This week, we head to Detroit Golf Club in Detroit, Michigan, for the Rocket Classic.
While many golfers look to get into form over the course of the tournament, there are more ways to bet on this tournament than just who will emerge victorious on Sunday.
For more instant gratification, we turn to the first-round leader market to find value on who will sit atop the leaderboard when play comes to an end on Thursday.
Here are my favorite Rocket Classic first-round leader picks and PGA Tour predictions for Thursday's opening round.
3M Open First-Round Leader Picks
First-Round Leader Pick: Cameron Young (+2500 at DraftKings)
Detroit Golf Club is a bomber’s course. Stretching nearly 7,400 yards with relatively few penalties for missed fairways, this venue allows golfers to grip and rip.
Last year, each of the top five finishers ranked inside the top five in the field in strokes gained: off the tee. No other strokes-gained category showed the same trend.
This setup makes Cameron Young a strong target in this market.
Entering this week, Young ranks in the 97th percentile in strokes gained: off the tee and in the 90th percentile in driving distance. Therefore, it is not surprising he has played well here in three appearances, recording two top-six finishes.
A jump in performance could be in store this year, given his recent form. Over the past 12 months, Young has captured three PGA Tour victories and is coming off a runner-up finish at The Open Championship.
First-Round Leader Pick: Jake Knapp (+4500 at FanDuel)
Another golfer worth targeting in Thursday’s opening round is Jake Knapp. Like Young, Knapp fits this course well.
This season, he ranks in the 83rd percentile in strokes gained: off the tee and in the 92nd percentile in driving distance. A well-rounded golfer, Knapp’s primary weakness is his scrambling around the green.
However, that is not a major concern at Detroit Golf Club, where greens are relatively easy to hit, and past winners have not needed to rely heavily on scrambling. With greens easier to hit, converting putts will be critical in what is expected to be a birdie fest.
The good news for Knapp is that putting is one of his strengths. This season, he ranks in the 82nd percentile in strokes gained: putting.
This course sets up well for him, which is why he finished T4 here last year.
