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Gambling Today: Rocket Mortgage Classic PGA Preview & Odds

The PGA Tour heads north to Detroit Golf Club for the Rocket Mortgage Classic this week. SI Gambling insider Frankie Taddeo takes a first look at the field along with the opening odds.

Frankie Taddeo

Sports fans were treated to a third consecutive thrilling PGA tournament this past weekend during the Travelers Championship.

Dustin Johnson (-19) captured his 21st career PGA tour victory, edging out Kevin Streelman (-18) by one stroke at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, Connecticut.

Streelman, who won the event back in 2014, gave the No. 3 player in the World a strong fight to the finish.

Johnson, who now has three top-10 finishes on the season, shot an impressive 69, 64, 61, and 67 en route to the victory.

COVID-19 Impact on the PGA Tour: 

According to the PGA Tour, Dylan Frittelli and Harris English are the latest PGA Tour golfer to test positive for COVID-19 and have been forced to withdraw for this week’s Rocket Mortgage Classic.

"I am experiencing no issues and feel great physically and was surprised and disappointed to learn of the positive test today," he said in a statement. "I'm thankful for the WHOOP strap notification of a minor increase [0.3] in my respiratory rate overnight. However, I'm most thankful for the Tour's assistance, procedures, and protocols, which I will continue to follow during my self-isolation, so as to keep everyone safe. I look forward to getting back on Tour once it's safe to do so."

Frittelli and English join Nick Watney, Cameron Champ, and Denny McCarthy as PGA Tour players to test positive for COVID-19.

DATES AND VENUE:

Thursday, July 2-5: Detroit Golf Club in Detroit, Michigan

BETTING ODDS:

It’s another huge field of 156 players, however, it is thinned-out from previous weeks with only 10 of the top 20 players ranked in the 2020 FedEx Cup standings projected to participate. 

The top five players in the World Golf Rankings have all chosen to sit out the Rocket Mortgage this week with sportsbooks listing three overall top-15 players prominently on the betting board: 

Bryson DeChambeau (6/1) sits atop the DraftKings Sportsbook board as the favorite following three straight top-10 finishes in the Charles Schwab Challenge (T3), RBC Heritage (T8) and the Travelers Championship (T6). Following DeChambeau closely are Webb Simpson (10/1), Tyrrell Hatton (12/), Patrick Reed (14/1), and Hideki Matsuyama (18/1). 

Webb Simpson, who ranks No. 1 in the FedEx standings, will be making his return to the links following a one-week absence after a family member tested positive for COVID-19 after his win at the RBC Heritage.

The reigning champion of the event, Nate Lashley, is back to defend his title at odds at 200/1. Lashley who won the 2019 Rocket Mortgage Classic after overcoming tragedy, will attempt to get his game on track after missing the cut in both the Charles Schwab Challenge and the RBC Heritage. 

According to Golfweek, Tiger Woods, ranked (No.39) in the FedEx Standings, will skip his fourth straight PGA Tour event after not committing to play in the Rocket Mortgage Classic this week. The last time golf fans saw Tiger back on the links was back on May 24 when he teamed up with Petyon Manning to defeat Phil Michelson and Tom Brady in “The Match II.” The event raised over $20 million of COVID-19 relief.

Be sure to check back here at Sports Illustrated later this week with the SI Gambling team’s predictions, best bets, values, longshots and daily fantasy plays for the Rocket Mortgage Classic; as well as where the sharps are investing their money. 

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Frankie Taddeo
FRANKIE TADDEO

Frankie Taddeo is a successful high-stakes fantasy football player who created the first-ever DFS program offered in a Las Vegas sportsbook. Besides contributing NFL fantasy analysis with a Vegas slant, Frankie primarily performs as Sports Illustrated's Senior Betting Analyst providing his significant experience and resources in the sports betting scene. 

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