Rocket Classic 2026 Tips: New layout could Spaun a winner for Jamie

The eighth, and final, Rocket Classic starts on Thursday in Detroit with a number of names set to catch the eye over the four days of PGA Tour competition.

So our resident golf tipster Jamie Worsley brings us five picks he fancies to challenge in his Rocket Classic 2026 Betting Tips, which you can check out below...

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Golf prodigy Jackson Koivun showcased his immense potential at last week’s 3M Open, holding off a top-class group of challengers – including world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler – to record an impressive three-shot victory in just his third professional start.

The former world No. 1 amateur, who claimed six victories this year before turning professional following a top-25 finish at the U.S. Open, is back in action this week as the PGA Tour heads to Michigan for the final edition of the Rocket Classic at a new-look Detroit Golf Club.

TOURNAMENT HISTORY

The Rocket Classic debuted on the PGA Tour in 2019 and has taken place every year since, with each edition held at Detroit Golf Club’s North Course.

Cam Davis is the only player to win this event more than once, reclaiming the title in 2024 after first winning in 2021.

Last five winners:

• 2025

Winner: Aldrich Potgieter (-22, playoff)

Runners-up: Chris Kirk, Max Greyserman (-22)

• 2024

Winner: Cam Davis (-18)

Runners-up: Akshay Bhatia, Min Woo Lee, Aaron Rai, Davis Thompson (-17)

• 2023

Winner: Rickie Fowler (-24, playoff)

Runners-up: Collin Morikawa, Adam Hadwin (-24)

• 2022

Winner: Tony Finau (-26)

Runners-up: Patrick Cantlay, Taylor Pendrith, Cameron Young (-21)

• 2021

Winner: Cam Davis (-18, playoff)

Runners-up: Joaquin Niemann, Troy Merritt (-18)

A highly competitive 2025 renewal saw South African youngster Aldrich Potgieter earn his first PGA Tour victory, beating Chris Kirk and Max Greyserman in a five-hole playoff.

THE COURSE

Detroit Golf Club – North Course

• Original architect / Year opened: Donald Ross / 1916
• Latest renovation: Tyler Rae oversaw an extensive restoration of the layout after last year, with the following changes made:
  • Bunkers are now deeper, larger, and have been repositioned into more strategic positions off the tee
  • The greens have been expanded and reshaped closer to Ross’s original designs, allowing for trickier pin positions
  • Tall, wispy fescue and restored cross-ditches should provide more penalty for errant ball-striking
  • Trees have been removed to open up playing lines
  • Fairways were widened in places, creating new angles to attack the greens
  • The course will play as a par 70 instead of a par 72, with the par-5 7^th and 17^th converted into lengthy par 4s
• Par / Yardage: Par 70 / 7,328 yards
• Hole breakdown:
  • 4x par 3s (156-246 yards)
  • 12x par 4s (349-537 yards)
  • 2x par 5s (561-592 yards)
• Course style: A traditional parkland course that is tree-lined yet spacious, and predominantly flat
• Fairways:
  • The gently doglegging fairways are wide
  • Those imposing, redesigned bunkers litter the landing areas, resulting in increased strategy off the tee
  • Alongside the fescue rough, players should be punished more severely for inaccuracy than previous editions
• Greens:
  • The raised bentgrass/poa annua greens are now average-to-large in size and heavily bunkered
  • Undulating and often sloped from back-to-front, they have regularly ranked among the 15 toughest to putt on the PGA Tour
  • With original contours restored and short-grass run-offs sending the ball away from the green, the challenges in approach and around the greens should be tougher than before
• Defences: Deep, strategically placed bunkers; those enlarged, re-contoured greens; and some reinstated fescue-covered cross-ditches provide the primary defences
• Average winning score: -22.3 (seven editions)

Detroit Golf Club has been a relatively straightforward birdie-fest since debuting on the PGA Tour in 2019. Whilst the significant changes should see that winning score come down, it is still expected to yield plenty of birdies, but they will have to be earned rather than gifted.

Simply changing the layout from a par 72 to a par 70 will instantly result in a higher winning score. Gone are two easy scoring opportunities and they are replaced by long par 4s, with the 7^th measuring 505 yards and the 17^th stretching to a monstrous 537 yards. This means there are now five par 4s at over 480 yards.

As for the other alterations, it remains to be seen quite how much of an impact they will have.

THE WEATHER

Over 25mm of rain is forecast to fall from Sunday to Tuesday, which should result in receptive conditions as play gets underway on Thursday.

Although some lighter rain is predicted to return over the weekend, the opening two rounds will be warm (up to 29°C) and bright. With very little wind on the cards over the course of the event, this toughened test may not show its teeth quite as much as was hoped.

