Rockets Are About to Fly
The PGA Tour is heading back to Detroit for what is expected to be the final edition of the Rocket Classic, and this tournament is not going quietly into the night. We have a completely renovated Detroit Golf Club, a much stronger field than we typically see this time of year, and several of the hottest golfers in the world arriving with the FedEx Cup Playoffs right around the corner. This has traditionally been one of the easiest scoring environments on the PGA Tour, which means birdies, aggressive golf, and another week where DraftKings lineups can fly up or fall down the leaderboard in a matter of minutes. The DFS Outsider is coming off another profitable week of player evaluation, and now it is time to carry that momentum into Detroit and pounce on another incredibly entertaining slate.
Last year, Aldrich Potgieter finally broke through for his first PGA Tour victory after finishing 22 under par and surviving an exhausting five hole playoff against Max Greyserman. Chris Kirk also reached the playoff before being eliminated, leaving Potgieter and Greyserman to trade punches until the young South African buried an 18 foot birdie putt to finish the job. That would have been a memorable conclusion under any circumstances, but it now becomes the final tournament played on the old version of Detroit Golf Club. The course underwent a reported $16 million transformation after the event, giving us a new layout and a completely different test to break down this week.
The biggest change is the move from a par 72 to a par 70, with the former par five seventh and seventeenth holes being converted into long par fours. The restored North Course will now play approximately 7,328 yards, with redesigned greens, rebuilt bunkers, updated tee boxes, irrigation improvements, and changes throughout the property. That sounds dramatic, and visually the golf course may look significantly different, but I am not convinced it will suddenly become some brutal survival test. Those two par fives were ridiculously easy scoring holes for PGA Tour players, so turning them into par fours will raise the official par and make the final winning score look less outrageous. However, the golfers are still playing the same number of shots, and I would not be surprised to see the champion land somewhere around 20 under par, give or take a couple of strokes.
Before we completely turn the page, we have to give Jackson Koivun his flowers for what he did at the 3M Open. Our player evaluations were absolutely dialed in, with Koivun winning the tournament, Hideki Matsuyama making a serious run, and Scottie Scheffler charging like a freight train during the final round. Scheffler came flying up the leaderboard, but Koivun never blinked. He had to hear the roars ahead of him, he had to know the best golfer in the world was making a move, and he still continued hitting quality shots and pouring in the putts he needed. That was not a young golfer hanging on for dear life. That was a winner staring directly into the pressure and refusing to surrender.
We were not only dialed in on the golfers at the top of the salary board. The DFS Outsider was all over the value range, with Michael Brennan, Ben Kohles, Rico Hoey, Patrick Fishburn, Zac Blair, Kevin Roy, and Billy Horschel all delivering strong performances at affordable DraftKings salaries. We did not land on the perfect six man combination needed to take down the big money, but the process was right throughout the entire player pool. We identified the winner, had several contenders near the top of the leaderboard, and found multiple lower priced golfers who dramatically outperformed their salaries. That resulted in another successful and profitable week, proving once again that being right on individual golfers gives us the pieces, but lineup construction determines whether those pieces turn into a good week or a phenomenal one.
You can see how hard Koivun is on himself after shots that most golfers in the field would gladly accept. He is a perfectionist, he carries himself like he expects to win, and he already appears to have the combination of elite talent and mental toughness necessary to become a superstar. American golf should be extremely excited about what is coming because this is not just one young golfer breaking through. Jackson Koivun, Luke Clanton, Michael Brennan, Johnny Keefer, and Blades Brown are all part of a loaded generation of young Americans who have the talent and confidence to become legitimate stars. We are watching several potential cornerstones of American golf develop at the same time, and that should scare the hell out of the Europeans. They may feel good about their current Ryder Cup roster, but the next wave of young American golfers is coming fast, and they are bringing plenty of firepower with them.
