Rocket Mortgage Classic returns with healthy lineup, community-driven events

DETROIT — The city of Detroit is set to have its shining moment in the professional golf world once more as the Rocket Mortgage Classic will return for its fourth year at Detroit Golf Club. The 156-man field will compete July 28-31.

While the recent emergence of the LIV Golf Tour brought a slow return initially for the tournament, its placement right before the FedEx Cup playoffs paid off as familiar faces signed on.

“Leading up to the FedEx Cup playoffs has really opened up conversations for them to fit us into their schedule more,” Rocket Mortgage Classic Executive Director Jason Langwell said.

Rickie Fowler, a Rocket Mortgage paid brand ambassador, will return this year alongside 2021 Rocket Mortgage Classic champion Cam Davis.

New arrivals to the tournament include two golfers ranked in the top 15 in the world in reigning FedEx Cup Champion Patrick Cantlay (No. 7) and U.S Open and PGA Championship runner-up Will Zalatoris (No. 13). Adam Scott, the 2013 Masters Champion, headlines the remaining field, as well as 2013 U.S. Open Champion Justin Rose, 2015 PGA Championship winner Jason Day, Kevin Kisner, Cameron Young, Matt Kuchar, Ryan Brehm and Brian Stuard.

Recent additions to the tournament include 2019 U.S. Open Champion Gary Woodland, 2012 PGA Tour FedEx Cup Champion Brandt Snedeker, 2017 World Golf Hall of Fame inductee Davis Love III, 2009 Open Championship winner Stewart Cink and 2011 PGA Championship winner Keegan Bradley.

While the field is impressive, the Rocket Mortgage Classic aimed to have its community-driven mentality be a focal point for the tournament. The John Shippen National Golf Invitational will kick off the tournament on July 23 with players competing at Detroit Golf Club for an exemption into the Rocket Mortgage Classic. The tournament was named after John Shippen Jr, who was the first American-born golf professional and the country’s first Black golf professional, and is a 36-hole matchup for Black male professional and amateur golfers.

The final round of the tournament on July 24 will be open to the public with free admission and parking.

Courtesy of DTE Energy, the Rocket Mortgage Classic will be hosting Detroit Community Days on July 26 and 27, with free admission and parking for all events taking place.

Tuesday will bring events such as the PGA Practice Round, the Youth Golf Clinic presented by Children’s Foundation and the AREA 313 Celebrity Scramble. The celebrity scramble is a three-hole exhibition where professional golfers team up with celebrity athletes and entertainers.

“There’s no other PGA Tour event that’s offering this many complimentary events at this much of a scale to its community,” Langwell said.

Wednesday will consist of the Delta Dental Pro-Am, which allows attendees to watch the professional golfers play the course up-close before the first round on July 28. Golfers will be paired with amateur golfers in a relaxed round of golf.

As the initial rounds take place, the Rocket Mortgage Classic will offer a Detroit-style experience while also giving viewers the opportunity to experience the game in a new way.

“It’s a balance. If you’re a fan of fun, a fan of Detroit and a fan of some good ole summer fun, you can do that here,” Langwell said. “It’s the best social event of the summer.”

A new feature for the 2022 season is The Turn, which is a stadium-style seating with views of the first tee while also overlooking the par-3 ninth hole. The Treehouse is located at the par-3 fifth hole, and its newly elevated fan deck provides a 360-degree view of five holes (1, 5-8).

AREA 313 Village and Grove also will be desired locations for fans as Grove is a tree-lined, shaded area by holes 10, 11 and 14 where fans can relax.

Village is located between holes 16 and 17 and features a large LED video board and the tournament’s largest concession stand.

A key point the Rocket Mortgage Classic stressed this year was the CDW Youth Golf Zone where young attendees can take a break and try their hand at interactive golf-related activities.

“It’s something we’ve always wanted to do,” Langwell said. “The youth come out and watch the top players golf, and they get the itch to put a club in their hand.”

With infrastructure and course preservation needed ahead of the tournament, the Detroit Golf Club team started its work early to get the course ready for tournament play.

Jake Mendoza, Detroit Golf Club’s greens superintendent since February of 2018, is at the helm of the preparations for the event.

Mendoza previously worked on the 2012 Ryder Cup at Medinah Country Club near Chicago and said that experience among others has helped his preparation for the Rocket Mortgage Classic.

“There’s nothing like that experience,” Mendoza said. “It’s a whole different ball game.”

As the staff focuses on outside work such as sprinkler head tune-ups and bunker depths, between 20 and 25 volunteers consisting of local and national assistant superintendents and interns help along the way.

Mendoza said there’s one key area where membership and tournament play will differ.

“It’s the firmness of the golf course,” Mendoza said. “We can get grass right to the edge of depth and still keep it alive.”

As for off the course, the Rocket Mortgage Classic will continue its Rocket Giving Fund in efforts to raise money for local nonprofits. The Changing the Course initiative earned more than $800,000 last year in its mission to close Detroit’s digital divide. The initiative’s goal is for every Detroit resident to have access to the internet, technology and digital literacy programming within a 10-minute walk from home.

“The reason we do all of this isn’t just to put a spotlight on Detroit, but also to raise funds to end the digital divide for Detroit,” Langwell said.

With a field of championship-winning and up-and-coming golfers, the PGA Tour and RMC are ready to bring the game of golf to Detroit.

“It’s going to be a Detroit experience. We want you to come out here and feel like you’re enjoying your city.”