Rocket Mortgage Classic Best Bets: Keegan Bradley, Wyndham Clark Among Early Favorites in Detroit

Kevin Roy and South Africa’s Aldrich Potgieter set the tone with first-round 62s in the Rocket Mortgage Classic on Thursday.

Maintaining that pace won’t be easy at Detroit Golf Club.

But it’s unlikely Australia’s Cam Davis can repeat after an opening-round 74. He won the 2021 and 2024 editions.

That certainly opens up the field, particularly if the rate of birdies displayed in the first round begins to slow down.

Can Wyndham Clark re-emerge?

Clark’s reputation was dinged after his off-course behavior drew attention recently, but he’s still a golfer capable of rising in a hurry if he finds his game.

After a first-round 66, he could be rounding back into form. He could use some positive headlines these days. He made it through the first day without a bogey, so his confidence might be soaring — or at least in a decent frame of mind.

Turning attention to the possibilities for Clark might be tempered given how he’ll handle adversity likely to develop at some point across four days. He has become a bit of an afterthought, so it could be a good time to jump on him.

Wyndham Clark to win the tournament: +2800 at DraftKings

Can Rickie Fowler advance to the weekend?

The tournament’s 2023 champion will have an afternoon tee time in the second round. After his opening-day 71, he’ll have work to do to make the cut.

He excelled on the weekend in the Travelers Championship before entering this event, but there’s no guarantee that he’ll still be playing by then.

Fowler has become a fan favorite at many of his stops, including in Detroit where he’s a recent winner. Any energy from that might not mean much — and might not be enough to get him over the hump.

What might look like a risky move at this point could be anything but. Fowler has shown that he can defy the odds, but proceed with caution.

Rickie Fowler to make the cut: +40000 at DraftKings

Bradley on back-to-back weeks?

All sorts of sentiments are riding with Keegan Bradley, the U.S. Ryder Cup captain who just won his home event last week in Connecticut.

He’s right back at it this week, trying to excel in this incredible balancing act. After that victory in the Travelers Championship, he’s right in the mix for an automatic spot on the Ryder Cup team.

He’ll need more strong finishes in order to rise to that level. Might as well ride it while the going is good.

He has a long way to go after the first-round 68. But Bradley has been bucking some trends already this year, and he might be in line for another.

Keegan Bradley to finish in the top 20: +3400 at BetRivers