That brings us to a loaded Rocket Classic field headlined by Cameron Young, who deserves legitimate consideration in the Player of the Year conversation after putting together a phenomenal season. Chris Gotterup belongs in that conversation as well after developing into one of the most dangerous players on the planet. Xander Schauffele has not produced his usual elite season, but his complete game can absolutely terrorize this course. Behind them, we have Wyndham Clark, Ben Griffin, Jake Knapp, Si Woo Kim, J.J. Spaun, and several other legitimate contenders capable of turning this tournament into a four day birdie fest. This is not some dead week that we have to force ourselves to care about. This is a strong field attacking a newly renovated golf course, and it should give us one hell of a DraftKings slate to break down.
Metrics That Matter
Strokes Gained Tee to Green
This week, I want to start with Strokes Gained Tee to Green because it gives us the best overall picture of who is consistently playing strong golf before the putter even enters the equation. Detroit Golf Club should still produce plenty of scoring opportunities, so we want golfers who are gaining strokes off the tee, with their irons, and around the greens. Strong tee to green players should give themselves enough chances over four rounds to stay near the top of the leaderboard. I am not looking for golfers who need a magical putting week just to survive.
Birdies or Better Percentage
This should still be a tournament where pars do not move golfers very far up the leaderboard, which makes Birdies or Better Percentage extremely important. Even with the course changing from a par 72 to a par 70, I still expect the winner to finish somewhere around 20 under par. We need golfers who are comfortable staying aggressive and can keep making birdies throughout the entire round. This is not the week to load up on conservative grinders who are simply trying to avoid mistakes.
Par Four Scoring
With two of the former par fives being converted into long par fours, Par Four Scoring carries even more weight than it did in previous years. Golfers will now face 12 par fours per round, giving them 48 opportunities throughout the tournament to separate themselves from the field. The players who consistently score on these holes should have a major advantage, especially if the two converted holes remain reachable or attackable for the longer hitters. Strong par four players should be able to take advantage of both the shorter scoring holes and the more difficult holes added by the renovation.
Driving Distance
There has never been a massive penalty for missing fairways at Detroit Golf Club, which allows the longer hitters to remain aggressive with the driver. Driving Distance should become even more valuable with the addition of two extremely long par fours and the overall length of the renovated layout. Golfers who can shorten the course should have easier approach shots and more realistic birdie opportunities than players constantly hitting long irons into the greens. Accuracy still matters, but I am much more interested in golfers who can create an advantage with useful distance.
Proximity from 150 to 175 Yards
The 150 to 175 Yard Proximity range should be one of the most important approach buckets this week. The longer par fours and increased length relative to par should create plenty of approach shots from this distance, especially for average and shorter hitters. Golfers who are consistently accurate from this range should generate more makeable birdie opportunities while avoiding difficult recovery situations around the greens. This metric also helps identify players whose iron games are currently sharp enough to attack a scoring course.
Putting Inside 10 Feet
Birdie opportunities only matter when golfers actually convert them, which makes Putting Inside 10 Feet another important piece of the puzzle. This tournament could come down to who consistently makes the six, eight, and ten foot putts that separate a solid round from a 64 or 65. Everyone near the top of the leaderboard will hit plenty of quality approach shots, but the winner will likely be the golfer who wastes the fewest opportunities. We want players who can keep the momentum going once the birdie chances begin piling up.
Course History
The renovation means we cannot treat previous results at Detroit Golf Club exactly the same way we have in the past, but Course History still deserves some consideration. Golfers who have repeatedly performed well here may still be comfortable with the property, the sightlines, the putting surfaces, and the overall style of the tournament. I will lower the weight slightly because the new layout presents a different challenge, but I am not completely throwing away years of evidence. Past success can still help confirm a golfer who already checks the statistical boxes.
DraftKings Pricing
Halle freaking lujah. We finally get a golf slate with everybody priced under $11,000, and that immediately makes the entire roster construction process more enjoyable. We have more combinations available, sharper individual plays matter more, and lineup construction becomes much more important than simply deciding whether or not to force in one ridiculously expensive golfer. You may only need one true value play this week, if you even need one at all, which opens the door for much more balanced builds across the board.
