Neal Shipley is no longer an amateur golfer but officially a professional. He made his PGA Tour Americas start last week at The Beachlands Victoria Open and finished T9.
Shipley received a sponsorship exemption into the Rocket Mortgage Classic to make his first PGA Tour start as a professional. He is no stranger to the PGA Tour, though, as he took the world by storm at The Masters and U.S. Open.
The former Ohio State Buckeye finished low amateur at both majors, becoming the second player in the last 25 years to achieve this feat. Viktor Hovland was the other player to do it in 2019.
Friday at Detroit Golf Club saw him card a 4-under 68 to follow his Thursday 5-under 67 score. He sits at 9-under total and four shots behind the leader, Akshay Bhatia. Despite being a new kid on the block, Shipley does not consider it.
“With my experience with the majors, I don’t feel like there’s a big learning curve for me,” Shipley said.
Photo by Ben Jared/PGA TOUR via Getty Images
“Pretty fortunate to have had two great experiences at Augusta and Pinehurst. I’ve been in the mix at both at certain times throughout the week, so I feel comfortable. I had a great week last week as a professional as well. So getting settled in and playing good golf, and good golf travels no matter if you’re an amateur or a professional.”
He began his day with a bogey on the par-4 2nd but rebounded and put together a solid round. Shipley recorded two more birdies on the front, then three more on the back nine as he came home in 33 strokes.
In six rounds to start his professional career, Neal Shipley has already made 42 birdies and an eagle. He is currently tied for seventh at 9-under after 36 holes at the PGA Tour’s Rocket Mortgage Classic, which means he will make the cut for a third time against PGA Tour players
The 23-year-old is No. 4 in strokes gained approach to the green, picking up +4.296 shots. He is also T10 in strokes gained total at +5.970.
“Had a good first two days so far. Played steady golf today, which I was pretty happy about,” he said. “Hope to keep that up in the weekend and maybe even go a little bit lower. Throw in a low round tomorrow, and we’ll be right in the mix.”
Shipley sits in a good spot heading into Saturday and the rest of the weekend. His PGA Tour journey does not stop in Detroit, as he will also play in next week’s John Deere Classic.
Savannah Leigh Richardson is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. For more golf coverage, follow us @_PlayingThrough on all major social platforms. You can also follow her on Twitter @SportsGirlSL and Instagram @savannah_leigh_sports.
Akshay Bhatia put together another strong round at Detroit Golf Club to maintain his lead at the Rocket Mortgage Classic. He signed for a bogey-free 5-under 67 to sit at 13-under total.
The two-time PGA Tour winner leads the morning wave by two shots as Taylor Montgomery and Troy Merritt sit at 11-under. Merritt fired off an 8-under 64 to move up 38 spots.
Bhatia did not make as many birdies but kept his scorecard clean for the second straight day. He began his day on the back nine and recorded three birdies. Two more birdies came at the 1st and 7th hole.
One of the wildest moments of the morning came at the par-5 17th when his ball rolled into a drain on the course.
“Never seen it. Rules official’s never seen it, so it was kind of one in a million chance that ball goes in that small hole in that drain, so it was pretty funny,” Bhatia said. “That’s probably the craziest [lost ball].”
Detroit Golf Club and left-handed golfers do generally not mix well, but Bhatia’s game is nearly perfect for this track.
“It’s a ball-striker’s golf course, a lot of wedges,” he said. “That’s my strong suit, especially inside, I would say, 150 yards, so I think that’s why I like this golf course. I don’t think there’s a difference lefty or righty.”
He currently leads the field in strokes gained total at +10.372 and in strokes gained approach to the green, picking up +5.666. The 22-year-old has also only missed three greens in the past two days.
This week will be about who can make the most birdies and avoid costly mistakes. After such a strong round, Bhatia built off that momentum.
“I feel like when you know you’re playing well, then you feel like you can hit all the golf shots that you need to hit to make a good golf score,” Bhatia said. “I think the difference in situations maybe it’s a little harder, but out here, you can easily make five, six, seven birdies.”
