The PGA Tour visits Detroit Golf Club this week for the 2020 Rocket Mortgage Classic, which starts on Thursday. Since the resumption of professional golf three weeks ago, fans, bettors and Fantasy players alike have been treated to plenty of excitement. The 2020 Rocket Mortgage Classic field will try to continue the trend, with players like Bryson DeChambau, FedEx Cup leader Webb Simpson, Sungjae Im and Patrick Reed among those scheduled to compete. DeChambeau, who has shot 68 or lower in 10 of his 12 rounds since the break, is the 6-1 favorite in the latest 2020 Rocket Mortgage Classic odds at William Hill, but who should you target in your 2020 Rocket Mortgage Classic Fantasy golf rankings?
Defending champion Nate Lashley (150-1) went wire-to-wire last year for his only PGA Tour victory in the inaugural Rocket Mortgage Classic, so there are plenty of players who could be Fantasy golf sleepers this week. Before finalizing any 2020 Rocket Mortgage Classic Fantasy golf picks, check out the latest Fantasy golf rankings from data scientist Rick Gehman.
With his expansive database of golf statistics, course data and betting odds, Gehman creates advanced models and back-tests them constantly. These models have produced 11 outright winners in the past year -- including 30-1 Webb Simpson at the 2020 RBC Heritage, 50-1 Chez Reavie at last year's Travelers and 40-1 Patrick Reed at the Northern Trust among nine PGA Tour winners -- plus a $10,000 DraftKings win at The Masters.
At this year's WGC-Mexico Championship, four of Gehman's top six golfers finished tied for sixth or better. Two weeks ago at the RBC Heritage, Gehman featured longshots Tyrell Hatton (17th) and Abraham Ancer (23rd) in his rankings. The result: Hatton (-20) tied for third and Ancer (-21) finished second, and anyone who followed Gehman's golf picks was rewarded.
Last week at the Travelers Championship, Gehman noted Dustin Johnson was coming off "four rounds of 68 or better at Harbour Town" and playing some of the best golf "we've seen from Johnson in quite some time." The result? Johnson fired a 19-under for his first win in 15 months.
Now Gehman, co-host of "The First Cut" podcast on CBS Sports, has revealed his top 30 players for the 2020 Rocket Mortgage Classic over at SportsLine so you can crush your Fantasy golf leagues.
2020 Rocket Mortgage Classic Fantasy golf picks
Gehman expects to see more good things from Jason Day, who looks rejuvenated after the three-month break. The former world No. 1 has had back issues, but has shot no worse than 72 since the season restarted, and scored 69 or lower in five straight rounds. He has been stellar around the greens, leading the PGA Tour in strokes gained around the green, and is a proven winner when he is healthy, with 17 worldwide victories. He should be sky-high in your Fantasy golf rankings this week.
Bubba Watson isn't high on Gehman's list, even though the left-hander has shot in the 60s in nine of his last 10 rounds. Two of those rounds were last week at TPC River Highlands, where he missed the cut. The data scientist is wary of Watson's inconsistency and doesn't have him among his top 15 golfers, saying, "He is just as likely to finish top five as miss the cut." The veteran has four top-25 finishes and four missed cuts in 12 events this season.
How to set your 2020 Rocket Mortgage Classic Fantasy golf rankings
Strikingly, Gehman is super-high on a surging American youngster who has never won on the PGA Tour. This budding star, who excelled in this spot last year, continues to fly under the radar despite analytics that jump off the screen. Gehman is sharing who it is, and his top 30 golfers in order, right here.
Who wins the 2020 Rocket Mortgage Classic? Who are the top golfers to target? And which overlooked player can help you win your league this week? Visit SportsLine now to get Rick Gehman's Fantasy golf power rankings for the Rocket Mortgage Classic, all from the data scientist who's called 11 outright winners in the past year.
