DFS Dish: Ironmen Akshay Bhatia, Tom Kim can rock on in Detroit

There’s only one way to rock at the Rocket Mortgage Classic in Detroit, Michigan.

For the second week in a row, par will have the weekend off, and low scores will populate the leaderboards scattered around the grounds of the Detroit Golf Club.

Hosting for the sixth consecutive season, the 1916 Donald Ross composite course (17 holes from the North Course, and one hole from the South) has produced a champion reaching 18-under or better in five previous editions, with four winners breeching 20-under, including 24-under last season and 26-under in 2022.

The par 72 layout is 7,370 yards and ranked as one of the easiest tracks on TOUR last season to hit fairways and greens in regulation (GIR). With four gettable par 5s and the top 30 required to post double digits under par, it’s time to score and score again.

Winning in a playoff last year, Rickie Fowler broke a four-year-plus drought and returned to the winner’s circle.

DraftKings – Top of the board

Tom Kim ($11,000): After almost going wire-to-wire at the Travelers Championship last week, the red-hot South Korean will not have to worry about eating too much pizza on his birthday. Nor will he have to worry about the man who he shares a birthday and defeated him in a playoff, Scottie Scheffler. Kim closed 66-63 to cash solo seventh on debut in 2022. Later that summer, he won at another Donald Ross design, Sedgefield Country Club, where he posted a final round 61 to secure the trophy. Ownership will not resemble Scheffler standards but should be up there. I’ll remind folks he’s playing his ninth consecutive week on TOUR.

Cameron Young ($10,700): The daily fantasy sports community rarely misses converging trends. The big hitter arrives this week in the crosshairs after his 59 in Round 3 at the Travelers Championship (T9). Yet to find the winner’s circle on TOUR, Detroit Golf Club was the scene for one of his seven runner-up finishes (T2, 2022). With generous fairways and greens, plus four par 5s, he will need his productive putter from last week to make the journey to Michigan. Only one of the previous five winners at Detroit Golf Club broke their maiden on this track (Cam Davis, 2021).

Overvalued or undervalued

Alex Noren ($10,200): The fourth choice on the board this week, the Swede has missed the cut in two of his last four starts. Paying top dollar for just two top-10 paydays this season doesn’t interest me, regardless of his course history (T9, T4). I can find similar, or better, for increased value.

Stephan Jaeger ($9,400): Already a winner this season in Houston, the German continues to produce efficient results, including three finishes on the podium. Closing with 63 here last year to share ninth, he picked up his second consecutive top-10 in Detroit after a solo fifth in 2022.

Michael Thorbjornsen ($8,000): Last week during a Signature Event field, he could have been rostered at $6,500. This week, the price shot up, just like the number of players in the field. Massive off the tee, he will thrive with the lack of water (one penalty area) and out of bounds. Just having to grip it and rip it, he won’t have to adjust to new putting surfaces (same Bent/Poa mix as last week) or tougher scoring conditions, but he will have to deal with a 36-hole cut.

Akshay Bhatia ($9,800): Making his eighth consecutive start on TOUR, the “other” 22-year-old multiple-winner in the field should also receive an inspection. Posting 20-under to win the last par-72 (non-major) event on TOUR at TPC San Antonio before the Masters, the left-hander has rattled off T22, T16 and T5 in his last three to make investors take notice.

Makers or breakers

Rickie Fowler ($9,000): The reigning champion showed signs of life at TPC River Highlands last week. Opening with 64 and closing with 65 with all four rounds in the 60s, he collected T20, only his second top 25 of the season. Careful.

Adam Svensson ($7,600): Cashing in 11 straight, the Canadian played the middle two rounds last week 64-63 before picking up T16 money, his best since T10 at The Genesis Invitational. Taking six guys to the weekend never hurts!

Mark Hubbard ($7,700): A perfect 17-from-17 season carries on after T50 at Pinehurst No. 2. Another who is looking for his first win on TOUR, the West Coast native makes a ton of Par-Breakers, especially on par 5s. Going low this week is non-negotiable.

Matt Wallace ($7,400): Aaron Rai gets the big price tag this week, deservedly so, but this fellow Englishman produced a 30-under aggregate in his first two visits to Detroit Golf Club before signing for T78 in 2023. His scoring average is 69.17, and his price tag is scrumptious. He will not be rusty after T15 at the KLM Open in the Netherlands last week.

Michael Kim ($6,600): The volatility here is enough to scare plenty away. Missing the cut in three of his last seven on TOUR, the 30-year-old, when he makes the cut, has painted the top 20. After having three weeks off to tune up after T14 at the RBC Canadian Open, he should be ready to rock again.

Troy Merritt ($6,300): Sitting SIXTH on the all-time money list at the Rocket Mortgage Classic, the 2021 co-runner-up deserves some love. Missing the cut in the inaugural event, the Midwesterner has produced four paydays of T17 or better in the last five events. Everyone needs a course horse in the stable!

Roger Sloan ($5,200): Making his fifth visit, he’s missed the cut once in his previous four tries and did so on 4-under. A pair of T21 paydays are the highlight. Everyone needs a long shot!

The lineup

Here’s a look at how I would devise a six-team roster this week while staying below the $50,000 salary cap offered for DraftKings contests:

• Tom Kim ($11,000)
• Akshay Bhatia ($9,800)
• Stephan Jaeger ($9,400)
• Matt Wallace ($7,400)
• Troy Merritt ($6,300)
• Vince Whaley ($6,100)

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