So far, he has 11 birdies, one eagle and 24 pars on the week. If the No. 29 ranked golfer avoids disaster and can keep down the pedal, his third career win and second after the Texas Open might be within reach.
With the afternoon groups left to play, Bhatia will have to wait and see if anyone matches his score and who will likely join him for Saturday’s final tee time.
Savannah Leigh Richardson is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. For more golf coverage, follow us @_PlayingThrough on all major social platforms. You can also follow her on Twitter @SportsGirlSL and Instagram @savannah_leigh_sports.
Akshay Bhatia brought his momentum from finishing runner-up at the Travelers Championship to Detroit for the Rocket Mortgage Classic.
He carded an 8-under bogey-free 64 at Detroit Golf Club on Thursday with six birdies and an eagle.
“I guess I missed one green today, so I got that up and down,” Bhatia said. “All in all, I hit it pretty nice with the irons and made some putts.”
Bhatia birdied two of his first four holes but would settle for seven straight pars. Then his putter got red hot for him.
In his final seven holes, the 22-year-old went 6-under, coming home in 30 shots. That included a birdie-eagle-birdie finish.
“Yeah, it’s always nice to finish like that,” he said. “This tournament’s always kind of a birdie-fest, so birdies and eagles help a lot. It’s nice to finish that way.”
Last week’s Travelers Championship was also a birdie fest. Prior to that, the U.S. Open and Memorial tournaments put players to quite the test.
For Bhatia, though, he appreciates both challenges.
“Played the U.S. Open, it was really hard. Then you come last week and this week, and you’re making a lot of birdies, so you feel like it’s pretty fun again,” Bhatia said. “I think a mix of it is really good, and I’m just happy we get to play an old-school golf course for once.”
The two-time PGA Tour winner enjoys classic golf courses like Detroit Golf Club. It fits his game well. As one of the better iron players on Tour, he likes the shot choices that come with playing this track.
“I feel like I can be creative like I normally am,” he said. “It’s also nice because these greens are pretty tricky. They have a lot of small slopes, but they’re soft, so you can still be aggressive towards a couple of these pins.”
Bhatia leads the Rocket Mortgage Classic by one shot after the first 18 holes. Taylor Montgomery and Michael Kim sit behind him at 7-under.
He plays Friday at 7:18 a.m. ET alongside Stephen Jaeger and Min Woo Lee.
Savannah Leigh Richardson is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. For more golf coverage, follow us @_PlayingThrough on all major social platforms. You can also follow her on Twitter @SportsGirlSL and Instagram @savannah_leigh_sports.
Forty-one-year-old Nate Lashley, who won the Rocket Mortgage Classic in 2019, started this year’s tournament with a bang.
He aced his second hole of the day, the par-3 11th, which measures 217 yards and is typically known as one of the more difficult holes at Detroit Golf Club. It also marked the first hole-in-one of his PGA Tour career.
“It was one of those shots, just a little right of the pin. I hoped it would carry the bunker, but it must have just taken a perfect bounce and gone in the hole,” Lashley said after his 2-under 70 on Thursday.
“Pretty decent shot, but also a lot of luck involved there.”
Lashley pushed his 4-iron a tad, but it caught the side-hill perfectly and rolled right into the hole. After his round, the former Arizona Wildcat revealed that he had previously posted an ace in a Korn Ferry Tour event. He also said he had a hole-in-one on Pebble Beach’s 7th hole, perhaps the most famous par-3 in the world, during an AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am practice round three years ago. Lashley said he had 11 holes-in-one before Thursday’s ace, marking his first during a PGA Tour competition.
“Something I’ll always remember,” Lashley added.
“This golf course has a lot of memories, so just another one right there. Having a hole-in-one, being my first on Tour will be another fun thing for me here in Detroit.”
