Cam Davis won the Rocket Mortgage Classic in dramatic fashion on Sunday, after Akshay Bhatia three-putted the final hole.
In regulation play, Bhatia had a 32-foot putt to win the title, but left it well short, with his four-foot par putt also missing the target, as he handed Davis the title following his two-under-par round and 18-under tournament total.
Fellow overnight leader, Aaron Rai, finished even-par on the final day and one shot back overall. The Englishman was alongside three other players, including Bhatia, Davis Thompson and Min Woo Lee at 17-under.
A tearful Davis, who won the 2021 Rocket Mortgage Classic, said: "From where I was a couple of weeks ago to today, I am a little emotional. I wouldn't wish what happened to Akshay on anyone, but I have done a lot of a grinding to get myself out of a hole and to all of a sudden do that is pretty good. I started working with a hypnotherapist a couple of weeks ago and I had a lot of support to get myself out of the doldrums."
Bhatia rued: "That green is old school, downhill left to right. I didn't hit it hard enough first time and it didn't go my way. I have been playing great the last couple of weeks. I look forward to The Open."
Along with the pair, there was more frustration for Cameron Young, whose winless run on the PGA Tour continues. The American never really got motoring on the final day, as his putting was stone cold, with Young breaking his driver in frustration following his tee shot on the 14th
Rocket Mortgage Classic Leaderboard
-18 Cam Davis
-17 Davis Thompson, Min Woo Lee, Aaron Rai, Akshay Bhatia
-15 Rico Hoey, Eric Cole, Erik van Rooyen, Cameron Young
Updates from...
SIX PLAYERS ON -14 LOOKING TO MOUNT A CHARGE
Troy Merritt, Nick Dunlap, Patrick Rodgers, Joel Dahmen, Luke Clanton and Min Woo Lee are all on -14 and on the course looking to push on to challenge the leaders. Surely someone will emerge from the pack to push up the leaderboard.
CHRIS KIRK CHIPS IN FOR A PAR
Chris Kirk is two-over for his round at the turn and -8 in total but it could be worse after he chipped in to save par on the ninth.
That’s one way to make a par!Chris Kirk chips in on No. 9 @RocketClassic. pic.twitter.com/bFh0bmHh00June 30, 2024
CAMERON YOUNG UNDERWAY
Young made a blistering start in the final round of the Travelers last weekend to put himself into contention but he faces a battle to make par on the first after missing the fairway on the left side. He played up to 81 feet and now has a tricky five footer left for par which he makes.
LEADERS UNDERWAY AS RAI SETS UP POTENTIAL BIRDIE
Bhatia and Rai have both teed off on the first and just narrowly missed the fairway on either side. Rai has 145 yards left after a 262 yard drive and will be first to play and he fires in a 7 iron to four feet six inches. Bhatia only had 119 yards and his approach comes in hot and ends up in the rough past the pin. Bhatia scrambles a par as Rai makes his birdie effort.
A birdie at the first for Aaron Rai 💪The Englishman takes the solo lead in pursuit of his first PGA TOUR title @RocketClassic. pic.twitter.com/0JCwWmYrK5June 30, 2024
AMATEUR LUKE CLANTON IMPRESSING
Amateur Luke Clanton,20, has impressed a lot of fans and pundits this week. He is -1 for three holes today after a birdie on the third and is up to -15 in total. He is looking to emulate Nick Dunlap by winning as an amateur.
20-year-old Luke Clanton ranks fourth in Driving Distance this week. He's averaging 319.2 yards in his second career TOUR start. pic.twitter.com/XijzxwIj7yJune 30, 2024
RAI ON THE SECOND IN REGULATION
Fresh from his birdie on the first, Rai has fired his second into the green at the next which he putts up close to make his four as he remains one ahead.
COOL, CALM RAI ON COURSE FOR ANOTHER PAR ON 3
Leader Rai is on the third in regulation as he continues his measured start while Bhatia is fighting to save par again after stubbing a green side chip which leaves him facing his first bogey of the week as Rai's lead increases to two shots.
