Extended Summary: Rocket Mortgage Classic Recap & John Deere Classic Betting Preview

 Rocket Mortgage Classic Recap (0:37–12:00)

Will Doctor kicks off by celebrating a historic, high-drama Rocket Mortgage Classic in Detroit, noting it was CBS’s most-watched in five years. His pre-tournament pick, 20-year-old Aldrich Potgieter at 125-1 odds, captured victory in a five-hole playoff against Max Gray Sherman and Chris Kirk. Potgieter’s final scorecard read 62-70-65-69. Will hails this as a major swing in his own betting season, flipping a –72.9 unit season deficit into a +52.8 unit surplus—marking his most successful week of the year at +125.8 units.

Chris Kirk, a seasoned PGA Tour veteran with six titles, was a central contender after opening with consecutive 65s. Kirk’s confidence in his compressed draw and consistent iron play showed, but he faltered at critical moments—missing a 16-foot birdie putt in regulation and a 9-foot chance in the playoff. Despite these missed opportunities, Kirk’s CBS interview post-defeat showed emotional maturity and sportsmanship.

Max Gray Sherman also shone under pressure. With a composed bogey-free 67 on Sunday and clutch birdies on 16 and 18—including a 35-footer—he forced his way into the playoff. Though he missed three narrow birdie looks in the playoff, Doctor credits Sherman’s caddie Adam Barmer and sees a breakthrough win looming.

Potgieter's third-round 65—featuring six front-nine birdies and sharp scrambling—was dismissed by some critics due to lack of back-nine fireworks, but Will defended the performance. He emphasized Potgieter’s top-5 rank in strokes gained around the greens that round, and a total strokes-gained short game advantage of over one full stroke across four rounds. Potgieter’s final act—a 17-foot birdie putt on the fifth playoff hole at the par-3 15th—sealed the title, making him the seventh-youngest PGA Tour winner since 1983.

The playoff featured a generational trio: 20-year-old Potgieter, 30-year-old Sherman, and 40-year-old Kirk. Doctor argues this diversity illustrates the need for the PGA Tour to restore full 156-player fields. Other feel-good stories included Will Gordon saving his PGA card on the final exemption, and Monday qualifier Brett White making the cut. Rising stars like Michael Thorbjornsen and Jackson Suber also impressed.

 Betting Review (12:00–18:00)

Doctor runs through his picks: Potgieter’s win was a massive score. Champ and Sherman both cashed top-20 tickets. Losing picks included Jaeger (off-course all week, worst driving in 25 starts), Lee Hodges (poor 72 on Saturday), and Keith Mitchell (putting woes). Keegan Bradley and Denny McCarthy failed to deliver due to erratic ball striking and putting. The lone head-to-head winner: Harry Hall over Si Woo Kim. After 26 losing weeks, this major bounce-back week reestablishes Doctor’s standing in the betting circuit.

? John Deere Classic Preview (18:00–36:00)

The tournament shifts to TPC Deere Run, a tree-lined track with the 9th-widest fairways on Tour. Doctor highlights key winning traits: bombers off the tee, short iron precision inside 125 yards, and strong bentgrass putting.

Top of the board:

• Ben Griffin (16-1): Good form (six straight top-14s), but Doctor fades him due to fatigue.

• Jason Day (25-1): Backed for top-10 at +225; strong from 125–150 yards and good recent putting.

• Denny McCarthy (28-1): Fade due to repeated third-round fades and weak proximity stats.

• JT Poston (33-1): Past winner, but his approach play is suspect; faded.

• Si Woo Kim (33-1): Called "a disaster"; missed cuts, bad putting, and faded in multiple matchups.

• Davis Thompson (35-1): Great tee-to-green, but poor putting of late; passed.

• Luke Clanton (40-1): Inconsistent driving and putting; fade.

• Michael Thorbjornsen (33-1): Top pick; 2nd in total driving, great irons, putting trending up.

 Best Bets and Picks (36:00–end)

Outrights:

1. Michael Thorbjornsen (33-1): Elite driving and trending up in putting.

2. Thriston Lawrence (80-1): Four-time DP World Tour winner, top-12 at Oakmont, T8 in Detroit.

3. Cam Champ (80-1): Past Deere top-15, great recent stats, strong par-5 scoring.

Matchups:

• Jason Day over Si Woo Kim

• Jackson Koivun over Quade Cummins

Picks to Place:

• Jason Day top-10 (+225)

• Cam Champ top-20 (+320)

• Thorbjornsen top-20 (+137) – Doctor’s best bet

First-Round Top-10s:

• Thorbjornsen (4-1)

• Pearson Cootie (4-1)

• Cam Champ (6-1)

DFS Lineups:

• DK Core: Day, Thorbjornsen, Cootie, Lawrence, Champ, Suber

• PGA Tour Fantasy: Day, Thorbjornsen (captain), Lawrence, Champ; Bench: Suber, Cootie

Winning score prediction: -23
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