The highlight of Lashley’s career came at Detroit Golf Club in 2019, when he won the Rocket Mortgage Classic in wire-to-wire fashion. He opened with a 9-under 63 that year and never looked back, winning his first PGA Tour event by six strokes.
He has not won another PGA Tour title since, but he did tie for third at the Farmers Insurance Open earlier this season. His next best finish came at The Players Championship, where he tied for 13th. On the flip side, Lashley has missed nine cuts in 15 events he has played, as he has made plenty of bogeys this season.
More bogies followed after his ace on Thursday.
“A little disappointed with my round today, a lot of bogeys really,” Lashley said.
“I hit it okay, missed a few fairways, and got in some bad spots, but can’t make five bogeys around this golf course. It’s a lot of birdies out there, so hopefully something to improve on [Friday].”
Jack Milko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. Be sure to check out @_PlayingThroughfor more golf coverage. You can follow him on Twitter @jack_milko as well.
Legendary NBC Sports golf broadcaster Gary Koch, who played in the U.S. Open 17 times as a pro and called 22 more on television, will tee it up at the U.S. Senior Open this week at Newport Country Club.
He made it to Rhode Island via sectional qualifying in what will mark his U.S. Senior Open debut.
“One of the reasons I got into television in my 40s is because I figured out it’s a lot easier to talk about some guy making a six-foot putt than me doing it,” Koch said Wednesday before the tournament.
“You’re hoping as a broadcaster to be able to communicate to the viewer hopefully what the player is thinking or maybe the game plan they’ve put together, or we read comments they make about how they’re trying to play the golf course. We spend a lot of time on the golf course, even as broadcasters, checking out the conditions. So I would say there are some similarities, no doubt. But talking about it is a lot easier than doing it.”
Koch has not played competitively since 2018, when he tied for 50th at The Senior Open. Despite that, he arrives in the Ocean State with plenty of confidence and with good reason. Koch, now 71, admitted that he has shot his age at least 100 times, first doing so after he turned 62.
“The reality is I just don’t play much competitive golf anymore,” Koch said.
PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan presents Gary Koch with the 2023 Payne Stewart Award ahead of the Tour Championship.Photo by Ben Jared/PGA Tour via Getty Images
“On my good days, I should be able to go around this place and post a respectable score. I’m not sure what a respectable score would be based on the conditions. I would say realistically, if I can make the cut and play all four days, then I’ve probably accomplished something I’d be very proud of.”
As long as Koch can keep it in play, he should have a chance to make the weekend.
But the competition within the competition will come down to the battle between broadcasters. Koch’s fellow NBC Sports colleague, Notah Begay III, will also tee it up this week. Koch and Begay III recently called the action at Pinehurst No. 2, where Bryson DeChambeau won his second U.S. Open title.
“I’m sure there will be a little wager on who’s low announcer,” Koch joked.
“But he’s also a lot younger than I am. He probably should give me a few strokes.”
Begay III, who played alongside Tiger Woods at Stanford in the mid-1990s, is 20 years younger than Koch but primarily works as an analyst for NBC Sports.
Nevertheless, the beauty of golf—and this championship, for that matter—is that anyone can play, despite their age. A golfer’s score does not discriminate, as it all depends on who can get the ball into the hole the fastest.
“As I look back over my life of golf, the [United States Golf Association (USGA)] and their competitions have been a huge part of that, no doubt about it,” Koch reflected.
“The very first one was in 1968, the USGA Junior at The Country Club in Brookline, Massachusetts. I was 15 years old. So here we are 56 years later, getting to compete in another USGA Championship. I can’t think of any other sport where something like that could happen.”
Jack Milko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. Be sure to check out @_PlayingThroughfor more golf coverage. You can follow him on Twitter @jack_milko as well.
After six years of serving the PGA of America as the organization’s Chief Executive Officer, Seth Waugh has decided to step down.
Waugh, who previously served as CEO of Deutsche Bank Americas, became the CEO of the PGA of America in September 2018, the same month Le Golf National in Paris hosted the 2018 Ryder Cup. Of course, the PGA of America facilitates both the Ryder Cup and the PGA Championship.
