Rocket Mortgage Classic preview: Birdie train makes stop in Detroit

While most PGA TOUR events are a marathon instead of a sprint, the Rocket Mortgage Classic in Detroit might represent something closer to four straight days of all-out running.

With soft conditions at the historic Detroit Golf Club, defending champion Tony Finau admitted that his 26-under last year might not be enough to repeat in the Motor City.

Finau is one of 10 top-35 players making the trip to Detroit, with Max Homa, Justin Thomas, Rickie Fowler, Collin Morikawa, and last week's winner, Keegan Bradley, among the other headliners.

When: June 29 - July 2
Where: Detroit Golf Club, Detroit, Michigan

How to watch

Last year's result

Finau became the first player in over three years to win back-to-back events on the PGA TOUR, as the 33-year-old took home the Rocket Mortgage Classic by five strokes after winning the 3M Open in Minnesota.

Finau's ball-striking was otherworldly, as he hit an astonishing 66-of-72 greens in regulation, the third-best percentage in a 72-hole event on the PGA TOUR since 1980. Finau's four rounds of 64, 66, 65, and 67 featured only one bogey and was enough to secure his fourth career victory on the circuit.

Recent winners

2022: Tony Finau
2021: Cam Davis
2020: Bryson DeChambeau
2019: Nate Lashley

Featured/Marquee groups

3 reasons to watch

Rickie on offense

He hasn't won either time out, but nobody on the PGA TOUR is attacking golf courses like Rickie Fowler has the past two weeks. After making history with a first-round 62 and 23 birdies total at the U.S. Open, Fowler followed that up with a sizzling round of 60 at the Travelers Championship last week. Now he comes to a course that will demand a pile of birdies to contend, something that has him among the betting favorites this weekend. A victory in Detroit would end a four-year winless drought and go a long way toward locking up a Ryder Cup berth.

JT's progress

It was only two weeks ago that Justin Thomas struggled to a second-round 81 and finished ahead of just three of 156 players in the U.S. Open, but the two-time major winner bounced back in a big way last week in Connecticut. After opening the event with an even-par 70, Thomas went 17-under over his last 54 holes to snag a top-10 finish. He'll look to bring that momentum to Detroit and add another strong result to a season with just three top-10 finishes in the calendar year.

Ludvig eyeing breakthrough

We've talked about Ludvig Aberg on numerous occasions in his brief time on the PGA TOUR, but the former No. 1 amateur in the world's game makes the Detroit Golf Club an ideal course for his first professional win. Aberg dominates courses off the tee, as he already ranks inside the top 30 on TOUR in driving distance despite only having 16 measured rounds. Powerful, long drivers have won on this layout, including Finau, Davis, and DeChambeau.

Betting odds

Tony Finau +1,200
Collin Morikawa +1,400
Rickie Fowler +1,400
Justin Thomas +1,600
Hideki Matsuyama +1,800
Max Homa +1,800
Tom Kim +1,800
Sungjae Im +2,000
Keegan Bradley +3,000
Cam Davis +3,300
Ludvig Aberg +4,000
Brian Harman +4,500
Austin Eckroat +5,000
Byeong Hun An +5,000
Stephan Jaeger +5,000

Odds via theScore Bet