2023 Rocket Mortgage Classic First Round Leader Picks: Bet Dylan Wu, Harry Hall & Vincent Norrman

After a string of three designated events in four weeks, the PGA Tour heads to Detroit Golf Club to play the 2023 Rocket Mortgage Classic. There are a handful of big-name players teeing it up this week, but the majority of the stars on Tour will be taking the week off after a grueling schedule as The Open Championship quickly approaches.

Detroit Golf Club has favored bombers in the past, but there have also been plenty of short-hitters who putted well on the leaderboards. Bombers certainly have an advantage, but ruling out players with different skill sets would be a mistake.

In the past four editions of the Rocket Mortgage Classic, there have been seven first-round leaders or co-leaders. Of the seven, six started their rounds in the morning wave, while only one has started in the afternoon. As of now, the winds don't look to be a major factor.

This tournament seems completely wide open, and even more so in the first-round leader market. History has shown that the morning starters have had an advantage, so I'll target players with early tee times. With the easy conditions expected combined with the low-scoring nature of the event, I don't believe it's wise to risk too much money on anyone near the top of the odds board. It'll be "bombs away" in Detroit.

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2023 Rocket Mortgage Classic First-Round Leader Picks

Dylan Wu +9000 (FanDuel)

First-Round Tee Time: 12:10 p.m. 

I don't love Dylan Wu's first-round tee time this week, but he checks too many other boxes this week to ignore. The 26-year-old has thrived on easy courses this season and gains .63 strokes per round in easy condition as compared to .18 in Tour-average conditions and .47 in difficult conditions.

Wu also has been making birdies at an incredible clip in his past 24 rounds. He ranks third in the field in Birdie or Better gained. He also ranks third in the field in Strokes Gained on Par-5s, so having four chances to convert on those holes should give him a chance to cash as a first-round leader.

Vincent Norrman +9000 (FanDuel)

First-Round Tee Time: 7:07 a.m.

I mentioned earlier that bombers have done extremely well at Detroit Golf Club, and Vincent Norrman certainly fits the bill. The Swede ranks 19th in the field in Strokes Gained: Off the Tee in his past 24 rounds and is one of the longest hitters on Tour. With an average driving distance of 316 yards, Norrman should have plenty of chances to score on this easy setup.

Norrman ranks 17th in the field in Strokes Gained on Par-5s and 27th in Birdie or Better Gained. He isn't a great putter, but here's to hoping his missed putts are for eagle.

Pick: Vincent Norrman FRL

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Harry Hall +10000 (BetMGM)

First-Round Tee Time: 7:07 a.m. 

Harry Hall gives us another morning tee time, and unlike the other players I've chosen this week, he's an elite putter. In his past 24 rounds, the Englishman ranks fifth in the field in Strokes Gained: Putting and sixth in the field in Birdie or Better Gained. He isn't great off the tee, but if he can get his putter hot like we saw at the Charles Schwab Challenge last month, he can go low.

In Texas, Hall opened with an 8-under 62, and he has four rounds this year of 7-under or better. He isn't consistent, but Hall is a player who can go low in any round.

Pick: Harry Hall FRL

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Lucas Glover +12500 (DraftKings)

First-Round Tee Time: 7:51 a.m. 

Lucas Glover has the early tee time I'm looking for and some solid history at Detroit Golf Club. The former U.S. Open champion has finished 21st and 41st here to go along with a missed cut in three starts. He didn't play very well in Connecticut last week but had an impressive showing in Canada two weeks prior. He gained 9.4 strokes from tee to green and finished in 20th place.

Glover has gained strokes on approach in seven of his past eight starts, but his putter hasn't been cooperating, which isn't much of a surprise. The 43-year-old has excelled on the PGA Tour's easiest courses throughout his career, so he should thrive here. Despite the glaring deficiencies in his game, I believe Glover is a strong enough ball-striker to take advantage of the par-5s on the course and shoot a low score.

Pick: Lucas Glover FRL

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Richy Werenski +22000 (FanDuel)

First-Round Tee Time: 7:51 a.m. 

It's been a real struggle for Richy Werenski on the PGA Tour over the past few years, but he's had a bit of success at Detroit Golf Club. He's finished no worse than 30th in his last three trips to the course and has shot rounds of 66 twice in those three years. He's also gained at least 2.3 strokes putting at the course all three times.

In general, the Massachusetts native is a very good putter, and he tends to get really hot once he sees a few putts go in. Last month, he opened with a 64 at TPC Craig Ranch and gained 2.3 strokes putting in the round.

A hot starter who makes putts with regularity is usually a good recipe for a longshot first-round leader bet.

Pick: Richy Werenski FRL

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