Here's everything you need to know about the 2024 Rocket Mortgage Classic first-round leader picks — including our expert's three FRL bets for this week's PGA Tour event in Detroit, Michigan.
With the Travelers Championship in the rear-view mirror, we now look forward to this week's 2024 Rocket Mortgage Classic. The North Course at Detroit Golf Club hosts once again, which it has done annually since 2019.
Detroit Golf Club is a par-72, 7,370-yard track designed by Donald Ross. It's a moderately sized course that's easy to score on, with the winning players typically relying on strong iron play to stick close approach shots for simple birdie opportunities.
Last season, five of the top-six finishers here ranked in the top 13 among the field in Strokes Gained: Approach the Green, the only statistic or metric in which such a trend occurred.
Find my 2024 Rocket Mortgage Classic first-round leader picks below.
2024 Rocket Mortgage Classic First-Round Leader Picks (FRL)
Tom Kim +3300 (FanDuel | 0.15 Units)
Thursday Tee Time: 7:40 a.m. ET
This play financially ties me to the tournament favorite at a much more generous payout than his outright odds of 14-1. That number is just a bit too short for my liking, regardless of how much higher Tom Kim's ceiling is than the vast majority of this field.
It makes sense that Kim is the shortest favorite to win this tournament after he just took Scottie Scheffler to a playoff last week in Connecticut. I loved that Kim probably couldn't have played any better other than missing a couple of putts over the weekend that he would normally make.
He gained nearly four strokes per round at the Travelers Championship and gained strokes off the tee, on approach, around the green and putting. It was a tremendous all-around performance, but Kim unfortunately just ran into the world's best golfer last week.
Kim was the solo first-round leader last week, so why not take a chance on him to do so once again this week in a much weaker field?
Min Woo Lee +4500 (BetRivers | 0.15 Units)
Thursday Tee Time: 12:43 p.m. ET
Until Min Woo Lee proves that he can win on Tour (which he will), I just trust him more in the FRL market right now than I do in the outright one.
However, that doesn't mean Lee isn't capable of winning this tournament, or at least going low on Thursday.
He's made the weekend in five consecutive tournaments, three of which were major championships. Lee hasn't finished lower than 26th during this run.
Those fields were significantly tougher than the one he'll compete against this week.
Simply put, he's one of the best golfers in this field, and that 45-1 FRL price is too long to pass up given his high ceiling.
Alex Noren +5500 (FanDuel | 0.15 Units)
Thursday Tee Time: 8:02 a.m. ET
While I just discussed Lee's ceiling in the previous section, I'll veer in the opposite direction here because Alex Noren possesses one of the highest floors among this field.
Noren has somehow never won on Tour, but that doesn't mean he isn't one of its better players.
He's made the weekend in 18 of his past 20 tournaments, including 13 top-25 finishes over that stretch.
Again, he hasn't won, which is why I trust him more in this market than in his outright one.
He has finished inside the top nine in each of his past two appearances here. With this high of a floor and a strong course history, it's worth taking a shot on Noren to lead after Thursday at 55-1.
Here's my full betting card for the Rocket Mortgage Classic, and you can find more of my thoughts on this week's tournament on the Links + Locks Best Bets podcast:
- Maverick McNealy Outright Winner (+3000 at FanDuel) – 0.3 Units
- Davis Thompson Outright Winner (+3500 at FanDuel) – 0.3 Units
- Aaron Rai Outright Winner (+3500 at FanDuel) – 0.3 Units
- Taylor Pendrith Outright Winner (+4500 at FanDuel) – 0.3 Units
- Matt Wallace Top 10 (+600 at bet365) – 0.24 Units
- Daniel Berger Top 10 (+800 at FanDuel) – 0.23 Units
- Tom Kim FRL (+3300 at FanDuel) – 0.15 Units
- Min Woo Lee FRL (+4500 at BetRivers) – 0.15 Units
- Alex Noren FRL (+5500 at FanDuel) – 0.15 Units
