The 2025 Rocket Mortgage Classic returns to Detroit Golf Club this week, offering more than just a summer stop on the PGA Tour calendar. In just seven years, the tournament has developed into an invaluable barometer for professional golf, where it stands, how it’s changing, and what lies ahead.
Founded in 2019 as the replacement for the Quicken Loans National, the Rocket Classic is a relatively new event. But its host venue carries history. Detroit Golf Club was founded in 1899, and the North Course, where the tournament is held, is a classic Donald Ross design. Flat, tree-lined, and traditional in layout, it rewards accuracy off the tee and smart course management over raw distance.
The blend of new and old is part of the tournament’s appeal. It reflects a PGA Tour that’s trying to maintain its legacy while adapting to new pressures from rival tours, shifting player dynamics, and an increasingly data-hungry fan base.
A field with familiar names and new faces
This year’s lineup checks every box. Collin Morikawa, the world No. 4, tops the odds sheet at 12-1 and brings the smooth, repeatable swing TV analysts drool over. According to the latest PGA odds, Keegan Bradley (16-1) and Patrick Cantlay (18-1) lurk right behind, while the quietly consistent Ben Griffin sits at 22-1, sneaky good value if you’re the wagering type.
Defending champ Cam Davis rides in with a different story. He’s the event’s lone two-time winner, yet bookmakers peg him at 80-1 after a rough stretch that’s seen six finishes of T-54 (or worse) in his last seven starts. Sentiment says “three-peat,” but recent form says “long shot.”
Detroit also gets a hometown hero this week. Ashton McCulloch, the Michigan State junior with the silky putting stroke, snagged a sponsor exemption and will have plenty of green-and-white shirts following him from tee to green.
One name you won’t hear on the first-tee introductions: Bryson DeChambeau. The 2020 champion now tees it up for LIV Golf, a reminder that the sport’s civil war is still very real. Every other past Rocket Classic winner is in the field, setting up a reunion, minus the big-hitting physics major who chose a different tour.
The model that’s beating the odds
Beyond the leaderboard, one of the most talked-about aspects of the 2025 Rocket Classic is the SportsLine prediction model. Built by DFS analyst Mike McClure, the model has gained credibility in recent years, correctly predicting the winners of 15 major tournaments since mid-2020. That includes the last four Masters and the recent 2025 PGA Championship.
For this week’s tournament, the model ran 10,000 simulations and produced a few surprises. Keegan Bradley, fresh off a dramatic win at the Travelers Championship and priced at 16-1, is projected to underperform. The model points to fatigue, a spotty history at Detroit Golf Club, and current rankings that raise concerns: 54th in greens in regulation, 59th in scoring average, and 100th in strokes gained putting.
Meanwhile, it identifies a potential breakout performance from Harry Hall, a 31-1 longshot. Hall’s putting stats are elite; he ranks first on tour in putts per round (27.59), second in strokes gained putting, and second in one-putt percentage. Those numbers, combined with a recent run of five straight top-25 finishes, suggest he could be a legitimate contender.
The model gives Hall significantly better odds than the betting markets do, flagging him as a high-value pick for bettors and fantasy players alike.
Community engagement and inclusive programming
Beyond the ropes, the Rocket Classic has built a strong reputation for community outreach and accessibility. The tournament begins with events like the John Shippen National Invitational, which highlights top Black men’s golfers and offers free admission and parking for fans on Sunday, June 22. Detroit Community Day on Wednesday, June 25, includes a youth clinic and the Delta Dental Pro-Am, also with free access.
Each tournament day features a themed celebration. Thursday is Bow Tie Day in memory of Nick Gilbert, while Friday is Folds of Honor Day, honoring military veterans. Saturday encourages college pride gear, and Sunday concludes with the trophy ceremony on the 18th green.
Tickets start at $65 per day, and children under 15 enter free with a paying adult (up to four kids per adult ticket). Students also receive a 31.3% discount (hat tip to the zip code of Detroit) on tickets from Thursday through Sunday by using their .edu email.
How to attend or watch from home
The much-anticipated golf tournament runs from June 25 to June 29, with gates opening as early as 6:20 a.m. on most days. Parking is free only on Community Day (Wednesday, 25th) at the University of Detroit Mercy. For the main tournament days, attendees must park at Wayne State University’s Structure 5, with daily parking passes ranging from $26 to $31.
The shuttle schedule varies by day but generally begins 30–60 minutes before gates open and continues into the evening.
For viewers at home, PGA Tour Live on ESPN+ will provide all-day streaming coverage. The Golf Channel will carry televised coverage Thursday and Friday from 3–6 p.m. ET, and Saturday and Sunday from 1–3 p.m. CBS will broadcast the closing stretch on Saturday and Sunday from 3–6 p.m.
A glimpse into golf’s future direction
The Rocket Mortgage Classic has outgrown its “new kid on the block” label. Today it’s a live test of whether pro golf can stay true to its roots while courting fans who track win-probability graphs on their phones. Under oaks planted more than a century ago, players swap launch-monitor numbers and check betting odds – a striking and revealing contrast that sums up the modern Tour – and how fans engage with the game.
Yes, the LIV divide still hovers. Yes, algorithms now predict who lifts the trophy. But Detroit proves there’s room for both nostalgia and next-gen thinking. Community days stay free, kids still chase autographs, and a course built in 1916 can decide a winner based on pure shot-making.
So whether you’re streaming every swing on ESPN+ or joining the sunrise shuttle from Wayne State, keep an eye on more than the leaderboard. The real takeaway is how the PGA Tour keeps knitting yesterday and tomorrow into a new quilt, and how a mid-summer stop in Michigan epitomises golf’s new direction.
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DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.
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