done. He has won twice on the Korn Ferry Tour and an overdue PGA Tour breakthrough can come for the 27-year-old on Sunday.

Next best bet

Davis Thompson 40-1

Another maiden who appears on the brink of success is former world number one amateur Davis Thompson. He won on the Korn Ferry Tour in 2022 and at the age of 25 he looks ready for big things on the main circuit.

Thompson has been playing solid golf all year. Second place in the Myrtle Beach Classic last month was encouraging, then ninth spot in the US Open last time out was a huge boost to confidence. He closed with a 68 at Pinehurst, finishing only six shots behind a triumphant Bryson DeChambeau.

Thompson opened with a course-record 63 on his Rocket Mortgage debut in 2021 when ranked 1,150 in the world. He carded four under-par rounds for 24th place on his only subsequent visit and has the tools to overwhelm the track. 

Other selections

Davis Riley 100-1
Pierceson Coody 200-1

Like Young, Davis Riley won twice on the Korn Ferry Tour before becoming a PGA Tour star, but Riley has got off the mark on the main circuit quicker than his compatriot. A month ago, Riley repelled Scottie Scheffler at Colonial to win the Charles Schwab Challenge by five shots.

That incredible performance was followed by a bit of a hangover for Riley – he flopped at the Memorial before opening with a pair of 71s in the Travelers – but weekend rounds of 67 and 66 at River Highlands were full of promise.

Riley, who made two eagles and 17 birdies at the Travelers, has arrived at the Rocket Mortgage with some decent recent form behind him for the first time.

The other outsider who appeals is Pierceson Coody – a former world number one amateur who has won three times on the Korn Ferry Tour. Pierceson – easily confused with his twin brother Parker – appears to have settled nicely on the PGA Tour. Pierceson was 18th in the Corales Puntacana in April, fifth in the Charles Schwab and 35th in the Canadian Open last time out.

Expect this raw but immensely talented youngster to make a barnstorming Rocket Mortgage debut. A Tour breakthrough should come sooner rather than later.

Course guide for the Rocket Mortgage Classic

• Course Detroit Golf Club, Detroit, Michigan
• Prize money $9.2m ($1.584m 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) Tom Kim (16), Akshay Bhatia (29), Chris Kirk (33), Min Woo Lee (36), Stephan Jaeger (41)
• 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, Rickie Fowler
• When to bet By 11.30am on Thursday
• When to watch Live on Sky Sports Golf from 5pm on Thursday
• Time difference Michigan is five hours behind the UK and Ireland
• Last week – Travelers Championship 1 S Scheffler (7-2), 2 T Kim (40-1), T3 T Hoge (100-1), S Im (50-1), T5 P Cantlay (18-1), T Finau (33-1), J Thomas (45-1), A Bhatia (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 23 under par
• Story of last year Rickie Fowler finally got back to winning ways, ending a victory drought of more than four years, beating Collin Morikawa and Adam Hadwin in a playoff
• Weather forecast Sunny and pleasant for the majority of the event. Calm skies for the first two days, before a breezier 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 – and the layout can clearly be overwhelmed by a classy powerhouse
• Key attribute Power

Steve Palmer's Rocket Mortgage Classic key stat

Two of the five Rocket Mortgage Classic winners have been PGA Tour maidens

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