The PGA Tour convenes in Detroit this week at the Detroit Golf Club, a 7,334 yard, Par 72 layout designed by famed Golf Architect, the late Donald Ross, for the Rocket Mortgage Classic.

Three of the top 10 players in the world are in the field. Webb Simpson, fresh off his victory at the RBC Heritage 2 weeks ago, checks in at No.6. Patrick Reed checks in at No.7. He’s started all 3 events since the resumption of the Tour and has finished T-7 at the Charles Schwab Challenge, Missed Cut at the RBC Heritage and T-24 at the Travelers Championship last week. Bryson DeChambeau, the man with the mammoth physique, he’s gained 40 pounds since last year, too bulky in my opinion and I’ll talk more about him below.. DeChambeau is No.10.

Defending Champion:

Nate Lashley. Lashley, the 37 year old from Scottsbluff, Nebraska, was a Monday qualifier last year, but shot -25 to win by 6 shots over runner up and last year’s U.S. Amateur Champion Doc Redman.

Last week was amazing. Not only did Dustin Johnson emerge victorious, so did Bama Golf. Again. Bama was right on the mark on Tiz the Law in the Belmont Stakes 2 weeks ago and he kept the momentum going by picking DJ last week. He also picked Vanderbilt’s Will Gordon as his sleeper and Gordon finished 3rd, 1 behind Kevin Streelman for 2nd place earning him a special sponsor’s exemption for the rest of the regular season. Gordon shot 62 on Friday to take the lead and 64 on Sunday. Remarkable performances by Gordon and Bama G. Bama G needs to go to the Bellagio and hit the Blackjack and Craps tables AND the sports book. Maybe not now, but as soon as it’s all clear. Great stuff, Bama.

On DeChambeau. His numbers are impressive. In his last 6 starts, he’s finished T-5th at the Genesis Invitational at Riviera CC in L.A., 2nd at the WGC-Mexico Championship in Mexico City, 4th at the Arnie, T-3rd at the Charles Schwab Challenge in Fort Worth 3 weeks ago, T-8th at the RBC Heritage, and T-6th at the Travelers last week. He’s leading the tour in Strokes Gained off the Tee at +36.2. Rory is second at +21.7, so quite a discrepancy there. DeChambeau is 2nd on the tour in Driving Distance at 320.1. Cameron Champ, who tested positive for COVID-19 last week, leads at 320.8. Since the Tour’s restart, DeChambeau is -46 which is 1st on the tour, he leads the tour in Strokes Gained off the tee, he’s first in Driving Distance and he’s Tied for 1st in Greens in Reg. He’s 23rd in Strokes Gained Putting which is very solid. So the only thing missing is a title. At 26 years old, the Modesto, California native, by way of SMU, has won 5 times, the 2017 John Deere Classic, the 2018 Memorial Tournament, the 2018 Northern Trust, the 2018 Dell Technologies, and the 2018 Shriners Hospital for Children Open. He hasn’t won since 2018, but I expect him to win soon. His putting has let him down at times lately. I think the extra muscle can tighten you up and take away from your feel around and on the greens. But he’s been doing well. Certainly one of the favorites this week.

Golf Channel commentator Tripp Isenhour was asked whether Rickie Fowler has underachieved at 31 years old. He said yes. I agree with that. Fowler has won only 5 times on tour, and while any victory on tour is a great victory, he should have more victories by now. And no majors. He’s finished 2nd in all 4 majors. He’s not a super closer. He’s won the 2012 Wells Fargo Championship, the 2015 Players, the 2015 Deutsche Bank Championship, part of the Fed Ex Playoffs, the 2017 Honda Classic and the 2019 Waste Management. Jack Nicklaus has said he doesn’t like the fact that Fowler, Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas all hang out together in their off time. His opinion is it takes away from each player’s competitive edge when those guys are out on the course together. I don’t disagree with that. Spieth has won 3 majors and Thomas has won a major, so they’ve achieved, but they haven’t won a major in a while. Spieth last won the Open Championship in 2017 and that’s his last victory, while Thomas has torn up the regular events, but his last and only major came in 2017 too. That’s not a major time lapse and I expect JT to get another one if not multiple majors. Not sure about Spieth. Thomas is 27 and Spieth will be 27 at the end of this month so they’ve got plenty of time. Spieth has got to get control of himself on the course if he’s ever going to win a major again. He can’t stop talking to himself out there and his body language is terrible. He needs some serious sports psychology if he ever wants to win a Green Jacket, a U.S Open., an Open or a PGA. Fowler is still only 31, but you’re starting to wonder a little bit if he can ever close the deal. Sergio Garcia got the monkey off his back in 2017 at Augusta National at 37 years old, so Fowler has time. He sure is talented, but he seems to come in as a favorite in majors and doesn’t get the job done. Will keep an open mind though on Fowler.

Six players have now tested positive for the Coronavirus. They are Nick Watney at the RBC Heritage, Cameron Champ at the Travelers, Denny McCarthy at the Travelers, Dylan Frittelli this week, along with Harris English and Chad Campbell also this week. Frittelli won the John Deere, Champ is accomplished as are Campbell, English and Watney. McCarthy is not a familiar name. So COVID is still a major factor in golf and could very well be for a pretty good while longer.

