Rocket Classic weather forecast for Thursday
Thursday looks set to be the sunniest day of the week. Temperatures start at around 70 degrees and touch 90 late in the afternoon.
Wind speeds are light and consistent at around 7-9mph throughout the golfing day.
Looking at past years, eight players have had a piece of the first-round lead, four teeing off in the morning and four in the afternoon.
First Round Leader Bet 1: Zac Blair @ 110/1111.00
While I don't expect the course changes to play a huge part this week, if there is some re-learning to be done, it'll happen in round one.
It therefore makes sense to go with someone striping it with his irons at all venues and Zac Blair ranks sixth for SG: Approach over the last 12 months.
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.
Back Zac Blair each-way for FRL
First Round Leader Bet 2: Patrick Cantlay @ 40/141.00
Patrick Cantlay recently became a member of the cult collection of players who have turned a first-round lead into a missed cut.
That came at the Scottish Open where he paced the field with a 65 and although he fell apart with a Friday 74 the American bounced back pretty well at Royal Birkdale as 68s in rounds two and four helped him to tied 28th.
Cantlay has played this event just twice and finished runner-up in the first of those in 2022 so he has course form too.
As well as that fast start in Scotland, he's also finished day one of his last two regular PGA Tour events in eighth spot - Travelers and Memorial.
Cantlay can hopefully continue that strong recent R1 scoring from his 13:05 tee-time (1st).
Back Patrick Cantlay each-way for FRL
First Round Leader Bet 3: Jackson Suber @ 60/161.00
I've gone for Jackson Suber in my outright preview and I like him in this market too.
Suber was the surprise pacesetter at Royal Birkdale two weeks ago when making a mockery of his lack of links experience by firing a 65 on day one.
Still sixth with a round to play before finishing 28th, Suber flew home for last week's 3M Open but missed the cut.
However, he still managed another good start and his last four openers now show a 65 and three 68s.
In this event last year he opened 66-65 to lie fourth at halfway before finishing sixth so Suber should be relishing his return to Detroit Golf Club.
He tees off at 14:00 from the 10th so can hopefully put up a low one late in the day.
Back Jackson Suber each-way for FRL