But now, a month before Le Golf National will host the Men’s and Women’s Olympic Golf Competition, Waugh announced in a statement that he will not renew his contract with the organization.
“I recently informed the board that I would not be renewing my contract that is set to expire on June 30, but I am honored to continue to serve the association as a Senior Advisor,” Waugh said.
Seth Waugh and Xander Schauffele at Valhalla.Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images
“It has been an absolute privilege and honor to serve as the CEO of the PGA of America for the past six years.”
Waugh has had quite a tenure. In May 2019, he helped lead the organization at Bethpage Black, which hosted the PGA Championship in May for the first time instead of its traditional August date.
Then, a global pandemic disrupted the entire world, which consequently led to a golfing boom among amateur players. People from all walks of life have begun to play the game as the sport continues to grow among younger, more diverse populations.
But the men’s professional game has been divided over the past few years thanks to LIV Golf’s prominence. Waugh and the PGA of America have mostly stayed out of the PGA Tour-LIV Golf fray, but he did say at Oak Hill in 2023 that “division is not good for the game.”
Nevertheless, the PGA of America invited numerous LIV Golf players to compete at Valhalla this year, hoping to create the strongest field in all golf.
On top of that, Waugh has repeatedly opined about rolling back the golf ball, which has sparked controversy over the past decade. The United States Golf Association (USGA) and the R&A—the two governing bodies golf has—wanted to create a rule where professional golfers would use a limited-distance golf ball to combat the preposterous length players now have.
“We fear that the proposed changes could seriously interrupt the current momentum in the game and be fundamentally damaging and detrimental in the long run,” Waugh wrote in July 2023.
“It is something that we feel could lead to division and cause us to lose a very precarious characteristic of golf; the fact that we all play on the same course with the same clubs and balls. In our view, this dynamic should be preserved as a fundamental tenet.”
To respond, the USGA and the R&A decided that, instead of creating a different ball for pro circuits, all golfers must play with a newer limited-distance ball that will be instituted in pro events in 2028 and among the amateur game by 2030.
“The very best will figure out this new ball and how to hit it farther than I certainly do,” Waugh said at Valhalla in May 2024.
From right to left: Seth Waugh, John Lindert, and Kerry Haigh speak to the media ahead of the 2024 PGA Championship.Photo by Darren Carroll/PGA of America via Getty Images
“I think our biggest fear is for that part of the game that is growing, are you going to sort of disrupt that for one-half of one percent that are out there, right, and where do you draw the line of what’s elite and what’s not? Is a club championship elite or not? And so, we are glad it’s one rule, and the game will be bigger than any of this. We can all argue about it, but the game will be fine both recreationally and, I think, professionally, as well.”
Waugh has witnessed some incredible events play out during his tenure, too.
He saw Phil Mickelson become the oldest major champion at Kiawah Island. He also witnessed Justin Thomas win his second Wanamaker Trophy at Southern Hills in 2022. Then, Michael Block became an internet sensation at Oak Hill, jarring a hole-in-one on the 15th hole that golf fans will remember forever.
Plus, he watched the Americans win the Ryder Cup on home soil in 2021, when Steve Stricker captained Team USA to victory in his native Wisconsin.
However, a captain has yet to be announced for the 2025 competition at Bethpage Black. Luke Donald, meanwhile, will return as the leader of Team Europe after their resounding victory in Rome last fall.
Still, Waugh feels confident in his work and will continue to consult the organization as an advisor. PGA of America Chief Championships Officer Kerry Haigh will serve as CEO in the interim.
“The goal from the start was to leave the room better than we found it, and I believe that together, we have done just that,” Waugh added.
“I want to thank the membership, my colleagues, all the various board members, past presidents, our extraordinary partners, my peers at all the other golf bodies, as well as everyone who plays and loves our beautiful game for all the support and friendship during this journey. What a gift this has been.”