CAM DAVIS RECOVERING FROM POOR START
Cam Davis three-putted the first in a shocker but is getting his game together and just missed a birdie putt at the par 5 fifth after putting his approach in close. He is even for the day after a birdie on the third and remains -16 with Cameron Young and Bhatia, who has dropped back.
RAI MAKES HIS FIRST MIS-STEP
Oh, Rai has just made his first error on the fourth with his third shot to the par five which he put in a bunker from 95 yards. Just a lapse in concentration probably. Fortunately he has just executed a superb bunker shot which he has stiffed and he will make par but Bhatia rolls in a birdie and the lead is back to one.
RAI AND BHATIA BOTH MAKE PAR ON THE FIFTH
Rai is -3 on the par 3s this week but his birdie putt on the fifth slides by on the right from 15-feet. He and Bhatia both make par and the lead remains one.
RAI FINDS THE FAIRWAY ON THE SIXTH
Leader Rai has cut the tough 474-yard par four sixth down to size with a 291-yard drive before firing a 7iron approach into the left hand rough pin high. It is the hardest hole on the course. His ball looks to be sitting down in the green side rough as opposed to Bhatia who has a birdie look from 13 feet. Rai chips out but he is nine feet away for par and he leaves his effort short. That is nervy.
RAI'S BOGEY THROWS THE FIELD OPEN
Rai is now in a three-way tie for the lead and Cameron Young will need to get motoring if he is to get his first win. He has barely hit a fairway and his putter is cold as he is +1 for seven holes and three shots off the lead.
Davis HITS THE FRONT
Davis has birdied the par 5 seventh to move to -18 and take the lead on his own. But Bhatia is greenside in two and could soon join him in the group behind which he does with a chip and a tap-in for his birdie as Rai makes par.
CAMERON YOUNG STARTING TO COME TO BOIL
After a slow start today Cam Young got back to even for the day and -16 in total with his first birdie of the day on the eighth and has just shoved his tee shot down the flag at the ninth with a 204-yard shot to 10 feet which he makes. Co leader Davis also hit the green but is 40-feet away and has to settle for par.
RAI AND BHATIA BOTH HAVE BIRDIE PUTTS ON THE PAR 4 EIGHTH
Rai and Bhatia will both have a look at birdies on the par 4 8th after hitting wedges into the 383-yard hole but they have to settle for par.
Rai misses the ninth as threatens to drop another shot
Rai is even par for the day and after a birdie and a bogey. He will do well to save par on the par 3 ninth after missing the green on the right before chasing a chip through the green. His latest chip goes stiff though as he records second bogey in four holes.
DAVIS LIPS OUT FOR BIRDIE ON THE 10TH
Davis has just lipped out for par on the 10th as he and Cam Young made both made 4. They remain -18 and -17 respectively.
AMATEUR LUKE CLANTON MAKING A NAME FOR HIMSELF
We have seen Nick Dunlap win on the PGA Tour as an amateur this year and could Luke Clanton be about to follow in his footsteps? The amateur,20, from Florida State University, is -2 today at -16 in total and just two shots off the lead.
RAI MAKES BOUNCE BACK BIRDIE ON THE 10TH
Rai's rollercoaster round continues after a bounce back birdie on the 10th to get back to even and -17. But he has then found the sand at the par 3 11th. Co-leader Bhatia is on the green, 50 feet away at the 231-yard hole as he makes par and Rai drops back to -16.
GREAT RECOVERY SHOT FROM CAM DAVIS
Cam Davis missed the fairway on the 12th on the right with a big slice but the 6ft 4in pro has muscled a recovery shot 216 yards to the back of the green. What a shot. And his putt from 62 feet is almost as good as it lips out to leave a tap in par.
CO-LEADER DAVIS WITH A GOOD BIRDIE LOOK ON 13
Cam Davis is impressing as a front runner. His lag putting has been superb from distance but he will have a close look at birdie on the 13th after putting his approach from 102 yards to seven foot. It could be a pivotal moment with co leader Bhatia having hit a poor shot behind him but Davis' effort slides by.
BHATIA TRYING TO SCRAMBLE PAR ON 13 AFTER POOR TEE SHOT
Bhatia's tee shot on the par 4 13th only went 97 yards after he hit the trees while taking on the dog-leg. He has then hit his second 246 yards and has a wedge in as he tries to save par which he pulls off with a chip and a putt - remarkable. That will feel like a birdie.