You still have the option of digging deep for a sleeper, and hitting on the right low priced golfer could allow you to jam in more elite tier options at the top. That could become extremely important on a course where several of the best players in the field have legitimate winning upside, but there is absolutely no single correct way to build this week. If you are building a large number of lineups, I think the focus shifts much more toward ownership projections and deciding which golfers you want to be overweight or underweight on. There are already a few players I want to get ahead of the field on and carry heavy exposure to, and I believe those ownership decisions will ultimately matter more than forcing every lineup into the same construction style.
Balanced lineups, stars and scrubs, and everything in between are all firmly in play. This pricing structure also gives us more freedom to leave salary on the table and find different ways to separate from the field. Thank God there is no Scottie Scheffler tax hanging over the slate this week. Overall, the pricing looks fairly reasonable, but there are still several golfers who appear underpriced and a couple who may be carrying inflated salaries. That is exactly where the leverage lives.
Elite Tier Golfers
Cameron Young – $10,500 – Overweight
Chris Gotterup – $9,800 – Overweight
Xander Schauffele – $10,200 – Slightly Overweight
I am grouping these three together because my ownership will likely be very similar across the board, with all three potentially reaching or exceeding 30 percent of my lineups. I expect to start most builds with at least one of them and will pair two together plenty, with my current ranking being Cameron Young, Chris Gotterup, and then Xander Schauffele. All three are long, strong tee to green, and capable of tearing apart Detroit Golf Club. Young already owns a runner up and a sixth place finish here and should arrive hungry after nearly winning the Open, while Gotterup is a much better player than he was during his previous appearances and has the power to bomb this course. Schauffele has not produced his typical elite season, but he remains one of the most complete golfers in the field.
Jackson Koivun – $9,400 – With the Field
Jackson Koivun missed the cut here in 2024, but that version of him is irrelevant now. He has arrived, and what he did at the 3M Open proved he can compete immediately at the highest level. Koivun gained off the tee, on approach, and with the putter, and his length and elite iron play fit this course extremely well. His ownership will likely rise after the victory, so I will stay around the field rather than chase too aggressively, but I am not fading him because of a potential letdown. He expects perfection, knows how good he is, and has every chance to contend again, making him an excellent pairing with one of the three golfers above.
Hideki Matsuyama – $9,000 – Overweight
The course history for Hideki Matsuyama is a mixed bag, but he played well here last season and appears to be finding his form again. His approach numbers were not consistently elite at the 3M Open, but we already know what he can do with his irons, and the improvement off the tee is extremely encouraging. His short game was phenomenal last week, and if the approach play returns while everything else remains sharp, he can absolutely win this tournament. At only $9,000, I believe he is underpriced for his upside and plan to be comfortably overweight.
Patrick Cantlay – $9,100 – Underweight
Patrick Cantlay could easily grind his way toward another respectable finish, and his runner up here in 2022 proves he can succeed in this environment. However, I do not see enough ceiling in his recent form to prioritize him over the other golfers surrounding him in this stacked range. A top 10 or top 15 would not surprise me, but that may not be enough when similarly priced players offer more convincing winning upside. My initial stance is to remain underweight and allocate those lineups elsewhere.
Middle Tier Golfers
The middle tier has a lot of interesting plays this week, and this may be the range that ultimately determines how I construct most of my lineups. There are golfers with legitimate top five upside, strong course history, improving form, and enough uncertainty to create meaningful ownership decisions. I already see several players I want to get ahead of before the rest of the field catches up.
Jake Knapp – $8,800 – Overweight
Jake Knapp finished T4 here last year, and I believe we are starting to see him fall back into form after an injury disrupted what had been an excellent start to the season. Golf is a precision game built on confidence, rhythm, and having your body work in harmony, and Knapp appeared to lose that combination for a while. His recent T13 was encouraging, but his Sunday performance was even more impressive, as he gained nearly five strokes tee to green while producing strong numbers off the tee, on approach, and with the putter. I want to get ahead of the field rather than wait until everyone recognizes that the elite version of Knapp may be returning.
