Cameron Davis (-18) graciously accepted the gift from Akshay Bhatia (-17) to claim victory at the Rocket Mortgage Classic. It’s the Australian’s second win on the PGA Tour, and also his second at this tournament, which he previously won in 2021. Bhatia had the trophy within his grasp, but inexplicably let it slip. First, he was unable to make a birdie on hole 17, par 5, despite a great drive to the fairway. Second, he gave away a bogey on the 18th with a three-putt that was not part of any game plan. He missed a par putt of about two meters.
The tournament’s conclusion was truly thrilling, although it can’t be said that the final holes were particularly brilliant. Rather, the Detroit Golf Club turned into a survival of the fittest, with more fear than good shots. Cameron Young (-16) once again proved that impatience is his worst enemy. He is so eager to win, to finally shake off the monkey on his back, that he doesn’t help himself, quite the opposite. He sets traps for himself. Some literal. Like on hole 14, when he ruined his driver against the ground after a bad tee shot. He had to finish hitting the 3-wood from the tee, giving his rivals a consequent advantage. When it came down to it, his hand trembled on the greens. He needs to find a way to lower his anxiety level when he’s in a position to win. Until he does, he will continue to be his own worst enemy.
Aaron Rai (-17) did what is expected of Aaron Rai. He fought like a trooper and battled to the end. He wasn’t sharp from the tee and that’s why he was left out of the battle for victory. Too much rough. Even so, he made one of the shots of the day, a drive from the fairway on the 14th that ended up seven meters from the eagle. He was also unable to make a birdie on the last two holes.
Min Woo Lee (-17) was about to rip everyone’s stickers off coming from behind, but ended with a painful bogey on the 18th. Out of the fight. His sensational short game masterclass, with two chips holed from outside, will be remembered. Davis Thompson (-17) had a similar experience to the Australian, with the difference that he needed a birdie on the 18th and was coming from further behind. His tied second place, however, tastes like glory in his fight to finish in the top 50. Rai, Lee or Davis are also in that fight.
As it turned out, the tournament was won by the player who played the final holes best. Davis made a great birdie on the 17th with a recovery from the bunker, and on the 18th he signed another spectacular up and down from the right rough to secure par. The tournament seemed destined for a playoff after Bhatia’s par on the 17th and his tee shot on the 18th, but the American insisted on handing the trophy to Cameron.
It’s curious about golf, as Davis’s victory comes at the most unexpected moment. He ended 2023 with the determination to be one of the best in the world this year. He signed his first top 10 in Majors (4th in the PGA), was sixth in THE PLAYERS, seventh in the RBC Heritage, had notable playoffs in the FedEx and ended with a sequence of six top 10s in eight tournaments in the final part of the year. It was written that 2024 was going to be his year… However, the opposite happened. Drought, weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Davis wins the Rocket Mortgage Classic in his first top 10 of 2024. We’re talking about a player who has dropped top ten positions from his pockets throughout his career. With this victory, he also secures his presence in the Presidents Cup, in case there was any doubt. The Internationals will need the best version of this player to have any chance against the United States.
