The 2026 Rocket Classic takes place this week at Detroit Golf Club, which will be the eighth and final edition of this event. It will no longer be on the PGA Tour schedule, but it's going out with a bang thanks to its strongest field yet. Below, we search for the best value prop bets for the Rocket Classic
and make our PGA Tour picks and predictions before the first round from the North Course in Detroit, Michigan, begins Thursday morning.With just 2 events until left until the FedExCup playoffs start, the stars will be out in the Motor City this week, led by tournament favorite Cameron Young (+1100). Xander Schauffele (+2000), Chris Gotterup (+1800) and Jackson Koivun (+2000) are also playing this week as the FedExCup Playoffs rapidly approach.
Aldrich Potgeiter (+6600) is the defending champion after winning this event last year.
Detroit Golf Club underwent a major restoration project over the last year, costing $16 million to complete. It included adding bunkers to the course and making the existing ones more penalizing, removing the only water hazard on the property and changing the green complexes to reflect Donald Ross' original vision. Two of the par 5s have been converted into long par 4s, making it a par 70 at 7,328 yards.
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Rocket Classic – Top-5 picks
Odds provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated Tuesday at 4:22 p.m. ET.
Ben Griffin (+550)
Griffin has played well at the Rocket Classic in the past, finishing 33rd, 31st and 13th in his last 3 starts. And that was when the course greatly favored long hitters, which Griffin was not. Now the course suits him even better, and he should be considered among the favorites to win (he's at +2800), or to be in the top 5.
Chris Gotterup (+350)
Gotterup has already won 3 times this year, and he could add another victory this week at a course where he's 3 for 3 in made cuts, including a T-26 last year. He's an excellent driver of the golf ball, giving him an advantage over most of the field.
2026 Rocket Classic: Best outrights winners
Rocket Classic – Top-10 picks
Akshay Bhatia (+333)
Bhatia has been one of the best putters on tour this season and is also gaining strokes off the tee, a great combination at Detroit Golf Club. He was the runner-up here in 2023 and tied for 26th last year, showing he knows how to navigate the course.
Cameron Young (+138)
With his driving prowess, it's easy to understand why Young – who nearly won the Open Championship – is the favorite. He's playing exceptionally well right now and he's already finished in the top 6 twice at this event. It's a good field, but Young is the cream of the crop.
Wyndham Clark (+225)
Clark is plenty long enough to take advantage of Detroit Golf Club, even after the changes made to the course to neutralize distance off the tee a little bit. Though he missed the cut here last year, he tied for eighth in 2022.
Rocket Classic – Top-20 picks
Eric Cole (+250)
Cole made his tournament debut in 2024 and promptly finished tied for sixth. The course changes should help Cole, who is not a long hitter, by preventing others from bombing it off the tee without much fear of penalty. He's been solid in par-4 scoring (34th) this season, an important metric following the removal of 2 par 5s this year.
Michael Thorbjornsen (+188)
Thorbjornsen had by far his best finish at the Rocket Classic last year when he tied for fourth and he's playing well at the moment, coming off a T-7 at the Genesis Scottish Open this month. He's been gaining strokes from tee-to-green lately, which is helping mask the strokes he's losing on the greens.
Jackson Koivun (+110)
Koivun is coming off his first PGA Tour win at the 3M Open, but the 21-year-old is not someone who will suffer a letdown the next week. He's a tremendous ball striker and putted well at TPC Twin Cities last week, showing why he was the top amateur in the world before turning pro.
Rocket Classic – Matchups
Suggested play is golfer in bold.
Jackson Koivun (-118) vs. Russell Henley (-105)
Going back to Koivun here against Henley, riding the momentum after the rookie's win a week ago where he dominated the field over the weekend.
Rocket Classic – Top Australian
Karl Vilips (+120)
This is more about fading Cam Davis (+120) than it is about buying Vilips. That might seem foolish considering Davis has won twice here, but Detroit Golf Club won't be a bomb-and-gouge course again this year after the restoration project, and Davis has been a cut-missing machine this year; he's missed the cut in 8 of his last 10 starts, with only 1 top-40 since last June.
Rocket Classic – Top English
Jordan Smith (+333)
Smith is the co-favorite in this market with Marco Penge, but Smith is playing well at the moment with 3 top-21 finishes in his last 5 starts. He's been striking the ball well, gaining strokes from tee-to-green in each of his last 3 starts, which bodes well for Detroit Golf Club.
Rocket Classic – First-round leader
Akshay Bhatia (+4500)
With how hot his putter tends to get, Bhatia is capable of going low at any time. He was the first-round leader after shooting 64 in 2024, and he could get off to a hot start again this week.
For more sports betting picks and tips, check out SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW.
Golfweek:
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This article originally appeared on Sportsbook Wire: 2026 Rocket Classic prop bet picks and PGA Tour predictions