MIN WOO LEE COMPLETES A HAT-TRICK OF CHIP INS
Min Woo Lee is up to -17 after his third chip in of the week on the 15th. He is -3 for the day despite a double bogey on the seventh.
CAMERON YOUNG'S BID LIKELY TO BE UNDERMINED BY BREAKING DRIVER
Young is in the hunt for his maiden PGA Tour title after coming runner-up seven times so far. But his prospects will be hurt by the American breaking his driver on the 14th in anger after going left off the tee. With the par 5 17th to come, it could be a costly fit of temper.
Cameron Young's driver is officially out of play for the day. pic.twitter.com/97SNDqU4IRJune 30, 2024
CAM DAVIS IN BATTLE TO SAVE PAR ON PAR 5 14TH
Cam Davis has gone in the water on the 14th with his second and has taken a penalty drop and chipped up to 11 feet where he misses a par putt and drops back from the lead.
DRAMA ON THE 14TH AS RAI HITS GREEN IN TWO GOING DRIVER-DRIVER
After seeing Cam Davis drop a shot at the 14th having gone in the water, Bhatia and Rai have taken on the drink to try and find the green. Rai pulled it off with a driver to the putting surface to tee up a birdie while Bhatia makes a par.
Driver off the deck from 283 yards into the wind. Aaron Rai is giving it all he's got @RocketClassic. pic.twitter.com/zz1PlOgHQcJune 30, 2024
MIN WOO LEE FIRES APPROACH OVER BACK OF 18TH INTO TROUBLE
Australian Min Woo Lee has had an exceptional back nine with four birdies to get to -18 in total but his approach to the last from the middle of the fairway with 187 yards to the hole has flown the green and landed in rough at the back. From there he has flown a chip back over the other side of the green. Ouch. He is going to drop at least one shot here to fall out of the lead at the last. Playing partner Luke Clanton, the amateur, finished even par and -14 in total.
A bogey on the final hole for Min Woo Lee. He finishes one shot back of the lead @RocketClassic. pic.twitter.com/XQyRTr45OCJune 30, 2024
Bhatia in driving seat on penultimate hole
Bhatia, who leads by one, has split the fairway on the 17th with a 284-yard drive. From there he has found the green side bunker on the par 5 and splashed out close. Cam Davis up ahead on the 18th has boomed a 300-yard drive down the fairway but his approach finishes in the righthand rough.
BHATIA MISSES BIRDIE PUTT ON THE 17TH
We could have a play-off looming here as Bhatia has missed a nine-foot birdie putt on the par 5 17th while up ahead, Davis has chipped up close to set up a par as he finishes on -18 and -2 today.
BHATIA HEADS TO THE TOUGH 18TH
Bhatia now needs a par up the last to force a Play -Off with Cam Davis. A birdie wins him the tournament but this last hole is playing very tough. Only 5 birdies today and 19 bogeys.
BHATIA FINDS 18TH FAIRWAY
Bhatia is hitting a 7iron from 175 yards and he has found the green. He will have a tricky birdie putt on the last for the title from 32 feet. If this putt goes in it will be the longest he has made all week. However it comes up well short and Bhatia now has four foot left for par to make the Play-Off but he misses and Cam Davis wins.
DISASTER FOR BHATIA AT THE LAST
Bhatia had a putt from 32 feet for the title on the last but left it four feet short and then missed his par putt to hand the title to Cam Davis. Incredible drama with Davis now in tears on TV.
Winning is hard. The first miss inside 6 feet this week for Akshay Bhatia leads to bogey and a victory for Cam Davis. pic.twitter.com/MeifeElEsmJune 30, 2024
DAVIS CELEBRATES HIS SECOND TITLE IN DETROIT
Davis, who won here in 2021, enjoys his memorable win after a -2 final round of 70 left him alone at -18.
An emotional @CamDavisGolf is back in the winner's circle @RocketClassic. Coming into the week with six straight finishes outside the top 35, he flipped the switch. pic.twitter.com/zlAU9jSxT3June 30, 2024