Featured groups

6:35 AM CT-Tyrrell Hatton, Arnie champion this year, Sungjae Im, Honda Classic champion, and Brandt Snedeker.

6:45 AM CT-Webb Simpson, Nate Lashley and Fowler.

11:50 AM CT-Brendon Todd, 2 time winner on tour this season but had a colossal and painful meltdown last Sunday at the Travelers, Bubba, Jason Day, who hasn’t been heard from much since his victory at the Farmers Championship in 2019.

12 PM CT

Patrick Reed, DeChambeau, Hideki Matsuyama. Matsuyama is ranked 23rd in the world, but hasn’t been heard from much lately either,.

Some other notables are World No.17 Tony Finau. He only has 1 victory on the tour, the 2016 Puerto Rico Open, but went into a playoff 2 weeks ago with Webb Simpson at the RBC Heritage where he lost on the 2nd playoff hole. He’s 30 so it’s a bit surprising he doesn’t have more than 1 victory. Still has plenty of opportunities left. Kevin “Neh” is in the field. Na always plays. He’s done pretty well lately. He finished 5th last week. Will Gordon is in the field after his most impressive performance last week. So is Viktor Hovland. The 22 year old Norwegian by way of OK. State won this year’s Puerto Rico Open in February and finished tied 11th last week. I really like watching him play. Seems like a super guy. Really looks like he enjoys playing golf and he enjoys life.

Weather: no rain forecasted, winds 5-7, and temperatures in the low 90’s. Pretty hot for Michigan.

TV:

Thursday-Friday-2-5 PM CT, Golf Channel.

Saturday-Sunday, 12-2 PM CT, GC, 2-5 PM CT, CBS.

One last thing and this is pretty interesting. FOX opted out of its 12 year contract with the USGA, so NBC will now be televising the U.S. Open starting this year and continuing on through 2026. The Golf Channel is also part of the deal as NBC owns the Golf Channel. The Open will be held at the famed Winged Foot Golf Club in New York state this year and will take place Sept. 17th-20th. NBC will telecast Thursday from 1-4 PM CT, Friday, from 3-6 PM CT, Saturday, from 10:30 AM-6:30 PM CT, and Sunday, from 11 AM-5 PM CT. Golf Channel will pick it up at earlier times on Thursday and Friday. Glad NBC got the Open back. FOX was getting better at covering the Open, but NBC just seems like it should be the home to the Open. NBC also telecasts the British Open, which has been cancelled this year and will resume in 2021 at Royal St. George’s in England. CBS has the PGA Championship and the Masters. The PGA is scheduled for August 6th-9th at TPC Harding Park in San Francisco. The Masters commences November 12th-15th.

The Ryder Cup is scheduled for Sept. 25th-27th at Whistling Straits in Kohler, Wisc. but reports are is it will be postponed until 2021. Hoping that the PGA and R&A (European Tour governing body, the Royal and Ancient) maybe reconsider and have it any way. Sports fans need some sports and with football questionable at this point, golf would be a savior for a lot of sports fans. There’s some time for everything, we’re just starting July, but the deadline for deciding on football is getting closer. It’s scheduled to go as of right now, but that is a fluid situation depending on how COVID operates this month. The NBA, MLB and NHL are having issues with restarting. Some of those players are not playing this year because of COVID. Don’t say I blame’em.

Key Holes at Detroit GC

No. 4, 635 yards, Par 5

Long hitters certainly have the advantage here. Green is tough, bentgrasss, and the rough at Detroit GC is thick, along the lines of 4 inches.

No.6 461 yards, Par 4

Accuracy again at a premium. To have a clear approach shot at the green without tree interference, players will need to drive it on the left side of the fairway while avoiding the left side bunker. A birdie here will likely allow a player to pickup a stroke on the field.

No.11 233 yards, Par 3

Can play anywhere from 180—233. Players will be challenged by difficult pin locations and a bowl shaped front.

No.15, 160 yards, Par 3

The Par 3 plays longer than the posted yardage and there are large bunkers protecting the front, left and right sides of the green.

No.17, 577 yards, Par 5

There will be some electricity on this hole with the tournament on the line Sunday and players going for it in 2 to post an eagle and to try and clinch the title.

No.18 455 yards, Par 4

The hole is a great finishing one with a ditch running the entire length of the hole. There is a bunker and Sycamore tree on the left and bunkers on the right, so driving accuracy is again at a premium with rough also in play. The putting surface is considered maybe the most difficult on the course, so after a red number on 17, par may be all the eventual winner needs on this hole.

Winner

I’m tempted to take my Vanderbilt man, Will Gordon, because last Sunday he looked like the best player in the field. But I tried to get an interview with him this week for this blog and his agent told me in an email that he has been flooded with interview requests from media throughout the country. And while I think Gordon is a sharp guy and can handle it, I still think that could be a factor in wearing him down a little bit at Detroit Golf Club. I’ll take him as my sleeper and take another young talent to win this week.

Viktor Hovland