2023 Rocket Mortgage Bets

Good afternoon! Welcome to Caddyshanks, a 3x weekly golf newsletter that helps you become the coolest dude at your clubhouse.

Here's what we've got for ya today:

• Doin Lines: Rocket Mortgage

• Storm Hits Detroit Golf Club

• Golf Shots Heard Round The World

• TGL Gets a Boston Team

• Golf Data

• Golf Thing We'd Buy If We Weren't Broke

Doin Lines: Rocket Mortgage Classic

This ain’t the most stacked field on tour, but it is the most stacked field in the history of The Rocket Mortgage. Although RMC is a new event, this being the 5th time it’s been held, it’s become a major draw for Detroit sports fans.

Expect a great atmosphere and plenty of birdies this weekend.

🚩 Location: Detroit Golf Club

💰 Purse: $8.8M - Winner gets $1.57M

👑 Previous Winner: Tony Finau

⛳️ Field: 156

👀 Watch On: Golf Channel, CBS, ESPN+, Paramount+

The Field at a Glance

8 of the top 30 in OWGR are competing this weekend in Detroit.

Rickie Fowler looks to complete his comeback tour, while Collin Morikawa and JT are checking out this event for the first time, and hoping to earn themselves some Fedex points.

Tony Finau looks to defend his title and Max Homa is the only OWGR top ten competing this weekend.

The Course

Detroit Golf Club is a Donald Ross design and that usually means the onus is on putting, and we expect that to hold true this weekend.

However, this is a course that can be muscled by the long hitters. There just aren’t a ton of hazards to scare them off from a “bomb and gauge” approach.

Plus, Tony Finau (a long hitter) won this event last year at -26.

Expect another birdie fest this week.

The Data

Totally disregarding the data available to us seems like a stupid decision, because it usually is, but there’s some extra randomness that seems to happen at birdie fests.

Look at last week as a great example where top players in OWGR played well, but the final leaderboard was Keegan Bradley, Zac Blair, and Brian Harman.

Yes, we will still throw down on a player with weaker odds like Rickie Fowler, but there’s some fun to be had lower on the board.

💰Shanks Picks💰

The top of the board isn’t very juicy this week. So, we’re going to search a little further down the board and try to mine some gold.

Outright Winner: Ludvig Aberg +4000 (BetMGM). Yes, he’s a longshot, but the rookie can drive the ball as far as anyone, and this is a course where two of the previous four winners got their maiden victory.

Top Five: Justin Thomas +490 (Fanduel). JT has been on a major cold streak, but last week he showed glimpses of the player we are used to. Let’s bet him to continue progressing.

Top Ten: Justin Suh +700 (Fanduel)

Top Twenty: Aaron Rai +220 (Fanduel)

Long Shots: Austin Eckroat +5500 (Fanduel) my man has been too hot lately to have this long of odds.

Make Cut Parlay: Justin Thomas, Ludvig Aberg, Austin Eckroat, Aaron Rai, Rickie Fowler, Tony Finau, Brian Harman, and Gordon Sargent to all make the cut. +1174 Fanduel.

Let’s Ride!

Storm Hits Detroit Golf Club

And no, we aren’t talking about the storm of people that will be rooting for Rickie Fowler this coming tournament. The prestigious Detroit Golf Club, known for its lush greens and serene ambiance, was hit by an abrupt storm, leaving a trail of havoc like a college kid at the Waste Management Open.

When event organizers arrived on the scene there were fallen trees, scattered branches, divots that looked more like mini crater, and BODIES EVERYWHERE MY GOD. No, just kidding. But the course was turned into a temporary obstacle course that would even test Happy Gilmore. You know, because he learned to putt at a mini golf course? Nevermind.

Somehow, there was no major damage reported on the course, involving tees or greens, or temporary structures such as grandstands and hospitality tents, but if you look at the pictures… I mean holy crap dude!

Boston Gets a TGL Team

The Fenway Sports Group, renowned for their ownership of the Boston Red Sox, has now announced that they have added a team to the TGL, the team golf league developed by Tiger Woods. So, will they be swinging baseball bats or golf clubs?

FSG Principal Owner John Henry and Chairman Tom Werner said, “We are excited for this new journey as one of the six inaugural TGL teams in honor of a city whose love and passion for sports is unparalleled. […] We are excited to reveal more details later this summer and fall when we’ll unveil an official name and team members who will represent this great city and region."

Unfortunately, this news leaves me more questions than answers, who will be the next team announced? When will we be learning more about TGL? And will fans care more about city pride or their favorite PGA pros who play on these teams?

Oh, and now that the only 2 confirmed teams in the TGL are LA and Boston, will this make for the next big rivalry (LA Lakers and Boston Celtics)?

Golf Shots Heard Round The World

Optimistic Phil: Phil Mickelson Confident in LIV Golf’s Future After Agreement With PGA Tour

Hot Dog: This man is living in 2050.

Players Meeting: After Marathon Meeting, PGA Tour Players Appear Ready to Work With Saudi Public Investment Fund.

Golf Data

Our favorite data guy is back with a gem.

Golf Thing We'd Buy If We Weren't Broke

The only thing you’ll find Callaway in my bag are my wedges (52 degree JAWS and 56 degree Mack Daddy 4), you bet your ass that I was excited to hear that they were going to be coming out with these new Callaway CB wedges.

Starting at $159.99 you’ll be offered “the forgiveness of a Big Bertha iron with the playability of a JAWS Raw.” If you check out this video on the Callaway YouTube channel, you’ll find that they’re putting some serious technology into it. Stuff that you probably wouldn’t understand but will feel on your short game out on the course. These wedges are available starting June 30^th and you better believe I’ll have a brand spankin’ new 60 degree in my bag… as soon as I get paid?

Oh yea, and check out that full face of grooves!

That's all folks! See you Friday.