SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER is taking a week off – probably to count his cash and his trophies – so the field assembled for the Rocket Mortgage Classic will not go in feeling like they are playing for second place.
Considering this is just a run-of-the-mill PGA Tour tournament – with a $9.2million prize found instead of the whopping $20million on offer for the Signature events – there are some good names in action.
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Tom Kim, who was edged out by six-time winner Scheffler at the Traveler, finds himself favourite to make amends.
This is a similar test, another birdie-fest where 20 under par or better is probably going to be the winning score.
Kim showed he is capable of shooting those numbers by finishing on 22 under last week And he has been talked up here as a player whose next victory cannot be far away.
But he is a 12-1 shot with most bookmakers, and in a field of 156 that is too short. There are plenty more players capable of going low at Detroit Golf Club – and that’s where I’ll be looking for the value.
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Rickie Fowler is the defending champion this week – he triumphed in a three-man play-off against Collin Morikawa and Adam Hadwin a year ago.
But hopes that would spark a full-scale Rickie revival has proved over-optimistic, and he is not a player you can back with any confidence – as reflected by his 50-1 odds.
Akhshay Bhatia did us a favour in the each way market last week, finishing in a share of fifth at odds of 80-1. He should be up there again, but the bookmakers have caught on and 22-1 is not over-generous.
So the player who stands out is Stephan Jaeger – and not just because he has become a firm favourite here since he landed the odds for us when he edged out Scheffler to claim victory in Houston earlier this year.
The German birdie machine has finished in the top ten at this event in each of the last two years, and his game has gone up a level this year. So at 30-1, he is the top tip.
Another player who looks over-priced is Maverick McNealy, who will also appreciate what is basically a putting contest.
He has been quietly impressive recently, making the cut in each of his last 12 starts, with three top tens thrown in. His another 30-1 shot.
As mentioned earlier, Hadwin came up just short a year ago, but maybe another Canadian can go one better this time – the fast-improving Taylor Pendrith. He can be backed at 35-1.
He finished runner-up to Tony Finau here two years ago – when Finau had one of those rare weeks when the putter does not let him down – and Pendrith looks more than capable of adding to this year’s Byron Nelson victory.
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Chris Kirk was just outside the top ten here last year. But at 50-1 he looks capable of climbing a few places into the each way places.
Nicolai Hojgaard has taken a break to recharge the batteries after the disappointment of falling way over the final 36 holes at the US Open.
But throwing his hat into the ring at the top level – just as he did at the Masters – has to be a good thing. He got a feel for the Detroit course last year, and at 66-1 he can really make his presence felt this time.
And in the three-figure market, 100-1 shot Daniel Berger – slowly getting back to his best after injury – and 130-1 chance Nate Lashley make most appeal.
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