After a string of big events in a short space of time, the PGA Tour took a breather with a stop in the Motor City to host the 2024 edition of the Rocket Mortgage Classic. While some of the biggest names in golf opted to take a week off before the final major of the year is just a few weeks away, there was still plenty in store for those who tee it off at the Detroit Golf Club this week.
Coming into this year's Rocket Mortgage Classic, players knew they would have to capitalize on birdie opportunities to compete for a win in a tournament that has been won with scores better than 23 under par in four of the past five editions, and on moving day at this year's Rocket Mortgage Classic, multiple players answered the call and were on track to match or surpass those records in the process.
The two players started the week of the 2024 Rocket Mortgage Classic with a birdie rush and kept it up in the third round at Detroit Golf Club, tying for the lead going into the final round.
Akshay Bhatia, winner of this year's Valero Texas Open, followed up a stellar opening round of 8-under 64 with a bogey-free 4-under 68 on moving day, extending his flawless golf record through 54 holes. The talented 22-year-old Bhatia did not record a single bogey through the first three days and remained flawless for the final 18 holes as he searches for his third PGA Tour win and second of the season.
Englishman Aaron Lai shot impressive scores of 66, 65 and 68 over the first three days of this year's Rocket Mortgage Classic to tie with Bhatia for the lead heading into the final round. Lai tried to deny Bhatia a win in the final round at the Detroit Golf Club, where he claimed his first tour victory.
Both Bhatia and Rai played great golf and were favored, but there were plenty of others waiting in the wings in what was sure to be a low-scoring, hard-fought final round in Detroit. The winner will be the sixth champion of the event, which debuted on the PGA Tour schedule in 2019. In addition, this year's champion will also win this year's huge Rocket Mortgage Classic prize money. But how much prize money was on the line in Detroit this year? Here's a closer look at the 2024 Detroit Golf Club player prize money breakdown, winner prize money, and payout distribution.
The prize money for this year's Rocket Mortgage Classic is set to be $9.2 million in 2024, with this year's champion set to earn a whopping $1.65 million first place prize. This represents 18% of this year's total prize money at the Detroit Golf Club. The impressive $9.2 million prize money for 2024 is an increase from the $8.8 million distributed to the field last year in Detroit. This will be the third consecutive season that the prize money will increase, after the field was paid $7.5 million in both the 2020 and 2021 seasons. While these figures may pale in comparison to the overwhelming amounts offered at this year's majors, signature events and LIV Tour, the prize money for the 2024 Rocket Mortgage Classic is still among the larger prize money for regular tour events this season.
Here's a breakdown of dividend distributions by ranking for this year's Rocket Mortgage Classic:
Final standings
Rocket Mortgage Classic Prize Money
2024 Rocket Mortgage Classic Champion
$1,656,000
The second
$1,002,800
3rd place
$634,800
4th
$450,800
No.5
$377,200
No.6
$333,500
The 7th
$310,500
The 8th
$287,500
The 9th
$269,100
The 10th
$250,700
11th
$232,300
12th
$213,900
The 13th
$195,500
14th
$177,100
15th day
$167,900
16th
$158,700
17th
$149,500
18th
$140,300
19th
$131,100
The 20th
$121,900
21st
$112,700
The 22nd
$103,500
The 23rd
$96,140
24th
$88,780
25th
$81,420
26th
$74,060
27th
$71,300
28th day
$68,540
29th
$65,780
30 days
$63,020
The 31st
$60,260
32nd
$57,500
33rd
$54,740
34th
$52,440
35 days
$50,140
36th
$47,840
37th
$45,540
No.38
$43,700
39 days
$41,860
40 days
$40,020
No.41
$38,180
No.42
$36,340
No.43
$34,500
44th
$32,660
45th
$30,820
No.46
$28,980
No.47
$27,140
48th
$25,668
49th
$24,380
50s
$23,644
No.51
$23,092
52nd
$22,540
No.53
$22,172
54th
$21,804
55th
$21,620
56th
$21,436
57th
$21,252
58th
$21,068
59th
$20,884
60 days
$20,700
No.61
$20,516
No.62
$20,332
No.63
$20,148
64th
$19,964
65th
$19,780
Despite the lack of signature status, there is still some serious prize money up for grabs at the Rocket Mortgage Classic in 2024. The top two drivers in Detroit will each earn more than seven figures in prize money, and all drivers who finish in the top 22 are guaranteed to win more than $100,000 this year.
In addition to taking home the trophy in Detroit this year and all the perks that come with winning a PGA Tour event, the winner of this year's Rocket Mortgage Classic will also earn 500 FedExCup points, which will be crucial for races at East Lake this fall and throughout the season leading up to the 2024 TOUR Championship.
The PGA Tour returns to the Quad Cities next week for the 2024 John Deere Classic in Silvis, Illinois.