KEY STATS

SG: Approach / Greens-in-Regulation (GIR) / Proximity from 175 yards +

Quality iron play has been a prerequisite for success at Detroit Golf Club, and I see no reason why that won’t again be the case this week, especially with likely receptive greens in play. Furthermore, the long irons are key, even more so with the new setup.

• 2025
  • Aldrich Potgieter (Winner): 6^th in SG: Approach / 3^rd in GIR
  • Chris Kirk (2^nd): 10^th in SG: Approach / 7^th in GIR
  • Jake Knapp (4^th): 12^th in GIR
  • Nico Echavarria (6^th): 7^th in SG: Approach / 4^th in GIR
• 2024
  • Cam Davis (Winner): 11^th in SG: Approach
  • Akshay Bhatia (2^nd): 2^nd in SG: Approach / 1^st in GIR
  • Aaron Rai (2^nd): 3^rd in SG: Approach / 6^th in GIR
• 2023
  • Rickie Fowler (Winner): 2^nd in SG: Approach / 4^th in GIR
  • Collin Morikawa (2^nd): 7^th in SG: Approach
  • Adam Hadwin (2^nd): 10^th in SG: Approach
  • Lucas Glover (4^th): 5^th in SG: Approach / 4^th in GIR
  • Peter Kuest (4^th): 13^th in SG: Approach / 9^th in GIR
• 2022
  • Tony Finau (Winner): 6^th in SG: Approach / 1^st in GIR
  • Taylor Pendrith (2^nd): 5^th in SG: Approach / 10^th in GIR
  • Patrick Cantlay (2^nd): 8^th in SG: Approach
  • Stephan Jaeger (5^th): 10^th in SG: Approach
  • Taylor Moore (6^th): 3^rd in SG: Approach / 5^th in GIR
• 2021
  • Cam Davis (Winner): 9^th in SG: Approach
  • Bubba Watson (6^th): 5^th in SG: Approach / 7^th in GIR

SG: Off-the-Tee (SG: OTT) / Driving Distance

The driver is another plus, where power has often been a major advantage. While missing the fairways is set to be more penal, they’re still generous and the course will play longer than previous. Also taking the wet weather into account, I expect bigger hitters to have an advantage.

• 2025
  • Aldrich Potgieter (Winner): 7^th in SG: OTT / 3^rd in driving distance
  • Max Greyserman (2^nd): 8^th in SG: OTT / 6^th in driving distance
  • Jake Knapp (4^th): 2^nd in SG: OTT / 1^st in driving distance
• 2024
  • Davis Thompson (2^nd): 3^rd in SG: OTT / 13^th in driving distance
  • Min Woo Lee (2^nd): 15^th in SG: OTT / 3^rd in driving distance
  • Erik Van Rooyen (6^th): 5^th in SG: OTT / 7^th in driving distance
  • Cameron Young (6^th): 10^th in SG: OTT / 8^th in driving distance
• 2023
  • Collin Morikawa (2^nd): 8^th in SG: OTT
  • Peter Kuest (4^th): 13^th in SG: OTT / 3^rd in driving distance
• 2022
  • Tony Finau (Winner): 2^nd in SG: OTT / 14^th in driving distance
  • Cameron Young (2^nd): 3^rd in SG: OTT / 3^rd in driving distance
  • Taylor Pendrith (2^nd): 7^th in SG: OTT / 7^th in driving distance
  • Patrick Cantlay (2^nd): 10^th in SG: OTT / 12^th in driving distance
• 2021
  • Joaquin Niemann (2^nd): 7^th in SG: OTT / 16^th in driving distance
  • Alex Noren (4^th): 10^th in SG: OTT
  • Bubba Watson (6^th): 4^th in SG: OTT / 13^th in driving distance
  • Brandon Hagy (6^th): 6^th in SG: OTT / 2^nd in driving distance

SG: Putting (bentgrass/poa)

Lastly, the greens may well remain the toughest part of playing in Detroit. Therefore, we can focus on players with a track record of positive putting displays on bentgrass or a bentgrass/poa mix.

