The Rocket Mortgage Classic is the event on tour this week with the 149th Open Championship at Royal St. George’s, on what looks like a tremendously challenging course, only 2 weeks away from tomorrow. With that in mind, I’m also previewing and predicting the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open this week, which also commences tomorrow.

Bryson DeChambeau blistered the Detroit Golf Club with his massive length last year averaging 329.8 yards off the tee and shooting a 23 under par score to defeat Matthew Wolff by 3 shots. It was an indication that DeChambeau was ready to break out and win big, which he did at the U.S. Open at Winged Foot 2 months later in September, 2020. He’s back to defend along with a pretty stellar field. DeChambeu is the Vegas favorite at 7/1, followed by Patrick Reed at 14/1, Webb Simpson at 16/1, Hideki at 16/1, young rising star Will Zalatoris, if he can convert on the greens, is at 20/1. Joaquin Neimann is at 27/1 along with Wolff Man, and Jason Kokrak, the bomber who won the Charles Schwab Challenge a month ago. Kevin Kisner and Sungjae Im are at 29/1 along with Jason Day.

Last week, Harris English and Kramer Hickok put on a putting clinic at the Travelers Championship at Hartford, CT. English, the 31 year old Georgia Bulldog, knocked off the 29 year old Austin, Texas and former Longhorn Hickock with a 10 foot birdie putt on the 8th playoff hole. It was a spectacle. Each guy kept matching the other hole by hole with converted birdie or par putt every playoff hole. English had birdied 18 in regulation from 18 feet to take the lead at 13 under before the young Texan tied him with an 8 footer of his own to send it into sudden death. It was a highly enjoyable watch. Will also be pretty riveting this week in Detroit.

Nelly Korda won the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship with a score of -19, outlasting Lizette Salas, another American, who finished at -16. Nelly shot a 63 in day 2 to take the lead and finished the final 2 days at 68-68. She put on out a masterpiece. This was the 22 year old from Bradenton, Florida’s first Major Championship, and it could be the first of several more to come. It’s a really interesting family. Her father, Petr, won the 1998 Australian Open in tennis and was No.2 in the world at one time. Her mother was a top female tennis player as well. Her sister, Jessica, is an accomplished, multiple winner on the LPGA Tour, and her brother, 20 year old Sebastian, is an accomplished men’s tennis player and has advanced to the third round of Wimbledon, where he’ll play Friday. He defeated the 15th seed, Alex De Minaur of Australia on Tuesday in the first round. So quite an accomplished family,.

Winner this week at Detroit Golf Club

I’m going to take the 37 year old from Aiken, South Carolina by way of the University of Georgia. He shot 63 on Sunday at the Travelers Championship last weekend to finish tied for 5th. I see this guy keeping the Georgia momentum going.

Kevin Kisner

Weather

Thursday, 78, 50% chance of showers wind N 13 MPH. No big deal with the rain, sounds like passing showers.

Friday, 75, partly sunny, wind N 10-20 MPH, so wind a factor there.

Saturday, 83, partly sunny, wind WNW 5-10.

Sunday, 91, Sunny, wind 5-10,. ‘

Friday may be a tougher day of scoring, but the guys could go low over the weekend with pretty prime scoring conditions.

Detroit Golf Club is a 7,370, Par 72. It’s a Donald Ross design, with a blend of bentgrass and Poa annua greens, interesting there, that’ll stimp at 12 1/2. The rough will be 4 inches and thicker this year according to PGA Tour.com, so keeping it in the fairway will be at a premium off the tee.

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

Saturday-Sunday, 12-2 PM CT, Golf Channel, 2-5 PM CT, CBS.

Dubai Duty Free Irish Open

With the upcoming 149th edition of the epic Open Championship in 2 weeks, this year at Royal St. George’s in England , a highly demanding course, I wanted to give you a selection for the Irish Open being played at Mount Juliet Estate, Thomastown, Co, Kilkennny, Ireland.

The course is playing 7,262 yards and is a par 72.

The heavy hitters playing are Rory, the 2016 champion and 4 time major winner, and a Northern Ireland native. Greame McDowell, the 2010 U.S. Open champion is playing. McDowell is also a Northern Ireland native.Two thousand ten PGA and 2014 U.S. Open champion Martin Kaymer is in the field. The defending 2019 Open Champion Shane Lowry is back on home soil to try to win his national Open. He won the 148th Open Championship at Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland. This tournament is on the mainland of Ireland. Englishman Tommy Fleetwood is also in the field. Thomas Pieters, a talented young Belgium player, is playing. Pieters is a familiar face as he’s played on the PGA tour frequently and has done well on the European Tour and is a very good Ryder Cup Player. Ryder Cup, September 25th-27th at Whistling Straits in Wisconsin. Classic venue, classic event. Nicolas Colsaerts, a guy who everybody thought would be big winner on the PGA Tour and the European Tour, but hasn’t lived up to those expectations, is also playing. Padraig Harrington is playing in his home country, also.

So solid field.

The defending champion is John Catlin. He’s a 30 year old American. I’m a little surprised more Americans aren’t playing, but with some still stiff COVID restrictions in Europe, the restrictions at the Open Championship are pretty severe, it makes sense for our guys to not travel over the pond yet. Maybe they’ll play in the all important Scottish Open next week. Phil did in 2013 and won it, and a week later won the Open Championship at Muirfield in Scotland.

Weather

Thursday, 75 with light rain, winds S 5-10. Chance of rain, 60%.

Friday, 69, partly sunny, wind 10-15.

Saturday, 66, cloudy with occasional light rain. Chance of rain, 90%. Winds, SSE 10-15.

Sunday, 65, occasional light rain. Winds S 10-15. Chance of rain, 90%.

From what I understand, this is typical Irish weather, so these guys are certainly used to it.

The course is playing 7,264 yards and is a Par 72. It’s a Jack Nicklaus design with plenty of bunkers, per usual with Nicklaus designs, and plenty of water hazards. So should be a very intriguing watch.

TV

Thursday, 7 AM-12 PM CT, Golf Channel.

Friday, 4-11:30 AM CT, Golf Channel.

Saturday, 7-11:30 AM CT, Golf

Sunday, 7-11:30 AM CT, Golf.

Winner

I’m going to take the 36 year old from Dusseldorf, West Germany. I’m seeing a resurgence in this guy and last weekend at the BMW International in Munich, he shot a 64 on Sunday, and finished -17 for the tournament, 2 back of winner Viktor Hovland, who looks very interesting heading into the Open in 2 weeks. This guy could be a guy in a couple of weeks, too. I like him at the Dubai Duty Free.

Martin Kaymer