Jack Milko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. Be sure to check out @_PlayingThroughfor more golf coverage. You can follow him on Twitter @jack_milko as well.
Two months ago, 15-year-old Miles Russell set an incredible record, becoming the youngest player to make a cut in a Korn Ferry Tour event. He eventually finished in a tie for 20th at the LECOM Suncoast Classic, which earned him a spot in next week’s tournament.
He missed the cut despite posting a 4-under par score through 36 holes. But Russell made a lasting impression—so much so that the Rocket Mortgage Classic offered him a sponsor’s exemption to compete in this week’s event at the Detroit Golf Club.
“I was pretty much speechless at the time,” Russell said when he received the call that he would make his PGA Tour debut at the Rocket Mortgage Classic.
“It’s always been a dream to play at the highest level and compete with the best players in the world, and I get to do that this week. I am really looking forward to it.”
Russell has quite a resume. He broke par for the first time at the age of six and then finished second in the Drive, Chip, and Putt finals at Augusta National in 2018 at nine years old.
Since then, Russell has racked up numerous junior titles. He won the Junior PGA Championship last August by seven strokes and then added a Junior Players Championship title at TPC Sawgrass, where he won by three. As such, Russell won the American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) Player of the Year Award, becoming the youngest player ever to do so—besting Tiger Woods in the process. Speaking of Woods, Russell will join Charlie Woods at next month’s U.S. Junior Amateur, which will also take place in Michigan at Oakland Hills Country Club.
“I don’t know how to describe it other than just a rollercoaster, and it’s just been a rollercoaster of just fun,” Russell said.
“It all happened a little faster than I thought it might, but it’s just what happens when you have good play.”
Russell will undoubtedly continue to have fun this week at Detroit Golf Club, the host of the Rocket Mortgage Classic, regardless of the result. He said he will have to rely on his short game—his strong suit—to get around this tight golf course, but he also noted that staying disciplined will be critical.
“My goal is just to come out here and have fun,” Russell said.
“That’s my main goal: have fun, maybe learn something, and take something to my next event.”
Jack Milko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. Be sure to check out @_PlayingThroughfor more golf coverage. You can follow him on Twitter @jack_milko as well.
On Feb. 1, 2024, the two-time Masters champion ruptured his Achilles while playing pickleball and miraculously returned to the PGA Tour Champions three months later. This injury typically takes 12 months to recover, but the 66-year-old German has insisted on returning to competition.
Since his three-month hiatus, Langer has played in five events, recording a pair of top 10s at the Regions Tradition and the Principal Charity Classic, where he finished third. He most recently tied for 21st at the Dick’s Open, but if not for a second-round 3-over 75, he would have fared better.
Yet, Langer, who uses a golf cart to get around, still has lingering issues stemming from the injury. He admitted as such ahead of this week’s U.S. Senior Open at Newport Country Club, where he will defend his title.
“My leg and my ankle are swollen. It’s fatigue. I don’t have the range of motion in my foot,” Langer said.
Bernhard Langer during the 2024 KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship.Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images
“There are various things that aren’t there yet. My balance is not where I want it to be, and my strength. My calf muscle is probably one or two inches smaller than the other leg. I can’t get on my tiptoes. Right foot, I can do that. Just my right foot. I tried it on my left and nothing. I’ve got a ways to go, but I’m happy to be playing golf. The good thing is I can get carts in tournaments because right now, I can’t walk four or five days, 18 holes. It’s impossible. I tried to walk nine holes, and that was a stretch. That’s where we are at the moment—hopefully improving every week.”
No doubt that Langer has seen improvement since his Achilles injury, but he can still compete because of his health, which he takes great pride in.
“You have to be reasonably healthy because if not, you can’t do what you want to do and can’t swing the way you want to swing,” Langer added.
