Golf Tips: Best bets for Rocket Classic

Rocket Classic tips and predictions

The Punter's Preview: 22/1 Donald Ross specialist ready to win again

Steve Rawlings: Xander Schauffele has never played here before and he's never played in the Wyndham Championship at the Donald Ross designed Sedgefield Country Club, but he has a nice bank of form at Ross designed venues.

The 32-year-old Californian has a brilliant record at East Lake, home of the Tour Championship, a course that Ross redesigned in 1913, and he's also played nicely on the only other four occasions that he's played other Ross designed courses.

He led the 2018 BMW Championship at halfway at Aronimink eight years ago before finishing seventh and he finished seventh there again this year in the US PGA Championship after a slow start (sat tied for 30^th at halfway).

The world number 15 only finished 18^th in the US PGA Championship at Oak Hill in 2023 but he was a fast finishing seventh at Pinehurst in the US Open in 2024.

Schauffele hasn't had a brilliant year, but he's finished inside the top 10 in three of the four majors and third in the Players Championship and he played well at the Open Championship nicely last time out, ending in a tie for 18^th having sat tied for 52^nd at halfway.

Each-Way Picks: Back Keefer to impress at 80/1

Dave Tindall: It's certainly possible to argue that those playing the course for the first time are helped by the redesign. After all, they have nothing to compare it to. But the main reason for backing Johnny Keefer is that he's a fast learner with bundles of power and talent.

The 25-year-old ranks 11th for Driving Distance in his rookie season on the PGA Tour and he'll have been heartened by seeing Jackson Koivun strike a blow for the newbies at last week's 3M Open.

Keefer actually missed the cut there but it's easy to dismiss that. Travelling back from the UK, he looked half-asleep in an opening 76 but went 10 shots lower on day two. Alas, that wasn't enough.

But the 66 was another good sign and suggests he's ready to thrive again now back in his usual time zone.

Keefer had a memorable trip to the UK, shooting 64-67 on the weekend to finish third up against a world-class field in the Scottish Open. He was also in the top 25 at the halfway mark of his Open debut at Royal Birkdale before slipping back on the weekend.

Find Me a 100 Winner: Get Greyserman onside at 130/1

Steve Rawlings: Max Greyserman is yet to get off the mark on the PGA Tour, but he's come close three times, and twice on a Donald Ross designed course.

In addition to his playoff defeat here 12 months ago, and his second-place finish in the Baycurrent Classic in Japan in October, he traded at as short as 1.06 to win the Wyndham Championship at Sedgefield Country Club two years ago, finishing second to another Donald Ross specialist, Aaron Rai.

Rai went on to win the US PGA Championship at the Ross-designed Aronimink in May, with Greyserman finishing 14^th, despite being out of form beforehand.

Greyserman sat third at halfway at Aronimink and his liking for Ross layout goes back to his first visit to one when he finished fourth in the Knoxville Open at Holston Hills on the Korn Ferry Tour back in 2021.

The 31-year-old was on my radar for this event before he shot a seven-under-par 64 on Sunday at the 3M Open and he looks nicely priced at 130.0. There's the added incentive that he needs a good week to make the FedEx Cup Playoffs.

First Round Leader: In-form Blair gets the vote @ 110/1111.00

I've profited over the last few weeks by backing players who have had a recent first-round lead and Blair ticks that box.

He achieved that with an opening 63 at the John Deere Classic where he finished the week in ninth place.

Blair has since added eighth in the ISCO Championship and 13th in last week's 3M Open so he's in fine form.

The 35-year-old also opened with a 63 at the Korn Ferry's Colonial Life Charity Classic in May which put him second after 18 holes.

The compromise is course form (MC in both 2023 and 2024) but that explains why we're getting north of 100/1101.00.

Blair is out early at 07:11 from the 10th alongside last week's 59 shooter, Michael Kim. Hopefully that's a good omen.

Course and current form stats

Current Form Pick: Cameron Young finished second at the Open last time out, one shot off the winner, and after a week off will be determined to build on that performance. Returning to a course where he was second four years ago and sixth in 2024 could be ideal.

Looking forward to the new football season? Read our Premier League 2026/27 ultimate guide