Rocket Classic: PGA Expert Picks This Week

One week after the PGA Tour’s final signature event, players head to the Detroit Golf Club for the Rocket Classic. 

Collin Morikawa (+1200) leads the odds board in a relatively weak field. Tailing him closely on the odds board is Patrick Cantlay (+1400) and Keegan Bradley (+1600). 

Ben Griffin (+2000) qualifies as the only other player priced at +2500 or shorter. Afterward, seven other players are priced between +2800 and +3500 based on golf odds. 

With the odds established, let’s dive into my picks for the Rocket Classic. 

PGA Tour Expert Picks: Rocket Classic

Keith Mitchell (+4500) | Top-20 Finish (+188)

Mitchell projects inside the top-five in all of my 12-, 24- and 50-round models, including first over every player’s last 24 rounds. 

Driving that first-place rating: first in birdies or better gained and seventh in Par 5 Efficiency. 

Mitchell is the only player who ranks 10th or better in both categories over that sample. Historically, those are the biggest success drivers at the Detroit Golf Club. 

From a metrics standpoint, Mitchell gained on approach in seven straight events. He’s also gained from tee-to-green in four of his previous six. 

He also spiked with the putter at the Charles Schwab Challenge. Two events ago, Mitchell gained +5.8 strokes with the flat stick, his best performance of the season. 

As a result, I like the price on Mitchell to perform well in Detroit and notch a second career win. 

Si Woo Kim (+3500) | Top-20 Finish (+160)

If the ball striking metrics continue for Kim, he just needs to find a spike putting week to contend in Detroit. 

Kim ranks fourth in the field in SG: T2G over the last 50 rounds. Shrink the sample down to his previous 24 rounds, and he improves to third in the field. 

Regarding Kim’s putter, it has largely proved more inconsistent than bad. 

The bright side is that he’s gained with the flat stick in three of his previous four events after losing in five of the previous six. 

From a tee-to-green standpoint, his best performance of the season came at TPC Craig Ranch, another birdie-fest event. However, a -3.3 SG: P effort resigned him to a T-15th. 

One other factor encouraging a bet on Kim: he has excelled on the Par 5s this season. Amongst all PGA Tour players, Kim ranks 17th in birdies or better on Par 5s. 

At a course where excellence on those holes is traditionally rewarded, Kim is worth a bet at a track where he finished T-14th in 2022. 

Ricky Castillo (+12500) | Top-40 Finish (+170)

Castillo has consistently struggled with the flat stick this season. However, his outstanding ball-striking and recent performance at TPC Craig Ranch gives me hope for Detroit. 

Castillo’s T-5th at Craig Ranch marked his best finish of the season. Per datagolf.com, TPC Craig Ranch qualifies as the second-most correlated course to Detroit Golf Club. 

There, he gained +1.2 strokes with the flat stick along with +7.9 strokes tee-to-green, his best for 2025. 

Over the last 24 rounds, Castillo ranks fourth in the field in SG: T2G and 16th in SG: APP. In his last 12 rounds, Castillo ranks eighth in both SG: T2G and SG: APP. 

While some concerns exist with his record on Par 5s – 31st in the 24-round sample, 79th in the 12-round sample – he excelled at the easy Par 5s at Craig Ranch. 

Across all four rounds, Castillo played the 12 Par 5s at -10. That made up 59% of his final score (-17). 

As a result, the price is too juicy to ignore on a player who has excelled on easy setups.