Rocket Mortgage Classic: July 26-31
The Rocket Mortgage Classic has put the City of Detroit on the map for the golfing world to see since landing at Detroit Golf Club in 2019.
Of course, Michigan overall and metro Detroit in many ways is well known for golf nationally, but the Rocket Mortgage became the first PGA Tour event ever played inside the city limits and thus holds that special distinction.
The Rocket Mortgage Classic announced new for 2022, the addition of Detroit Community Days presented by DTE Energy on Tuesday and Wednesday of tournament week – offering the chance for all Detroiters to enjoy complimentary access to participate in events during tournament week.
The inaugural AREA 313 Celebrity Scramble was awarded as the “Best Special Event” during the PGA TOUR’s 2018-19 season. The event pairs top PGA TOUR professionals with celebrity amateurs in a fun and entertaining three-hole scramble on holes 14-16 – known as AREA 313. Previous participants have included PGA TOUR pros Bryson DeChambeau, Jason Day, Rickie Fowler, Dustin Johnson, Phil Mickelson, Harold Varner III and Bubba Watson as well as celebrities Justin Abdelkader, Maurice Allen, Jerome Bettis, Larry Fitzgerald, Jimmy Howard, Tom Izzo, Dylan Larkin, Troy Mullins, Blair O’Neal, Barry Sanders and Lexi Thompson.
The Youth Golf Clinic presented by The Children’s Foundation brings hundreds of children from across Detroit to the Detroit Golf Club for a fun-filled day on the driving range learning from professional golfers. PGA TOUR pros who have participated in the event in previous years include Joseph Bramlett, Cameron Champ, Doc Redman, Brandt Snedeker and Gary Woodland.
Information on tickets for tournament rounds (Thursday, July 28 - Sunday, July 31) will be available at a later date.
The John Shippen Cross-Promotes Rocket Mortgage Classic with LPGA Tour’s Meijer LPGA Classic and the Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational:
THE JOHN SHIPPEN National Golf Invitational presented by Rocket Mortgage is a second-year event designed to provide opportunities for Black men and women amateur and professional golfers. THE JOHN SHIPPEN Sports Business Summit will also return for its second year to address the lack of representation in business and leadership roles in golf and across professional sports for people of color.
At last year’s inaugural event the male winner was exempted into the Rocket Mortgage Classic and the female team was exempted into the LPGA Dow team event. This year there’s an additional exemption into the Meijer LPGA. Since both of those LPGA tournaments are being held weeks prior the Rocket Mortgage Classic, THE JOHN SHIPPEN for women will be played June 1-2 at Blythefield Country Club just outside Grand Rapids, and the tournament for men will be played at Detroit Golf Club July 23-24.
The events are named after John Shippen, Jr., who was both the first American-born golf professional and the country’s first Black golf professional.
The woman who wins in June will be exempted into the Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give as well as into the Dow LPGA, where she will be able to pick her teammate because it’s a team event.
“We are pleased to support Blythefield Country Club as they host the women’s division of THE JOHN SHIPPEN National Golf Invitational in Grand Rapids this year,” said Cathy Cooper, Executive Director of the Meijer LPGA Classic. “We’re honored to be part of this inclusive statewide effort that extends to communities across Michigan and proud to offer an exemption into the Meijer LPGA Classic this June.”
Charities Can Earn Money From the Rocket Mortgage Classic
The Birdies for Charity program is free, with no administrative fees, and 100 percent of the proceeds generated are directed toward participating nonprofits. New and returning nonprofit organizations in good standing can register by visiting RocketMortgageClassic.com, clicking “Charity” and then choosing “Birdies for Charity.” Applications will be accepted through July 22.
Birdies for Charity program is designed to help raise funds and awareness for local nonprofits and increase the amount of positive change in metro Detroit. All nonprofit organizations registered with the Birdies for Charity program can benefit from two types of charitable contributions – per-birdie donations, and flat-rate donations. The lower the pros go on their scorecards – by making birdies – the higher the Birdies for Charity donation scoreboard goes, and the greater the community impact for local nonprofits.