J.J. Spaun – $8,700 – Overweight
J.J. Spaun has already finished T10 and T8 at this course, and his game fits what should matter this week. He is the type of golfer who can look average for several events and then suddenly explode into contention when everything clicks. The tee to green ability is always there, and if the putter cooperates, this is absolutely a course where he can boom. At $8,700, I believe Spaun has legitimate top five upside and deserves strong exposure.
Ryan Gerard – $8,600 – Slightly Overweight
Ryan Gerard has quietly started playing some excellent golf, with three recent top 10 finishes and a runner up at the Memorial highlighting the upside. I am not convinced he is ready to win this particular tournament, but he does not need to win to pay off an $8,600 salary. His tee to green game gives him a strong foundation, and another top 10 finish is firmly within his range of outcomes. Gerard is not the flashiest name in this tier, but he is one of the more reliable ways to access upside.
Harris English – $8,500 – Full Fade
I will have no exposure to Harris English this week. He missed the cut in his only appearance here, has now missed three of his last four cuts, and does not possess the distance or current approach form I want for this layout. English can always grind out a solid performance when his short game carries him, but this does not feel like the right course or the right moment. There are too many stronger options around him for me to force any exposure.
Akshay Bhatia – $8,400 – With the Field
Akshay Bhatia owns a runner up finish here and played reasonably well again last year, so we already know this course suits his game. He was excellent at the U.S. Open and Travelers but has not played much golf over the past month, which creates both rest and rust possibilities. That makes him slightly riskier, but it may also keep his ownership lower than it should be in a crowded range. I will have exposure and likely remain around the field on an interesting golfer who can contend if his complete game shows up.
Michael Thorbjornsen – $8,200 – Overweight
Michael Thorbjornsen finished T4 here last year and appears to be returning to some of his better golf after a strong Genesis and a respectable Open Championship. His combination of distance and tee to green ability is an excellent fit for Detroit Golf Club, especially with the renovated course now featuring two additional long par fours. At $8,200, he offers considerably more upside than his salary suggests. I plan to be overweight and believe he can contend again.
Rickie Fowler – $8,100 – Slightly Overweight
Rickie Fowler missed the cut here last season, but he was also trapped in a terrible stretch of golf at the time. His recent performances at the John Deere and the Open have been much more encouraging, and we know he is comfortable at this course after winning here in the past. I am not someone who regularly forces Rickie into lineups, but this feels like a reasonable spot to take a calculated shot. I will be slightly overweight and hope his improving form continues.
Michael Brennan – $7,900 – Overweight
Michael Brennan brings elite distance off the tee and the type of aggressive tee to green game that can thrive on this course. The biggest question is whether the putter can cooperate for four rounds, but he does not need to become an elite putter to deliver at this salary. His power should create plenty of shorter approaches and realistic birdie opportunities throughout the week. I believe Brennan has top 10 upside and will be overweight once again.
Value Plays
Davis Thompson – $7,700 – Overweight
Davis Thompson owns a T2 here and enters this week after finishing T7 at the 3M Open. He is long enough off the tee, strong tee to green, and brings legitimate contending upside at a very manageable salary. I want to stay ahead of the field while he is playing this well.
Jordan Spieth – $7,700 – Full Fade
I will have no exposure to Jordan Spieth this week. His ball striking has been far too poor, and I have no interest in trying to predict when everything suddenly turns around when there are stronger options at the same price.
Jackson Suber – $7,500 – Slightly Overweight
Jackson Suber finished T6 here last year, but many players may abandon him after he burned them at the 3M Open. The driver has been shaky recently, but this is a more forgiving course where he should feel comfortable, and I am willing to take another shot on the tee to green game returning.
Rasmus Neergaard Petersen – $7,400 – Overweight
Rasmus Neergaard Petersen has no course history, but consecutive finishes of T20 and T9 show that his game is trending in the right direction. He brings distance, solid tee to green numbers, and enough putting ability to become a valuable piece of a winning lineup at only $7,400.