• 2025
  • Max Greyserman (2^nd): 2^nd in SG: Putting
  • Michael Thorbjornsen (4^th): 9^th in SG: Putting
• 2024
  • Aaron Rai (2^nd): 10^th in SG: Putting
  • Akshay Bhatia (2^nd): 16^th in SG: Putting
  • Rico Hoey (6^th): 6^th in SG: Putting
  • Erik Van Rooyen (6^th): 7^th in SG: Putting
• 2023
  • Rickie Fowler (Winner): 12^th in SG: Putting
  • Adam Hadwin (2^nd): 2^nd in SG: Putting
  • Taylor Moore (4^th): 1^st in SG: Putting
  • Lucas Glover (4^th): 5^th in SG: Putting
• 2022
  • Tony Finau (Winner): 14^th in SG: Putting
  • Taylor Pendrith (2^nd): 10^th in SG: Putting
  • Patrick Cantlay (2^nd): 11^th in SG: Putting
  • Stephan Jaeger (5^th): 7^th in SG: Putting
• 2021
  • Troy Merritt (2^nd): 2^nd in SG: Putting
  • Joaquin Niemann (2^nd): 7^th in SG: Putting
  • Hank Lebioda (4^th): 4^th in SG: Putting
  • Alex Noren (4^th): 15^th in SG: Putting

CORRELATING EVENTS (COURSES)

Several events have historically proven to be strong comps for the Rocket Classic, both statistically and in terms of correlating form. That could all change due to the revamping of Detroit Golf Club, though as courses where high-class, powerful ball-strikers typically thrive, they are still worth keeping in mind.

3M Open (TPC Twin Cities)

TPC Twin Cities is spacious, with wide fairways and bentgrass greens. The long irons are key there and, given the historical similarities in approach and around-the-greens difficulty, these two venues could maintain strong links.

Notable correlating form:

• Tony Finau: Rocket Classic (1^st) / 3M Open (1^st)
• Matthew Wolff: Rocket Classic (2^nd) / 3M Open (1^st)
• Collin Morikawa: Rocket Classic (2^nd) / 3M Open (2^nd)
• Max Greyserman: Rocket Classic (2^nd) / 3M Open (2^nd)
• Adam Hadwin: Rocket Classic (2^nd, 4^th) / 3M Open (4^th, 6^th)
• Taylor Pendrith: Rocket Classic (2^nd) / 3M Open (5^th)
• Alex Noren: Rocket Classic (4^th) / 3M Open (3^rd)
• Jake Knapp: Rocket Classic (4^th) / 3M Open (3^rd)
• Cameron Tringale: Rocket Classic (5^th) / 3M Open (3^rd)
• Brian Stuard: Rocket Classic (5^th) / 3M Open (6^th)

CJ CUP Byron Nelson (TPC Craig Ranch)

Going through its own renovation in recent years to heighten the difficulty – admittedly with little success – TPC Craig Ranch could still be a helpful guide this week. This open, largely flat parkland layout has generous fairways, average-to-large bentgrass greens, and forces players to rely on their long irons to create birdie opportunities.

Notable correlating form:

• Taylor Pendrith: Rocket Classic (2^nd) / Byron Nelson (1^st)
• Aaron Rai: Rocket Classic (2^nd) / Byron Nelson (4^th)
• Max Greyserman: Rocket Classic (2^nd) / Byron Nelson (9^th)
• Tyrrell Hatton: Rocket Classic (4^th) / Byron Nelson (5^th)
• Jake Knapp: Rocket Classic (4^th) / Byron Nelson (8^th)
• Erik Van Rooyen: Rocket Classic (6^th) / Byron Nelson (2^nd)
• Jackson Suber: Rocket Classic (6^th) / Byron Nelson (4^th)
• Eric Cole: Rocket Classic (6^th) / Byron Nelson (5^th)
• Adam Schenk: Rocket Classic (7^th) / Byron Nelson (5^th)

Houston Open (Memorial Park Golf Course)

Taking those alterations into consideration, Memorial Park may be an ideal comp for Detroit Golf Club. This par-70 course is flat and roomy, with mostly generous fairways and elevated greens surrounded by tightly-mown run-offs. Length off the tee is often a necessity and, with frequent approaches from above 175 yards, it has strikingly similar tee-to-green demands.

Notable correlating form:

• Tony Finau: Rocket Classic (1^st) / Houston (1^st)
• Min Woo Lee: Rocket Classic (2^nd) / Houston (1^st)
• Taylor Pendrith: Rocket Classic (2^nd) / Houston (5^th)
• Aaron Rai: Rocket Classic (2^nd) / Houston (7^th, 7^th)
• Max Greyserman: Rocket Classic (2^nd) / Houston (7^th)
• Taylor Moore: Rocket Classic (4^th, 6^th) / Houston (2^nd)
• Alex Noren: Rocket Classic (4^th) / Houston (4^th)
• Jake Knapp: Rocket Classic (4^th) / Houston (6^th)

Wyndham Championship (Sedgefield Country Club)

I’ll explore the Donald Ross angle with my final suggestion, Sedgefield Country Club. Though this fellow par-70 course is tighter off the tee, the challenge into, on and around its elevated, contoured, and often back-to-front-sloping greens mirrors what players will face in Michigan.

