Steve Palmer's Rocket Mortgage Classic predictions and free golf betting tips

When to bet

By 11.30am on Thursday

Where to watch the Rocket Mortgage Classic

Live on Sky Sports Golf from 5pm on Thursday

Steve Palmer's Rocket Mortgage Classic predictions

Ludvig Aberg
2pts each-way 45-1 Hills

Cam Davis
2pts each-way 33-1 general

Justin Suh
1pt each-way 70-1 Hills

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The resurgence of Rickie Fowler this season can be highlighted by the fact that he is contesting favouritism for the Rocket Mortgage Classic. The former world number four has posted 13 top-20 finishes, leading the US Open for a long way the week before last, and bookmakers are giving nothing away with 14-1 quotes for Detroit.

Fowler can be left alone on value grounds, as can defending champion Tony Finau, who has gone off the boil since winning in Mexico at the end of April. Finau has flopped in the Majors this year, which may have dented his confidence.

Steve Palmer's top tip

Ludvig Aberg 45-1

It seems only a matter of time before Ludvig Aberg is lifting PGA Tour silverware – the Swede appears to possess all the tools to become a superstar – and the Rocket Mortgage Classic represents a wonderful opportunity.

Aberg is not that young in modern golfing terms – he chose to see out his college career and has started out on the PGA Tour at the age of 23 – and his coaches insist he has entered the professional ranks as a complete golfer.

Stateside college golf is ultra-competitive these days and graduates emerge from their education with body and mind ready to win prestigious trophies. Collin Morikawa became a two-time Major champion in a flash and Aberg may be primed to make a similar impact.

Two victories on the Nordic Golf League in 2020 showed that Aberg was ready to win pro events three years ago. He has played in four PGA Tour events this year and has finished in the top 25 in three of them, most recently in the Travelers Championship on Sunday.

Aberg looks like a future world number one and this week's venue is arguably the most suitable he has faced in his burgeoning Tour career. He can overwhelm Detroit GC with his power and will fear nobody in this humdrum line-up.

Next best bet

Cam Davis 33-1

The winner of the Rocket Mortgage Classic two years ago was Cam Davis – it was his maiden PGA Tour title – and there appears every chance of a repeat success this week.

Davis, like Aberg, is a player with a textbook swing and effortless power. The Australian won his national Open in 2017, then a Korn Ferry Tour event in 2018, always making career advancements. This year he produced his best ever Majors performance, finishing fourth in the US PGA Championship last month.

The campaign of Davis has been up and down – and he has had a lull since that bold effort in the US PGA – but a final-round 63 in the Travelers on Sunday signals he will be back contending for trophies soon enough. He was 14th on his title defence at Detroit GC last year.

Other selection

Justin Suh 70-1

Complete a three-pronged Detroit attack with Justin Suh, who has made five cuts in a row, handling himself well in much better fields than this one.

Suh finished 26th in the US PGA last month, then 27th in the US Open. Earlier in the year, he was fifth in the Honda Classic and sixth in the Players Championship. This former world number one amateur has cemented his place on the PGA Tour.

Suh, Korn Ferry Tour Player of the Year last season, is one of the best putters in the business. It is almost certain to be another extremely low-scoring week at Detroit GC and Suh has the touch on the greens to stay the pace.

This is the first time Suh has arrived at this tournament with confidence. He has had fitness and form issues leading up to the Rocket Mortgage in the past, but is in fine fettle for his third visit.

Detroit GC course guide

Course Detroit Golf Club, Detroit, Minnesota
Prize money $8.8m ($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) Max Homa (9), Tony Finau (14), Justin Thomas (17), Keegan Bradley (18), Collin Morikawa (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)

Course winners taking part Nate Lashley, Cam Davis, Tony Finau

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 K Bradley (80-1), T2 Z Blair (300-1), B Harman (80-1), T4 S Scheffler (13-2), P Cantlay (12-1), C Reavie (250-1), T7 T McIlroy (12-1), D McCarthy (66-1), T9 M W Lee (75-1), C Conners (66-1), A Smalley (200-1), J Thomas (40-1)

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 23 under par

Story of last year Tony Finau cruised to a five-shot victory to complete back-to-back PGA Tour triumphs

Weather forecast Sunny and calm, with temperatures peaking at 27C

Type of player suited to the challenge Big hitters have won the last three Rocket Mortgage Classics – Bryson DeChambeau, Cam Davis and Tony Finau – and the layout can clearly be overwhelmed by a classy powerhouse

Key attribute Power