Ben Kohles – $7,300 – Overweight
Ben Kohles is playing next level golf, and it is time to ride this bull until he bucks us off. His approach numbers have been outstanding for several tournaments, the entire game is producing positive results, and this salary remains far too cheap for a golfer peaking at the right time.
Kevin Yu – $7,200 – Overweight
Kevin Yu is long off the tee, strong tee to green, and has produced several encouraging finishes recently. A result between 10 and 30 feels realistic, and getting closer to the top of that range could make him an important piece of a tournament winning lineup.
Sam Stevens – $7,100 – DFS Outsider Dart Play
Sam Stevens is badly out of form, but he finished T10 here in 2024 and should carry almost no ownership. If his normally reliable driver returns, he has enough approach upside to pay off this salary.
Harry Hall – $7,100 – DFS Outsider Dart Play
Harry Hall has also struggled recently, but he has played well at this course and remains one of the better putters in this range. A birdie fest is a perfect place for him to rediscover his confidence.
Taylor Pendrith – $7,000 – DFS Outsider Dart Play
Taylor Pendrith brings tremendous power and has already shown that he can perform at this course. His form is inconsistent, but the ceiling is far too high to ignore at only $7,000.
Taylor Moore – $7,000 – DFS Outsider Dart Play
Taylor Moore missed the cut here last year, but his three previous appearances were excellent. He is long off the tee and has more course upside than his recent result suggests.
Keita Nakajima – $7,000 – DFS Outsider Dart Play
Keita Nakajima has missed two consecutive cuts since finishing third at the Genesis, making him a risky option. However, he is long, can putt, and owns enough approach upside to become a dangerous low owned tournament play.
Chris Kirk – $6,900 – DFS Outsider Dart Play
Chris Kirk clearly likes this golf course and showed some encouraging tee to green form at the 3M Open. At $6,900, his experience and course comfort make him one of the stronger deep values.
Rico Hoey – $6,900 – DFS Outsider Dart Play
Rico Hoey is long off the tee and owns a T6 finish here. His result will depend heavily on the ball striking, but the combination of power and course history gives him strong upside for this price.
Hayden Springer – $6,800 – DFS Outsider Dart Play
Hayden Springer owns finishes of T10 and T34 in his two appearances here. He brings useful distance and has already shown that he feels comfortable attacking this golf course.
Chandler Phillips – $6,800 – DFS Outsider Dart Play
Chandler Phillips finished T13 here last year and enters this tournament playing phenomenal golf. The course fit may not be perfect, but his current form is too strong to ignore at only $6,800.
Final Thoughts
It is a little bittersweet knowing this may be the final edition of the Rocket Classic. This tournament has always been a fun stop where golfers can attack, pile up birdies, and give us an entertaining four days of golf. The renovated Detroit Golf Club should look cleaner and present a slightly more challenging test, but I do not expect the identity of the tournament to change dramatically. The final score may come down a little, but I still expect the winner to finish somewhere close to 20 under par.
From a lineup construction standpoint, stick to your core golfers and surround them with high upside plays who can shine at the right moment. There are plenty of capable golfers near the top of this field, so there is no reason to get overly fancy or force yourself into uncomfortable plays just to be different. Start some constructions differently, leave salary on the table when it makes sense, and pay attention to your ownership percentages if you are building a large number of lineups. This week is less about discovering one secret player nobody else knows and more about mixing the right golfers together.
When looking for uniqueness, target golfers who possess at least one elite skill that can carry them through the week. They do not need to check every statistical box if they can bomb the golf ball, consistently gain on approach, or catch fire with the putter. A golfer with one dominant strength and a better than normal week elsewhere can become exactly the kind of low priced play that separates a winning lineup. Course history can also serve as the final piece of the puzzle, especially when choosing between similarly priced golfers with comparable profiles.
These are the weeks we grind for throughout the entire season. Stay disciplined, trust your evaluations, and do not abandon your convictions because one lineup looks a little different from what the field is building. We only need to land on the right six golfers one time to make the entire year. Let’s go take down a fucking GPP.
It only takes one