Notable correlating form:

• Aaron Rai: Rocket Classic (2^nd) / Wyndham (1^st)
• Cameron Young: Rocket Classic (2^nd) / Wyndham (1^st)
• Max Greyserman: Rocket Classic (2^nd) / Wyndham (2^nd)
• Doc Redman: Rocket Classic (2^nd) / Wyndham (3^rd)
• Chris Kirk: Rocket Classic (2^nd) / Wyndham (5^th)
• Kevin Kisner: Rocket Classic (3^rd) / Wyndham (1^st)
• Lucas Glover: Rocket Classic (4^th) / Wyndham (1^st)
• Ryan Armour: Rocket Classic (4^th) / Wyndham (4^th)
• Taylor Moore: Rocket Classic (4^th, 6^th) / Wyndham (5^th)
• Eric Cole: Rocket Classic (6^th) / Wyndham (7^th)

In addition, if you want to lean further on that architect angle, several recent majors have been held at Donald Ross layouts. Most notably the 2026 PGA Championship (Aronimink Golf Club), 2024 U.S. Open (Pinehurst No. 2), and the 2023 PGA Championship (Oak Hill Country Club).

THE FIELD

Welcoming four of the world’s top 10 and 10 of the top 25, the Rocket Classic will enjoy the strongest field in its history for the final edition. World No. 3 Cameron Young heads the contenders, followed by Russell Henley (No. 5), Chris Gotterup (No. 7) and Wyndham Clark (No. 9).

Aldrich Potgieter returns to defend and is one of four former winners in attendance, joined by Cam Davis (2024, 2021), Rickie Fowler (2023) and Tony Finau (2022).

Jackson Koivun is back at it after his fantastic win last week. Meanwhile, look out for world No. 5 amateur William Jennings, making his PGA Tour debut having recently finished 12^th on the Korn Ferry Tour in his first pro event.

SELECTIONS

Market leaders (1/4 – 5 places): Cameron Young 10/1, Xander Schauffele 16/1, Chris Gotterup 16/1, Jackson Koivun 18/1, Wyndham Clark 20/1, Si Woo Kim 20/1, Russell Henley 20/1, Patrick Cantlay 20/1

Check out the full Rocket Classic Odds here

1.75 pts J.J. Spaun each-way (1/5 – 8 places) @ 28/1

Few players arrive at Detroit Golf Club with a more consistent course record than J.J. Spaun. Having never finished worse than 33^rd in six starts, the 2025 U.S. Open champ looks set to thrive on a revamped layout that now places an even greater premium on elite approach play.

After a breakout 2025 campaign, Spaun was a little slow to get going in the early weeks of this season, hitting the top 25 for the first time at THE PLAYERS Championship. He has kicked on from there, winning a second Texas Open title in April before securing three further top-10s, the latest of which was a 7^th-place finish at the Travelers Championship.

The American ranks among the top 10 tee-to-green performers on the PGA Tour, though it is again with the irons he’s excelling, ranking 4^th in SG: Approach, as well as 4^th in proximity from 175-200 yards. He’s also top 50 off the tee, and with the putter starting to warm up, gaining strokes in each of his last three outings, his all-round game is in a positive position.

Spaun was 13^th on his Rocket Classic debut in 2019, and he has since added two further top-10s, finishing 8^th in 2022 and 10^th in 2024. A 3^rd at the 2024 Wyndham Championship enhances his Donald Ross record, and with some of the best recent winning form on offer, he represents good value this week.

1.75 pts Hideki Matsuyama each-way (1/5 – 8 places) @ 28/1

In spite of some uncharacteristically poor approach play, Hideki Matsuyama still managed to pick up a 3^rd-place finish at the 3M Open. I’d expect him to correct that quickly, and with the driver continuing to show promise, this classy player is worth sticking with.

Hideki’s performance in Minnesota was his 10^th top-10 of the season and maintained an impressive run of 33 made cuts in a row that stretches back to May 2025. His standout result was a 2^nd at the Phoenix Open, while he recently recorded back-to-back 14^th-place finishes at the Travelers Championship and Open Championship prior to last week.

That effort at the 3M Open is all the more eye-catching considering he ranked a lowly 62^nd in SG: Approach – an area in which he is 4^th in this field season long. He sits inside the top 25 from 175-200 yards and 200 yards+ and, with the driver continuing to improve, ranking 6^th in SG: OTT at TPC Twin Cities, I’m confident he can bounce back with the irons here.