“I was born with a competitive nature, so I have a healthy drive and live a disciplined life, which probably helps. And the willingness to put in the work. I’m 66, and many people say, ‘Why don’t you retire?’ I guess I could, but I love the game of golf, and I love to compete. I’m still good enough to compete and be up there where I can win tournaments. When that changes, when I feel like I’m going to finish in the bottom third of the field every week I compete, then it’s probably time to quit. Hopefully, I will know when that is.”
Langer continues to finish in the upper tier of PGA Tour Champions events, despite many of his competitors being 10-to-15 years younger than him. But he has no plans to slow down, which can be attributed to his healthy lifestyle.
He does not drink alcohol. He does not smoke.
Instead, Langer, like Gary Player has done for years, continues to exercise and stretch every day. He has done so for as long as he can remember.
“The body functions better when we move the body,” Langer explained.
Bernhard Langer hits a chip-shot during the Dick’s Open.Photo by Drew Hallowell/Getty Images
“If we become too sedentary, you’ll pay the price for it sooner or later. I talked to my physical therapist, and he said, ‘If you lay two weeks in the hospital, just two weeks, don’t do anything, guess how much strength you lose? 50 percent.’ I was shocked. That only encourages me to do more, do something every day instead of just lying around for a few days in a row.”
Despite his impressive health regimens, did Langer have concerns about how his body would function after his injury?
Of course, he did.
But two months after his operation, Langer’s surgeon and physical therapist approached him and said, “I think you can try and putt a little bit and chip.”
He then progressed to hitting 50-yard and 100-yard shots. A week or two later, his medical team gave him the green light to try full swings with his driver and irons.
“I hit some wedges, no problem. If I can hit a full wedge, I can hit a full 7-iron. Hit a full 7-iron, no problem. Grabbed the 3-iron, no problem. The next day I grabbed the driver and had no problem swinging the club,” Langer said.
Bernhard Langer at the Principal Charity Classic.Photo by David Berding/Getty Images
“But I was very concerned at the beginning that I would change my swing because of my injury, and I didn’t want to do that. I didn’t want to come back sooner and create a new swing that probably wouldn’t be as good, and then I’d have to spend weeks and months redoing later when I’m better at what I taught myself.”
Langer then brought in his swing coach and went to the driving range.
“I don’t want to change my swing,” Langer said to his coach.
“I want to swing the way I did before, and if my body doesn’t allow me, I’m not going to play.”
Well, Langer and his coach looked at his swing, and it looked perfectly fine.
“That was very encouraging because that meant now I can practice and compete if I can get a golf cart because I couldn’t walk,” Langer added.
“As long as they give me a golf cart, I can actually play in tournaments.”
Not only can he play, but Langer continues to compete with some of the best senior players on the planet—almost as if he did not sustain this injury in the first place.
Yet, he believes he can win the U.S. Senior Open, which would mark an incredible feat given the circumstances. It would likely go down as the most improbable win in U.S. Senior Open history should Langer go on to win.
But would you be surprised?
Jack Milko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. Be sure to check out @_PlayingThroughfor more golf coverage. You can follow him on Twitter @jack_milko as well.
Welcome to Playing Through’s new morning ritual: Golf Talk Today.
Each morning will feature a Golf Talk Today, in which the crew will discuss various elements of the PGA Tour, LIV Golf and other professional golf tournaments.
Today begins a way too early discussion about the 2024 Presidents Cup. Team USA will travel to the Royal Montreal Golf Club from Sept. 24 to 29 to take on Team International.
Professional golf will get another trip to Canada in 2024 after a widely successful RBC Canadian Open. The golf fans in the Great White North do not disappoint, but will it be too much of a home event for the Americans?
In 2022, Team USA won its ninth consecutive Presidents Cup 17.5-12.5, improving to 12-1-1 all-time in this competition. While the Presidents Cup does not have as long a history as its fellow biennial Ryder Cup event, it still draws in crowds.
This year’s Team USA captain is Jim Furyk, and the International captain is Mike Weir.
There are six American PGA Tour players that qualify through points, per the Presidents Cup website. It did not mention LIV golf players because they were denied qualification last year. Various events receive points in the qualifying standings. Furyk will also get six captain picks.
