Rocket Mortgage Classic Key Fantasy Stats

Rocket Mortgage Classic

June 29th – July 2nd, 2023

Detroit Golf Club

Detroit, MI

Par: 72 / Yardage: 7,370

Purse: $8.8 million

with $1,584,000 to the winner

Defending Champion:
Tony Finau

by Sal Johnson

Founder, Chief Data Officer, GOLFstats

E-mail me at:
sal@golfstats.com

This is based on the most vital stats from Detroit Golf Club, data from last year’s Rocket Mortgage, and data from all the players in the field with stats from 2023.
In all four years that the Rocket Mortgage Classic has been played at Detroit Golf Club, the PGA Tour has been very careful in setting up the tournament. In the four years, the course played overly fair. In 2019, it had a scoring average of 70.11 and was the 42nd hardest (out of 49th) course on tour. In 2020 Detroit Golf Club played just about identically to a 70.05 average and was the 38th hardest (out of 41 courses). In 2021 it played a bit tougher, at 70.55, as it ranked the 40th toughest course out of the 51 ranked courses. Last year it played a notch easier, at 70.40, as it ranked 38th toughest course out of the 50 ranked courses. So in some respects, the tour has allowed the scoring, but it’s not like they are ripping up the course, yes, in the four years, the lowest score is 63, shot twice in 2019 and in 2021 and twice in 2022. In 2021, 63 was shot by Davis Thompson, who was the first-round leader but went on to finish T-58th. Last year 63 was shot in the 2nd round by Cameron Young, who went on to finish T-2nd. Tom Kim shot 63 in the final round to finish 7th.
In 1,826 total rounds, 65 or less has only been shot 55 times, 16 times in 2022, so the course has some bite. The rough has inched up higher each year, again, it will be high for the fourth year in a row. Last year the weather was hard with high temperatures and high wind. The course played harder as the fans and grandstands were back, making it harder. This year will be easier due to weather conditions. Each day will be in the mid-80s, with winds in the 9 mph range. Rain has hit the area the last week, so the course won’t be bone dry like it was last year, greens will be easier to hold, and fairways will have very little run as drives won’t run into the rough as past years when it was bone dry. So the conditions could make the course play easier than in past years.

The big question will there be another birdie fest? In 2019 1,895 birdies were made on the course. In 2020, 1,887 birdies were made. in 2021 1,740 birdies were made, a bit less, but still, only seven courses on the tour had more birdies. The most were 2,007 at TPC Craig Ranch. Last year 1,822 birdies were made as only six courses had more birdies made on their course, again, TPC Craig Ranch had the most birdies made with 2,228.

In looking at our four categories, we have to think very differently because the nature of Detroit Golf Club is an old, tested venue. First, we will use Strokes Gained Off-the-Tee, which looks at the combination of length of drive off the tee and accuracy. Last year the average drive was 302.3 yards and ranked 33rd. As for accuracy off the tee, the course was 33rd with 62.48% of the drives in the fairway. Looking at last year’s winner Tony Finau, he ranked 14th in driving distance and 3rd in accuracy and was 2nd in Strokes Gained Off-the-Tee. In 2021 winner Cam Davis, ranked 28th in driving distance and T-29th in accuracy and was 34th in Strokes Gained Off-the-Tee. The year before, Bryson DeChambeau ranked 1st in driving distance and T-58th in accuracy and was 1st in Strokes Gained Off-the-Tee. In 2019 Nate Lashley ranked 44th in Driving Distance and T-11th in Accuracy, so he ranked T-29th in Strokes Gained Off-the-Tee.
Our 2nd category is Greens in Regulation. This is a Donald Ross course, so we know that Ross greens are always hard to hit. On top of that, the greens are also small at 5,100 and are raised, so they are tough to get on. So for last year, Detroit Golf Club was ranked 40th in Greens hit with a 71.85% average. As for last year’s winner Tony Finau, he was 1st hitting 66 of 72 greens. In 2021, the champion Cam Davis hit 55 of 72 greens and ranked T-24th. The previous year the course ranked 35th, and the winner, DeChambeau hit 56 of the 72 greens and ranked T-13th. In 2019 the course was 40th on tour, with 72.52% of the greens hit. The winner Lashley hit 59 of 72 for 84.94%, which ranked T-4th. Ted Potter, Jr. hit the most greens, 61 of the 72, and finished T-5th.
Our 3rd category is Strokes Gained Putting, which is an important part of the game. Last year, the putting average at Detroit Golf Club was 1.635, ranking 15th. It averaged 29.43 putts per round, ranking 15th, and in the important inside ten feet, it ranked 18th. Our 2022 champion Tony Finau took 119 putts which ranked T-52nd, and in Strokes Gained Putting, was 15th. In the important putts made inside 10 feet, Finau made 61 of 70 putts and ranked 53rd. In 2021, the putting average at Detroit Golf Club was 1.639, ranking T-12th. It averaged 29.50 putts per round, ranking 13th, and in the important inside ten feet, it ranked 21st. Our 2021 champion Cam Davis took 112 putts which ranked T-12th, and in Strokes Gained Putting was 22nd. In the important putts made inside 10 feet, Davis made 65 of 73 putts and ranked 38th. In 2020 the putting average at Detroit Golf Club was 1.631, which ranked 13th. It averaged 29.36 putts per round, ranking 13th, and in the important inside ten feet, it ranked 7th. DeChambeau took 111 puts which ranked T-7th, and in Strokes Gained Putting, he was 1st. In the important putts made inside 10 feet, DeChambeau made 63 of 68 and ranked T-4th. In 2019 the course was 1.629 in putting, which ranked T-17th. It averaged 29.33 putts per round, ranking it T-15th, and in the important inside ten feet, it ranked 17th. Lashley took 106 putts, ranked 2nd, and Strokes Gained Putting was also 2nd. In the important putts made inside 10 feet, Lashley made 64 of 68 and ranked 4th.
The last category is Par Breakers. As we said earlier in this piece, 1,822 birdies were made last year, in 2021, 1,740 birdies were made, in 2020, 1,887 were made, and in 2019, 1,895 birdies were made on the course. It had a total of 50 eagles last year, 23 eagles the year before, 42 eagles in 2020, and 40 eagles in 2019. So last year, the course ranked 34th in Par Breakers last year, it ranked 25th in Par Breakers in 2021, 35th in 2020, and 38th in 2019. Last year Finau had 27 birdies which were T-2nd and T-2nd in Par Breakers. The year before, Cam Davis had 23 birdies, T-2nd, and was T-1st in Par Breakers. In 2020 DeChambeau had 27 birdies, the 2nd best of the field, and was 2nd in Par Breakers. In 2019 Lashley made the most birdies of anyone in the field, 28, so his Par Breakers rank is 1st. In a way, we can see that Par Breakers was important in the winner’s stats at the Rocket Mortgage.

*Strokes Gained Off-the-Tee: Combination of distance off the tee and accuracy.

*Greens in Regulation: Number of greens hit in regulation.

*Strokes Gained Putting: Gives the equivalent to putting based on strokes gained or lost

*Par Breakers: Who makes the most birdies and eagles per round.

Of the 156 players in the field, 131 have stats on the PGA Tour for 2023.

Click any column title in the table header to sort columns.