2023 Rocket Mortgage Classic set for June 26-July 2 as PGA Tour releases schedule
The Rocket Mortgage Classic prided itself on its new schedule for 2022, moving the tournament at the Detroit Golf Club from around Fourth of July weekend to July 28-31, targeting better players in the window between the British Open and the FedEx St. Jude Championship.
However, the 2023 Rocket Mortgage Classic will run from June 26-July 2, according to the PGA Tour schedule for next season released Monday, placing it right back on the early July schedule. Action takes place two weeks after the U.S. Open and three weeks before the British Open.
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This year's Rocket Mortgage Classic featured a quality field, as world No. 13 Tony Finau set the tournament record (26-under 262) and won his second straight PGA Tour event. World No. 4 golfer Patrick Cantlay finished tied for second in his first trip to Detroit. World No. 17 golfer Cameron Young, a standout rookie and Open Championship runner up, finished tied for second with Cantlay.
“By all measures, the 2022 Rocket Mortgage Classic was a smashing success," said Jason Langwell, executive director of the tournament. "...To crown a champion such as Tony Finau on Sunday afternoon after watching his magnificent performance over the course of four days at Detroit Golf Club was truly special."
This year, players were lured by the late-season opportunity to gain leverage in the FedEx Cup Standings. Detroit held the next to last regular season event; the Wyndham Championship in Greensboro, North Carolina, is this weekend, followed by the FedEx Cup Playoff in Memphis.
No. 14 Will Zalatoris and No. 20 Max Homa were notables in the postseason race who came to the Rocket Mortgage Classic. Former Masters winner Adam Scott and fan favorite Rickie Fowler also made appearances. But no one in the field matched the star power of past competitors Dustin Johnson, Phil Mickelson and Bryson DeChambeau, now of LIV Golf.
Attracting another top star might be easier now that that the tournament is back to its early July date. World No. 7 Justin Thomas had spoken with Rocket officials about playing this year, but could be interested earlier in next season when not picking his spots ahead of the postseason.
“We are already looking forward to next year’s Rocket Mortgage Classic and are excited about our dates, which fall during the same week as our inaugural event in 2019 and last year’s tournament, both of which produced tremendous crowds," Langwell said.
Contact Mason Young: MEYoung@freepress.com Follow him on Twitter: @Mason_Young_0.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: 2023 Rocket Mortgage Classic set for June 26-July 2
