Rocket Mortgage Classic Expert Picks: Our Experts' Longshot Picks
Rocket Mortgage Classic Expert Picks: Our Experts' Longshot Picks
We have another week on the PGA Tour with a so-so field. Sure, there are some good names at the top, like last week's winner Tony Finau, but the Rocket Mortgage Classic field seems to lack a fair amount of depth. Luckily for us, we have our team of golf experts here to give us their Rocket Mortgage Classic longshot picks.
Geoff Fienberg, Rick Gehman, Joe Idone, Andy Lack, Sam Eaton and Tom Jacobs all break down their favorite pick for this week at +5000 odd or higher, giving us six Rocket Mortgage Classic longshot picks.
If you're looking for a winner with long odds this weekend, make sure you see who our experts are backing.
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Rocket Mortgage Classic Longshot Picks
Rick Gehman: Taylor Pendrith @ +7000 (Bet $100 to win $7,000)
Pendrith is coming back from a four-month layoff thanks to a broken rib sustained at THE PLAYERS Championship. In his first two starts since returning, he's earned a T13 at the Barbasol Championship and a T11 at the Barracuda. His robust distance off-the-tee should be well-suited for Detroit Golf Club.
-- Rick Gehman (@RickRunGood)
Tom Jacobs: Alex Smalley @ +8000 (Bet $100 to win $8,000)
This was really tough for me to nail down to one player, but the one that really stood out to me was Alex Smalley. I am not sure his ball-striking and current form are getting the recognition it deserves.
In both approach and tee-to-green he is a top-10 payer in this field over the past couple of months, and while his putting may not allow him to keep up with the scoring here, I will take a chance he can find a strong putting week on easy greens.
Smalley finished T29 at the 2021 Wyndham and T31 at the Sanderson Farms, and in the latter he bounced back from an opening 76, with a 63, just to make the cut.
He hit three-straight rounds of 67 at the Canadian Open to sit 2nd after 36 holes and 3rd after 54 before falling away with a Sunday 73, but that is no great surprise when Justin Thomas, Rory McIlroy and Tony Finau were all in the hunt.
In Mexico, he finished 6th, after sitting 2nd at the halfway stage, but Jon Rahm was in contention and went on to win the event, so again it is not hard to see how he didn't push on for victory there.
-- Tom Jacobs (@TomJacobs93)
Joe Idone: Troy Merritt @ 8000 (Bet $100 to win $8,000)
I'm going to stick with Merritt for another week after seeing positive signs last week at the 3M Open with virtually the same price. He finished last week gaining nearly 6 strokes Tee To Green, predominantly due to his ability to avoid the water and disaster. He had an awful week with the putter which prohibited him from contention, but I expect a rebound this week with the flat stick at a course with positive familiarity. He lost in a playoff last season at the Rocket Mortgage to Cameron Davis so I am hopeful he can lean on previous success around Detroit Golf Club for another run. He's shown throughout his career he prefers easier scoring conditions which we will once again have on display this week in Detroit, so Merritt is my favorite longshot pick of the week once again!
-- Joe Idone (@TourPicks)
Andy Lack: Jhonattan Vegas @ +10000 (Bet $100 to win $10,000)
Jhonattan Vegas checks all of the boxes that I am looking for in players at Detroit Golf Club. He bombs the ball off the tee, and consistently raises his baseline on easier scoring conditions. The Venezuelan won the Canadian Open on Bent-grass at 21 under par, and the AmEx on at 24-under par, to go along with top-five finishes at the 3M Open, John Deere Classic, Barbasol, and Sanderson Farms. I have little doubt in his ability to play aggressively and keep up with the low scores in Detroit.
-- Andy Lack (@adplacksports)
Sam Eaton: Michael Gligic @ +15000 (Bet $100 to win $15,000)
On a course that demands length, heavy par-five scoring and a solid putting game, Michael Gligic fits the bill. Gligic ranks 36th in the field in driving distance for the last three months, 11th in putting and 16th in scoring on par 5s. Approach shots from 75-100 will also be valuable. Gligic ranks 8th in this prox category. He's also on a bit of a heater. He finished 10th at the John Deere, 21st at Barbasol and 16th for the 3M Open.
-- Sam Eaton (@SamEaton12)
Geoff Fienberg: Beau Hossler @ +16000 (Bet $100 to win $16,000)
Giggle away boys, giggle away. But I'm taking a flyer on Beau Hossler this week. He's not necessarily long but he's under-rated long off the tee and is a fantastic putter. Can only hope his rough experiences from earlier this year while sniffing contention will have him more comfortable if the opportunity presents itself this week.
-- Geoff Fienberg (@gfienberg17)
Article Authors
Andy Lack is a PGA Tour writer and podcaster from Manhattan, New York. Andy came to OddsChecker in January 2022 after previously writing for Golf Digest, GolfWRX, Rotoballer, and the Score. Andy is also the host of a golf betting and daily fantasy podcast, Inside Golf Podcast, as well as "The Scramble” with Rick Gehman, and a recurring guest on the Pat Mayo Experience. In his free time, Andy is still grinding away at his lifelong dream of qualifying for the U.S. Amateur, and if not writing, can likely be found somewhere on a golf course.
Tom Jacobs is the host of the Lost Fore Words golf podcast and has been writing betting articles on golf for the past decade. Tom also co-hosts the DP World Tour Picks & Bets show on the Mayo Media Network, so has his finger on the pulse on all the major Tours. A long-suffering Nottingham Forest fan, Tom also enjoys watching Soccer at the weekend, and was delighted to see his Forest team win promotion this season!