7: Tony Finau: 3,780 8: Max Homa: 3,772 9: Brian Harman: 3,669 10: Chris Kirk: 3,265 11: Russell Henley: 3,235 12: Sam Burns: 3,160 13: Akshay Bhatia: 3,102 14: Justin Thomas: 2,918
Scottie Scheffler holds a commanding lead in the standings. After six PGA Tour victories this season, he has all but officially secured his spot.
Many of the Ryder Cup team members from Rome could see themselves in Canada.
However, will Furyk take a similar approach to Ryder Cup captain Zach Johnson?
A later Golf Talk Today will feature a more detailed discussion about who Furyk should have on his team.
Team USA Presidents Cup hot take
This take will be short and sweet.
Bryson DeChambeau should easily be on Team USA for the Presidents Cup.
Despite playing for LIV Golf, DeChambeau finished inside the top 10 in two majors and won the U.S. Open at Pinehurst. He is playing phenomenally right now, and the former SMU golfer will be a great addition.
ICYMI: Top Stories from professional golf
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Charley Hull, Georgia Hall offer entertaining Olympics preview at LPGA Dow Championship
Rocket Mortgage Classic: How to watch, preview, tee times, more
Ernie Els compares U.S. Senior Open venue to Royal Troon; ready for links-style challenge
Scottie Scheffler’s Travelers Championship triumph produces TV ratings bump for CBS Sports
Florida Panthers’ Stanley Cup victory gives Brooks Koepka ultimate fan girl vibes
Golf Talk Today: How massive is Scottie Scheffler’s FedEx Cup lead?
Savannah Leigh Richardson is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. For more golf coverage, follow us @_PlayingThrough on all major social platforms. You can also follow her on Twitter @SportsGirlSL and Instagram @savannah_leigh_sports.
The PGA Tour is in Detroit, Michigan, for the Rocket Mortgage Classic, where Rickie Fowler will attempt to defend his title. After an entertaining three-week stretch of golf, this tournament does not feature some top-ranked players, but it still employs a strong field of golfers looking to push their way up the FedEx Cup standings.
Detroit Golf Club, a Donald Ross design, is one of the flattest courses players face this season. It will likely be a birdie fest as scores tend to be low.
Nate Lashley won at 25-under in 2019 at the inaugural event. The last couple of years have seen similar results. Tony Finau won at 26-under in 2022, and Rickie Fowler ended his drought with a 24-under final score. Even the cut line is low, as players typically have to finish 36 holes at 5-under or lower to make the weekend. The last five cut lines of this tournament have been: 4-under, 3-under, 3-under, 5-under, and 5-under.
Get ready for a birdie barrage.
Here is the one-stop information shop for the Rocket Mortgage Classic
Rocket Mortgage Classic:
Where: Detroit Golf Club, Detroit, MI (Par-72, 7,370-yards)
When: Jun. 27-30th
Purse: $9,200,000 ($1,650,000 1st place)
FedEx Cup Points: 500
Defending Champion: Rickie Fowler
Photo by Jorge Lemus/NurPhoto via Getty Images
How to Watch The Rocket Mortgage Classic
Golf Channel and CBS Sports will share television coverage. Check out the full schedule below:
Thursday, June 27: 3-6 p.m. ET (Golf Channel)
Friday, June 28: 3-6 p.m. ET (Golf Channel)
Saturday, June 29: 1:00-3:00 p.m. ET (Golf Channel); 3:00-6 p.m. ET (CBS)
Sunday, June 30: 1:00-3:00 p.m. ET (Golf Channel); 3:00-6 p.m. ET (CBS)
How to Stream The Rocket Mortgage Classic
ESPN+ will exclusively air early round and featured group coverage all four days of the Rocket Mortgage Classic. Peacock will have simulcasts of the Golf Channel’s broadcast.
Coverage on Peacock can be streamed here.
In addition, fans can tune into CBS Sports streaming service Paramount+ while CBS airs its third and final round broadcasts.
