Rocket Mortgage Classic tips & predictions: Five against the field in Detroit

Our golf writer Russell Palmer is back this week with his Rocket Mortgage Classic tips teeing off on Thursday 2nd July on the PGA Tour.

• Tyrell Hatton each-way @ odds of 16/1 with William Hill (8 places)
• Viktor Hovland each-way @ odds of 22/1 with William Hill (8 places)
• J.T Polston each-way @ odds of 40/1 with Paddy Power (8 places)
• Rory Sabbatini each-way @ odds of 50/1 with William Hill (8 places)
• Wes Roach each-way @ odds of 125/1 with Betfair (8 places)

It was close but no cigar last week in the Travelers Championship as my outright tip Bryson DeChambeau finished in a tie for sixth place, his fifth straight top ten finish on the PGA Tour.

Having been on the 24-year-old the last two weeks, it's time to jump off that train with the bookmakers making him as short as 11/2 this week in Detroit. In a field of 140+ players we just can't back a player who, despite his form and ticking the stats boxes this week on a course that should play to his new found strength, when he's not won on Tour since November 2018 in the Shriners.

One of the main reasons for DeChambeau's price this week is because for the first time since the PGA Tour's return four weeks ago we have a pretty average field to choose from.

The top players have been lining up at the Charles Schwab, Heritage and Travelers during the June but there's no Rory, no Koepka and no Dustin Johnson this week following his win in Connecticut on Sunday.

I've picked out five players who I think represent value in the golf betting this week.

There's very little in the way of course form to go on this week, with the Detroit Golf Club hosting the Rocket Mortgage Classic for the first time last year. In fact, less than half of the field have played the course coming into this week so I'm looking closely this week at the recent form and stats that match up with the Detroit track.

Step forward England's Tyrrell Hatton, who started where he left off on the PGA Tour a fortnight ago when going close in the RBC Heritage where he finished third. Prior to the enforced break Hatton had his maiden win on the PGA Tour at the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill and the world number 15's stats also add up this week.

Greens in regulation are going to be a key stat metric this week and Hatton ranks 10th on the PGA Tour this season and also 12th for scrambling.

At odds of 16/1 Hatton is our headline pick this week as he continues his American adventure.

Given his age and mercurous talent, Viktor Hovland is another near the head of the betting who stands out at best price 22/1 with William Hill.

The 22 year old burst onto the scene last season when finishing in a tie for 12th place in the US Open before turning pro and recording four straight top 20 finishes including a tie for 13th here in Detroit plus a 4th place in his last start of the season.

In 13 starts this season he's missed the cut just three times, winning his first title on the PGA Tour in the Puerto Rico Open in February and he's been a model of consistency since the restart with T23-T21-T11 on his three starts, with nine out of the 12 rounds played shot in the 60s.

Hovland ranked 2nd for total driving last week in the Travelers and if he can maintain that level of accuracy and distance this week he'll go close.

Two players who have featured heavily in my golf tips column since the PGA Tour returned are J.T. Poston and Rory Sabbatini and both can be backed at juicy odds this week.

In last week's Travelers Championship betting preview I jumped off the Polston train having tipped him to an each-way finish at Harbour Town due to his 'short' price and course form at River Highlands.

I didn't get a whole heap right at the Travelers but it was indeed a third straight missed cut for Poston who must be starting to hate the place.

He returns to a track this week where he finished in a tie for 11th in 2019 and we can forgive him last week's blip given he's been priced up at 40/1 for Detroit. Two top ten finishes preceded that MC last week but his stats hold up to make him a major threat here.

Poston ranks 7th on the PGA Tour for shots gained putting on a track which was won by Nate Lashley on 25 under par and we're sweet on the 27-year-old again this week.

We all have our weaknesses and when it comes to tipping up mid to high range players frequently mine is Rory Sabbatini. I'm well used to taking a punt on the South African who plays under the flag of Slovakia at three-digit prices but given the quality of this week's field in Detroit he's a 50/1 chance with William Hill.

Sabbatini is a veteran of the PGA Tour, with six PGA Tour wins to his name and another two worldwide, he's a wily campaigner who is no stranger to a leaderboard.

The 44-year-old went T14-T21 on his two starts in June before taking last week off and returns to a course this week where he finished third 12 months ago.

Ultra consistent, he's usually a staple of my DFS line-ups given his value and lack of missed cuts, missing just three in his 15 starts this season. He's good around the greens ranking 6th on Tour for sand saves and at the 50/1 I'm happy to give him another tilt this week.

Finally I've thrown a dart at a player who has shown a bit of form in recent weeks albeit on the Korn Ferry Tour, but also finished third here last season alongside Sabattini.

Wes Roach isn't exactly a household name by any means but has a couple of top ten finishes this season when playing in fields of similar strength to this week in the Bermuda Championship and Puerto Rico Open and albeit on the Korn Ferry Tour a fortnight ago a nice 5th place finish on -22.

He's a whopping 125/1 this week with Paddy Power who pay each-way terms to eight places.

Best of the rest

Others that just missed the shortlist this week include Patrick Reed who is showing signs of returning to his best, whilst Brandt Snedker had some joy here in Detroit 12 months ago finishing 5th.

Chris Kirk is lurking at 125/1 and was a winner on the Korn Ferry Tour a fortnight ago, his first victory since 2015 and since he took an indefinite leave of absence from the PGA Tour whilst battling alcoholism and depression.

I might not be putting any bucks on Kirk this week but will be wishing him all the best as he continues his rehabilitation.

As ever, the best of luck this week and please gamble responsibly.