Is that the new car smell? Those in the Motor City of Detroit sure know the new car scent better than most. Close, it’s the aroma of a new stop on the PGA TOUR. Please join us in welcoming to the family the Rocket Mortgage Classic at the Detroit Golf Club, the first TOUR event inside the city limits of Detroit. This Donald Ross gem will light up all the senses of players and fans alike. Tricky treelined holes followed by invitations to score on the back nine. Volatility on the scoreboard … that always excites. THE FLYOVER The back nine at Detroit Golf Club brings with it multiple chances to score. One such hole is the 555-yard par-5 14th. This is a classic risk-reward par 5 from Donald Ross. The long hitters will only have a mid-to-long iron approach shot into this two-tiered green guarded by water in front. Those who elect to lay up on their second will need to control the spin on their shots due to a false front on the left side of the green. The brave will make a move here. WEATHER CHECK From meteorologist Kyle Koval: A stalled out frontal boundary is expected to serve as the focus for showers / thunderstorms Thursday through Saturday. The most favorable window for activity appears to be Thursday night and Friday. Most likely weekly rainfall 0.25-0.75 of an inch, however higher amounts are possible if an organized thunderstorm complex can develop. Temperatures will generally be in the middle 80s each day with some cooling likely on Sunday. Wind gusts around 20 mph are possible Friday and Saturday. For the latest weather news from Detroit, Michigan, check out PGATOUR.com’s weather hub. SOUND CHECK It’s an old Donald Ross course that’s a lot of fun to play. It’s not real long, but the greens are very challenging. It’s a lot of slope, a lot of different locations on the green. It’s all little quadrants and you want to be in the right quadrant. We’re going to have a good many wedges, so being able to control the spin, it’s going to be difficult to get it close to the hole. BY THE NUMBERS 8 – Just eight events (over six weeks) remain in the FedExCup regular season as players vie for a spot in the FedExCup Playoffs. They need to be inside the top 125 on the points list to do so. Martin Laird currently sits in the 125th spot. He is in the field this week, as are those ranked 126-132. At the pointy end players are vying for position in the Wyndham Rewards Top 10. Those inside that mark after the last eight events share significant bonus cash. Woodland (5th), Johnson (7th) and Fowler (10th) all have the chance to push deeper into the reward zone this week. Last week’s winner Chez Reavie (12th) is just a half decent result away from jumping into the top 10. 3 – Number of former head pros at Detroit Golf Club who had won majors. Alec Ross, brother of course designer Donald, won the U.S. Open before serving at the club. Two-time Masters winner Horton Smith (1934, 36) then took over before 1953 PGA Championship winner Walter Burkemo took the job. 32’ 9â€� – The average proximity to the hole for Corey Conners, who leads the PGA TOUR in the stat this season. Proximity could be vital this week. Detroit Golf Club’s greens can be very tricky if you find yourself in the wrong section. Others inside the top 10 on TOUR who are in the field this week are Ryan Armour, Chesson Hadley, Chez Reavie, Vaughn Taylor, Jason Dufner and Talor Gooch. SCATTERSHOTS Local talent… Michigan native Joey Garber is looking for a big week. The 27-year-old from Petoskey, Michigan made the cut at the 2007 Michigan Open as a 15-year-old, the youngest player in history to do so in the state’s most prestigious golf tournament. In 2010, Garber won both the Michigan Amateur and the Michigan Junior Amateur titles, the first player ever to win both state amateur titles in the same year. He played 2018 on the Korn Ferry Tour (formerly Web.com Tour) and won the Rex Hospital Open to earn maiden PGA TOUR card. This season has made seven cuts in 16 starts on the PGA TOUR with one top-10 finish at the Puerto Rico Open to sit 183rd in the FedExCup. He needs to secure a spot in the top 200 to make the Korn Ferry Tour Finals or surge into the top 125 to make the FedExCup Playoffs. Popular Invite… Non-member Chip McDaniel – aka “Mr. Mondayâ€� – was awarded a sponsor invite. McDaniel has successfully Monday qualified three times this season, the latest came last week at the Travelers Championship after catching a red-eye after the final round of the U.S. Open. He finished T43 at TPC River Highlands. McDaniel’s real name is Tyler but has always been known as Chip as his mother’s favorite baseball player was former Atlanta Braves third baseman Chipper Jones. Portrush awaits… The Rocket Mortgage Classic is part of The Open Qualifying Series. The top two players not otherwise exempt who finish inside the top eight and ties will receive invitations to the 2019 Open Championship at Royal Portrush. It is the second last chance on the PGA TOUR to qualify. The John Deere Classic (July 11-14) is the only other remaining PGA TOUR event that is part of the series, where one spot is up for grabs.
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