Matsuyama has three top-25s in this event from five attempts, finishing 13^th in both 2019 and 2025. He’s been 2^nd in Houston, 3^rd at the Wyndham Championship and, with a 6^th at the 2024 U.S. Open at Pinehurst proving that he can handle the challenge posed by tricky Donald Ross green complexes, I fancy him to contend in Detroit.

1 pt Davis Thompson each-way (1/5 – 6 places) @ 45/1

Davis Thompson hit the ball beautifully last week, which helped him to a second solo top-10 finish of the season. He also found something on the greens over the weekend, and if he can carry that momentum into this event, he can go one better than his runner-up finish two years ago.

There was a feeling that this former star amateur may kick on following his 4^th-place finish at the Puerto Rico Open in March, though he has managed to pick up just two further top-25s since. He lost his way in approach following a 13^th at the Myrtle Beach Classic, but he found his stride when 26^th at the John Deere Classic. That was again evident when he was 7^th at TPC Twin Cities, where he was on fire on Saturday and Sunday, closing with rounds of 63 and 66.

He ranked 2^nd in SG: Ball Striking there and was also 6^th in GIR. This is a part of his game that has been sound all year, ranking 21^st in SG: Approach and 28^th in GIR, and he’s a handy 8^th from 175-200 yards.

His driving is another asset, showcasing power and accuracy to sit 40^th in SG: OTT overall and, having gained over two strokes with the putter across rounds three and four last week, everything looks to be falling into place at the right time.

Thompson hasn’t missed a cut in four starts in Detroit and fell just one shot shy in 2024, finishing tied-2^nd to Cam Davis. His only major top-10 to date came at Pinehurst in the 2024 U.S. Open, and with three top-25s in four Wyndham Championship appearances strengthening his case, he’s obviously a player who feels right at home on Donald Ross designs.

1 pt Jackson Suber each-way (1/5 – 8 places) @ 55/1

Jackson Suber was all the rage at the 3M Open but disappointed many with a missed cut. That said, he had just endured an extremely long and taxing week in Southport. Hopefully feeling a little more rested, he can make up for that by contending at a course where he finished 6^th on debut 12 months ago.

Barring a 4^th-place finish in Colombia on a rare return to the Korn Ferry Tour, Suber did little of note at the beginning of the year. He’s been a different animal in recent months, claiming top-10s of 4^th at the CJ CUP Byron Nelson, 4^th at the Canadian Open and 6^th at the John Deere Classic. Meanwhile, he was a long-time challenger on his Open Championship debut – leading after round one and entering the final round in 6^th before eventually finishing 28^th.

Having hit the ball well in round one last week, I’m happy to forgive his poor second-round display. Indeed, he has shone throughout the bag over the previous two months, particularly catching the eye with gains off the tee and on the greens.

Even so, it’s his iron play that has truly impressed in 2026, ranking 7^th in GIR, 19^th in SG: Approach, and he’s among the best long-iron performers on tour, sitting 4^th from 200 yards+.

That quality helped Suber shoot four rounds in the 60s to finish 6^th on his first attempt at this course in 2025, and it should be even more of a plus this time. He struck his long irons beautifully to finish 4^th at the CJ CUP Byron Nelson, ranking 3^rd in SG: Approach, and if able to replicate that, we could just see him in the mix once again in Michigan.

1 pt William Mouw each-way (1/5 – 8 places) @ 125/1

Billy Horschel’s resurgence hasn’t gone unnoticed, causing his attractive opening price to disappear. I think he’s best left alone at the revised odds with better value on offer and, having seen his price drift following a missed cut when fancied last week, William Mouw holds plenty of appeal.

There was a lot to like about Mouw’s early-season form, as he finished 6^th at the Cognizant Classic and 24^th on his PLAYERS Championship debut. His level dropped following that, but he’s picked things up again over the last month, recording a 20^th at the Canadian Open and a commendable 10^th in defence of his ISCO Championship title.

With the quality of those performances in mind, he was a popular player last week, though he disappointed with a missed cut. However, nothing caused undue concern there, and he actually hit the ball well, ultimately failing to make the weekend because of the putter.

This has been the story of his season, where his controlled power sees him rank 5^th on tour in total driving, whilst he’s also an encouraging 23^rd in SG: Approach. The putter has been inconsistent rather than worryingly poor, and he wouldn’t need it to improve hugely to threaten at Detroit Golf Club.

Mouw was a promising 34^th on his debut here and it is worth noting that he putted well on the Donald Ross greens at the Wyndham Championship, where he finished 38^th. His 7^th at the 2025 3M Open is another positive and indicates he is capable of bouncing back at this three-figure price.

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