2023 Rocket Mortgage Classic Preview, Picks & Analysis

TONY FINAU defends his Rocket Mortgage Classic title in Detroit this week and will return with many positive and happy memories. He had also won the previous week at the 3M Open, becoming the first player since Brendon Todd in 2019 to win in back-to-back weeks.

Finau had also won the Northern Trust to end a five-year drought going back to the 2016 Puerto Rico Open.

He shot a clinical 67 and his 26-under-par total set a tournament record and left him five clear of Patrick Cantlay (66), Cameron Young (68), and Taylor Pendrith (72).

“I'm very optimistic,” Finau said. “I've always been that way. I've always had hope and faith that things will turn out if I just keep working hard and putting myself there.”

He said that he knew if he kept putting himself in contention then eventually it would all fall into place. “I'm proud of the way that I fought through adversity through my career,” he said. "And now I'm a back-to-back champion. They say a winner is just a loser that just kept on trying, and that's me to a T. How many times do I lose? But one thing I won't do is give up and I'm only here as a winner because I chose not to give up and just keep going.”

Finau is having another fine season, winning the Houston Open and Mexico Open. He is known as a huge hitter but that is only part of the story. He has a wonderful touch around the greens and also possesses a terrific temperament.

Max Homa and young sensation Tom Kim. They join two-time major winner Collin Morikawa and a resurgent Rickie Fowler.

(Image Credit: Kevin Diss Photography)

The Rocket Mortgage Classic is Detroit’s only PGA Tour event.

Homa has won six times on the PGA Tour, all since 2019. He has won twice this season, and has five other top-10 finishes. He has played the Rocket Mortgage Classic each of the past two seasons, finishing in the top 25 both years. 

One of golf’s rising stars, 20-year-old South Korean Tom Kim is a two-time PGA Tour winner and has won seven international tournaments. He finished seventh at the Rocket Mortgage Classic as a rookie last season, a week before securing his first PGA Tour victory. The following month, he played a starring role for the International Team in the Presidents Cup, and he won again in October. 

In case you are wondering, Tom is a nickname he was given as a child after Thomas the Tank Engine. His father, Chang-Ilk, is also a professional golfer who played on the Korn Ferry Tour and is now a teaching pro. Kim lived in various countries growing up, including China, Thailand, Australia and the Philippines and he is fluent in English, Korean and Tagalog.

His first professional win came in Malaysia on the Asian Development Tour. Aged just 16 at the time, he won it by six strokes.

Joel Dahmen made a fine start to the season, finishing tied 16th at the Zozo, tied third at the World Wide Technology Championship, tied ninth at the Houston Open and tied fifth at the RSM Classic - those performances all came at the end of last year and he has since struggled somewhat but this a golf course that suits his game.

Justin Thomas will play in the event for the first time, and is a man in need of a decent week. He is a two-time major champion and one of the best ball strikers in the business. The American has won 15 times on the PGA Tour but his fourth-place at the Phoenix Open is his best of the season. He missed the cut at The Masters and at The Memorial and was tied 65th in defence of his US PGA Championship title. He also missed the cut at the US Open before an encouraging top ten finish at the Travelers.

Tournament Winners

It was first held in 2019 and was won by Nate Lashley. It was won in 2020 by Bryson DeChambeau, in 2021 by Cameron Davis and last year by Tony Finau.

Form Guide

Tony Finau has moved to the next level over the past year or so. He is a beautifully consistent golfer, with a fabulous temperament and a hugely underrated short game. And Rickie Fowler would provide one of the great comeback stories with a win here - he is heading in the right direction. Finally.

The Course

Detroit Golf Club is a par 72 that measures 7,370 yards and was designed by the legendary Donald Ross. It is a tree-lined course with generous fairways. Distinctive features include the bent tree between the 7th and 8th hole. Native Americans bent it as a sapling to serve as a marker for the original Indian Trail between Detroit and Pontiac.

To Win:

Tony Finau. Could easily make a successful defence

Each Way:

Rickie Fowler. Getting back to his best

Each Way:

Max Homa. Lovely to watch

Five to Follow:

Tony Finau. So consistent

Rickie Fowler. Ready to win again

Max Homa. Beautiful swing

Tom Kim. Fabulous young talent

Justin Thomas. One of the best clutch putters in the game