With the four Majors all completed for 2026, focus now turns to the PGA Tour’s FedEx Cup playoffs, which start in a fortnight.
Only the top 70 in the rankings after next week’s Wyndham Championship will have the chance to battle it out for the big prizes and that should ensure a frantic scramble not only then but also at this week’s Rocket Classic.
For players on or around the bubble, a fast start could be just what the doctor ordered and last year’s winner Aldrich Potgieter showed the value of flying out of the blocks after he closed the first day in the lead following a 62.
Open runner-up Cameron Young is favourite to lead the way into Friday’s second round, but there are some interesting competitors further down the list who could make a big impression.
Rocket Classic First-Round Leader Tips Summary
Best Bet - Jackson Suber each-way @ 66/1
Alternative Bet - Davis Thompson each-way @ 50/1
Alternative Bet - Taylor Moore each-way @ 90/1
Rocket Classic First-Round Leader Prediction
Best Bet: Jackson Suber each-way @ 66/1
With many of the big names who have already qualified for the FedEx Playoffs electing to take the week off, there is scope for some of the lesser-known players to stake their claim, and Jackson Suber is one who is set to go well.
The 26-year-old from Tampa is ten places off the cut in 80th, but his recent performances have been strong with fourth-place finishes at the CJ Cup and Canadian Open as well as sixth at the John Deere Classic.
What is particularly interesting from a first-round leader perspective is that he led the Open after day one following a 65 at Royal Birkdale.
He unsurprisingly slipped to 28th by Sunday night, but that should give him a big confidence boost and he has good form at the Detroit Golf Club, having finished sixth last year.
Even when he missed the cut at last week’s 3M Open, he started with a round of 68 so he could be a big first-round leader factor.
Alternative Bet: Davis Thompson each-way @ 50/1
Davis Thompson came back to form with a seventh place at last week’s 3M Open and he has some decent course form having finished tied for second when Cameron Davis took the honours two years ago.
Thompson finished 58th on his debut in 2021, but only after he led the field by two shots on Friday after an opening 63.
He was the best player from tee to green in Minnesota last week and we could see him position himself handily for a title tilt.
Alternative Bet: Taylor Moore each-way @ 90/1
Taylor Moore has four top-20 finishes to his name this year, including a second spot at the Cognizant Classic, but it has been his starting rounds that have been catching the eye.
The American sits at the top of the first-round scoring rankings with an average of 68.60 from his opening spins and he looks a big price to head into round two at the head of affairs.
Things have not been going well lately as he has missed his last three cuts, but this is a venue where he has flourished.
He missed the cut last year, but finished sixth, fourth and 10th in the previous three outings, so it is worth chancing he can get off to a fast start at a big price.
Key Tournament Stats
This is the eighth year that the Detroit Golf Club has hosted the Rocket Classic
The course has undergone renovations this year that mean it has been cut from a par 72 to a par 70
The winning score in the tournament has been 22-under-par or better in five of the last seven renewals
Last year’s winner Aldrich Potgieter tied for the lead after the first round with Kevin Roy after firing an opening 62
Tony Finau (2022) and Nate Lashley (2019) both went on to win the tournament after taking the lead into the second round
No player has led after the first round at the Rocket Classic having shot more than 65
Read more golf betting tips and predictions on site.
This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.