The Rocket Mortgage Classic Preview:
Defending champion Rickie Fowler ended his four-year-long drought last year when he defeated Adam Hadwin and Collin Morikawa in a playoff.
However, he recorded only one top-20 finish since that victory, which came at the Travelers Championship last week. He tied for 20th, which, considering he began the championship with a 6-under 64, proved to be a rather disappointing finish—much like how his entire 2024 season has gone.
Nevertheless, Fowler looks to become the first back-to-back winner in this tournament’s history.
Cameron Young, who shot a 59 at TPC River Highlands last week, is in the field. He finished second to Finau in 2022.
Michael Thorbjornsen, who made his professional debut last week at the Travelers, will play again this week in Detroit. The former Stanford Cardinal tied for 39th, which included a second-round 6-under 64.
The headliner of this event is Tom Kim, who fell to his best friend Scottie Scheffler in a one-hole playoff at the Travelers. This week will mark Kim’s ninth straight event on tour. He is someone to watch because his game is so sharp right now. His best finish at the Rocket Mortgage is a T-7 in 2022.
The sponsor exemption list is also impressive. Miles Russell will make his PGA Tour debut at 15-years-old. He won the Junior PGA Championship and Junior Players. Russell took the world by storm by making the cut earlier this year at the Korn Ferry Tour’s LECOM Suncoast Classic.
Neal Shipley is also in the field, making his first non-major start. He finished as the low amateur at the Masters and the U.S. Open.
This field may not feature any of the world’s Top 10 players, but it will be a fascinating week with plenty of talented players to watch.
The Rocket Mortgage Classic Round 1 Tee Times (ET):
*indicates starts on 10th tee 6:45 a.m. — Martin Laird, Lanto Griffin, Doug Ghim
6:45 a.m.* — Garrick Higgo, Kelly Kraft, Carl Yuan
6:56 a.m. — Aaron Baddeley, Sam Ryder, Max Greyserman
6:56 a.m.* — Tyler Duncan, Ryan Moore, Brandon Wu
7:07 a.m. — Matt NeSmith, Hayden Buckley, Kevin Yu
7:07 a.m.* — Nate Lashley, Kevin Tway, Jason Dufner
7:18 a.m. — Taylor Moore, Adam Svensson, Brandt Snedeker
7:18 a.m.* — Davis Riley, Peter Malnati, Brendon Todd
7:29 a.m. — Luke List, Chad Ramey, Adam Schenk
7:29 a.m.* — Nick Dunlap, Chris Kirk, Erik van Rooyen
7:40 a.m. — Brice Garnett, Vincent Norrman, Ryan Brehm
7:40 a.m.* — Robert MacIntyre, Tom Kim, Cameron Young
7:51 a.m. — Martin Trainer, Tim Wilkinson, Andrew Novak
1:38 p.m. — Chesson Hadley, Tyson Alexander, Sami Valimaki
1:38 p.m. * — Kevin Streelman, Bud Cauley, Scott Gutschewski
1:49 p.m. — Davis Thompson, Callum Tarren, Ryo Hisatsune
1:49 p.m.* — Ben Kohles, Chandler Phillips, David Skinns
2:00 p.m. — Jacob Bridgeman, Jorge Campillo, Danny Guise
2:00 p.m.* — Alejandro Tosti, Patrick Fishburn, Jackson Koivun (a)
2:11 p.m. — Nicholas Lindheim, Erik Barnes, Brandon Berry
2:11 p.m.* — Chan Kim, Trace Crow, Luke Clanton (a)
2:22 p.m. — Ryan McCormick, Kevin Dougherty, Angelo Giantsopoulos
2:22 p.m. — Ben Silverman, Wilson Furr, Ben James (a)
Savannah Leigh Richardson is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. For more golf coverage, follow us @_PlayingThrough on all major social platforms. You can also follow her on Twitter @SportsGirlSL and Instagram @savannah_leigh_sports.
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