BLOG#154 Rocket Mortgage Classic Results July 1, 2024 Par 72

BLOG#154 Rocket Mortgage Classic Results July 1, 2024 Par 72

ROUND 1 There are 16 players within 3 shots of lead.  Only 3 were picked for the top 10, and only 2 were on my longshot list.  Like many of these secondary tournaments anyone can win.

1 A Bhatia-8 64 Scores 30 on back 9 with eagle on 17 & 4 birdies. Finish 2 P/U

2 T Montgomery(120/1)-7 Bogie free RD with 6 birdies on front 9,1 on back. Finish 43-8

2 M Kim(120/1)-7 Bogie free RD birdies last 3 holes.   Finish 52-7

2 A Rai-6(30/1) 66 Bogie free RD with 6 birdies. Finish 2-17

4 R Fowler-6(45/1) 66 Bogie free Rd birdies 4 of last 5 holes. Finish 31-9

4 W Zalatoris-6 66 Starts with bogie on 1 & 12 followed by 5 birdies last 6 holes. Finish W/D

9 N Dunlap -5 67 Six birdies thru first 12 holes then DB, bogie & par for on last 5 Finish 10-14 

9 C Young-5 67 Bogie free with 1 eagle 3 birdies, in great shape to win his first. Finish 6-15

9 N Shipley-5 65 First RD as a pro  good, but wild 1 eagle 7 birdies  4 bogies. Finish 20-11

50 P Malnati-1 Decent first 3 RDs-5, but finishes last. Finish 74-1  

50 J Knapp-2 70 Three bogies 5 birdies. Finish 31-9

115 T Kim+1 73 Four bogies 3 birdies last week may have been too much. Finish Cut

ROUND 2 I think that one of the top 6 from this round will be the winner.

My pick still is Young  #2 Rai, #3 Bhatia he will make 1 DB and a few bogies in 3&4, 

#4 Montgomery, Merritt & van Rooyen will fold, then anybody could win.

1 A Bhatia-13 Bogie free Rd with 5 birdies great putting on both RDs.

1 A Rai-13 65 Bogie free RD with 7 birdies 2 on final 2 holes for lead tie.

3 T Montgomery-11 68 First bogie with 1 eagle 3 birdies.

3 T Merritt-11 64 Up from #35 with 2 bogies 1 eagle 8 birdies. Finish10-13

3 C Young-11 66 One bogie 7 birdies he still has a good chance to win.

3 Erik van Rooyen-11 64 five straight birdies 13 to 17 ties for lowest RD.   Finish 6-15

7 J Dahmen-10  64 Up 43 spots with bogie free RD 8 birdies.   Finish 25-10   

10 J Highsmith-9 64 Up 65 spots Ace on #5, made one at American Express. Finish 57-6 

10 N Shipley-9 68 Drops a spot 1 bogie 5 birdies, another good RD for 1st tournament as a pro 

15 M Kim-8 Starts with 3 birdies on first 8 holes but 3 bogies on back 9 drops 12 spots.

38 R Fowler-6 72 Drops 34 spots and probably out of it with 3 bogies.

Cut-4 Missed Tom Kim Kieth Mitchel-3, Jason Dufner-1, Kevin Kisner+2, Miles Russel E.

Round 3 Starts with 74 players making the cut.  There are 9 players within 3 shots of the lead.

It is my opinion that the winner will come form the top 3 and I am sticking with Young.

1 A Rai-17 68 One bogie 5 birdies but I don’t think he can win.

2 A Bhatia-17 68 Another bogie free RD only player to do this.  

3 C Young-16 66 One bogie 3 clutch birdies on last 5 holes.  He wins!!!

3 C Davis-16 66 Tied for lowest RD of day but I don’t think he can handle the pressure on Rd 4.

60 T Montgomery-6 Completely falls apart, he has shoulder issues and that is too bad.

FINAL ROUND  Front 9 Davis birdies 8&9-18 for the lead.  Bhatia-18 ties with-1, 

Young birdies 8&9-17, Rai birdies 1st hole for lead but bogies 6&9-16.  It’s down to these 4.  

Back 9 comes down to #18 where only 5 birdies have been made.  Bhatia does what I think he always does he misses a 3’ putt for his 2nd bogie of the tournament and gives the win to Davis who lost the lead with a bogie on 14 then birdies 17.  Bhatia and Young blew it. 

1 Cam Davis-18 66 No way he should have won but he hung in there and he did $1.7M  

2 Akshay Bhatia-17 72 He had the tournament in his hand and blew it!!! $616K

2 Aaron Rai-17 72 Another one who could have won but 3 bogies. $616K

3 Davis Thompson-17 68 A great run but he was never a threat. $616K

3 Min woo Lee-17 Birdies 5 of last 10 holes bogies 18 to miss playoff. $616K 

6 Young-16 Bogies 2 of his last 3 holes and blows another, he needs a shrink. $300K