All the chatter on the PGA Tour these days is focused on Keegan Bradley, with a thrilling win at the Travelers Championship ramping up the Ryder Cup noise to an even higher level.
Can he follow it up by claiming the Rocket Classic?
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The oddsmakers aren’t picking it. But he’s not far off. Here are the betting favorites for the 2025 Rocket Classic at Detroit Golf Club — as well as some expert picks by NBCSports.com betting expert Brad Thomas.
Truist Championship 2025 – Round One
Rocket Classic 2025: How to watch, streams, field and prize money
TV times and more for this week’s PGA Tour event, the Rocket Classic.
Akshay Bhatia to win (+4500)
Bhatia doesn’t necessarily fit the profile of a bomb-and-gouge golfer, who tends to have success at this golf course, but his skill set is perfect for Detroit Golf Club.
At Detroit Golf Club, many of the golfers will go driver-wedge without much danger off the tee.
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With the majority of approach shots coming from 75-100 yards, Bhatia’s success on approach with a wedge in his hand is almost unmatched.
With the winning score from the last three years being anything from 18-under to 26-under, it’s crucial to attack birdie makers. Bhatia is inside the top 20 in birdies or better gained.
His putting isn’t perfect, but he can get hot with the flat stick and tack on birdies in bunches.
When he finished T2 here last year, he gained 5.9 strokes on approach and another 3.8 strokes putting.
That’s the recipe for success here: Give yourself looks and make them.
Harry Hall to Win (+3000) and Top 10 (+275)
I’ve modeled this course multiple times, and the golfer who consistently occupies the top spot is Hall. My model weights driving distance, SG: APP, Proximity: 75-100, SG: Putting, Prox: 100-125, and Birdies or Better Gained.
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Driving distance and SG: Putting have the highest individual weights, while the combination of the SG: APP and the proximity metrics make up the third heaviest weights.
Harry Hall is top 10 in SG: P, BoB Gained, and Prox: 75-100.
While he hasn’t finished inside the top 30 in this event, he is poised to make a strong run this week — especially off a strong Sunday finish at the Travelers Championship that propelled him into the top 10.
