Rocket Mortgage Classic

UPDATE: Due to inclement weather, play was suspended from 12:15pm to 3:30pm (EDT), a delay of 3 hours, 15 minutes. Due to darkness, the first round was suspended at 9:02pm (EDT) with 27 players left on the golf course and will resume at 7:15am (EDT) today. As they are finishing, the second round will have begun as scheduled at 6:45am this morning.

DETROIT – Tournament leader Davis Thompson is competing on a sponsor exemption. In the opening round, Thompson tied the tournament 18-hole scoring record with a 9-under (63) with the previous (63s) all came in 2019: Nate Lashley/R1, J.T. Poston/R2, Lashley/R3).

Thompson’s previous low score in 16 prior rounds on Tour was a 4-under (66) as an amateur in the final round of 2019 The RSM Classic (T23/PGA Tour debut). He made his seventh career start on the PGA Tour and third since the University of Georgia product turned professional in June.

Thompson’s professional results: T-35/Palmetto Championship at Congaree, MC/Travelers Championship).

Brandon Hagy is currently in second place. His 7-under (65) was his first par-or-better first-round score in his last eight individual PGA Tour stroke-play events.

Matthew Wolff, the 2020 Rocket Mortgage Classic runner-up, recorded a 5-under 67, highlighted by an eagle at the par-5 17th and is T-7.

Kevin Chappell withdrew before his round with a back injury and was replaced in the field by Josh Teater.

Leaderboard After 18 Holes:

Davis Thompson 63 (-9)

Brandon Hagy 65 (-7)

Tom Lewis 65 (-7)

Joaquin Niemann 65 (-7)

Seamus Power 66 (-6)

J.J. Spaun 66 (-6)

Full Leaderboard: (link)

The 2021 Rocket Mortgage Classic First Look

COURSE: Detroit Golf Club (Detroit, Michigan)

ARCHITECT: Donald Ross

YARDS/PAR: 7,370 yards/Par 72

PRIZE Money/First Place Winnings: $7,500,000 /$1,350,000

DEFENDING CHAMPION: Bryson DeChambeau (July 5, 2020)

PAST RESULTS: (link)

PAST CHAMPIONS: (link)

FEDEx CUP Points Total/Winner: 2,989/500

SOCIAL MEDIA: #PGATour #FedExCup @RocketClassic

OFFICIAL SITE: (Rocket Mortgage Classic)

TV COVERAGE: Thursday, July 1 and Friday, July 2:  3:00pm to 6:00pm (EDT) on Golf Channel. 

On Saturday, July 3, Round 3 coverage 1:00pm to 3:00pm (EDT) on Golf Channel. CBS takes over from 3:00pm to 6:00pm (EDT). On Sunday, July 4: Golf Channel starts-off the coverage 1:00pm to 3:00pm (EDT) and CBS wraps it up from 3:00pm to 6:00pm (EDT).

STREAMING: Streaming coverage with Featured Groups via PGA Live from 6:45am to 6:00pm (EDT) on Thursday and Friday. PGA Live Coverage expands on the weekend with Featured Groups streaming 8:15am to 3:00pm (EDT) and Featured Holes 3:00pm to 6:00pm (EDT) on both Saturday and Sunday.

PGA TOUR RADIO COVERAGE: SiriusXM PGA Tour Radio returns for Thursday and Friday coverage 12:00pm Noon to 6:00pm (EDT). Weekend coverage on PGA Tour Radio airs from 1:00pm to 6:00pm (EDT) or until conclusion. PGA Tour Radio is available on Sirius 208/XM 92) or online on PGATour.com

Rocket Mortgage Classic: 2021 Notebook

• Bryson DeChambeau is trying to defend the tournament title after earning his sixth career PGA Tour win at Detroit Golf Club in 2020. DeChambeau defeated Matthew Wolff by three strokes last July.

• DeChambeau became the first PGA Tour winner to lead the field in Strokes Gained: Off the Tee and Strokes Gained: Putting. His last three drives at the 2020 Rocket Mortgage Classic totaled 1,055 yards in distance.

• DeChambeau enters this week No. 4 in the FedExCup and No. 6 in the Official World Golf Ranking.

• A tournament treat for Detroit fans as 45-time PGA Tour winner Phil Mickelson will make his tournament debut in the Rocket Mortgage Classic. Since winning the PGA Championship in May, Mickelson has just five rounds under-par in 10 tournament rounds.

• Two players became eligible for PGA Tour membership on June 13: Garrick Higgo and Mito Pereira. Higgo won the Palmetto Championship at Congaree in his second career start, while Pereira earned a “Three-Victory Promotion” from the Korn Ferry Tour (first since Wesley Bryan in 2016).

 

The Basics:

Tournament Tee Times begin Thursday at 6:45am (EDT) through 2:00pm (EDT).

Weather: Thursday’s forecast calls for afternoon showers, temps 68-to-82 degrees, and very humid (73%). A 40% chance of rain. Friday weather improving to partly cloudy and weekend forecast is for sunny skies and lower humidity.