Davis Riley leads 2026 Rocket Classic by one, several big names in the mix

The Rocket Classic is down to its final 18 holes, for 2026 and perhaps forever.

Davis Riley surged to the top of the leaderboard with a 7-under 63 in Saturday’s third round and was at 15 under, a shot ahead of birdie machine Michael Brennan, and three shots clear of the people’s choice, Rickie Fowler. And Cameron Young and Xander Schauffele remain in striking distance entering the final round.

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The PGA Tour has altered the tee times in an anticipation of a soggy Sunday at Detroit Golf Club, where the Rocket Classic is being played for the eighth and final time.

On another great day for scoring at renovated DGC, it was two-time PGA Tour winner Riley who was on top at day’s end, thanks to a wild putting display, including a 54-footer for birdie at the long, par-4 17th, followed with a closing birdie and a fist pump at the par-4 18th.

“The whole game’s kind of trending and getting in the right direction,” said Riley.

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Sunday’s final round has major implications for so many players in the field, with the PGA Tour playoffs looming in two weeks. The top 70 in the standings make the playoffs, where $40 million will be up for grabs at the Tour Championship.

Riley, Brennan and several others in the hunt this weekend are well outside that number.

Brennan, who closed with a bogey but still shot 64 to make the final pairing in the final round, has been admittedly putting too much pressure on himself lately. He will try to stay in the present Sunday, but he still couldn’t help but imagine what his first PGA Tour win would mean.

“It would be awesome,” said Brennan. “It would be great.”

Brennan had the lead on the course for much of Saturday afternoon, until Riley leaped past him.

It was Rasmus Hojgaard who set the tone early, tying the course record of 61, matched Thursday by Peter Malnati and Friday by Cameron Young. Jake Knapp set the course record with a 61 in 2025, when the course was a par-72. It’s now a par-70. Hojgaard is looking for his first PGA Tour victory. He’s won five times on the DP World Tour, most recently in 2024, and once on the Asian Tour.

Hojgaard was at 12 under par after a round that featured nine birdies, no bogeys and more than 130 feet worth of made putts. He made a 32-foot for birdie at the par-4 16th, then had to scramble for par at the par-4 17th. His drive on the long 17th, playing the toughest hole this week, went way left, and he punched to just short of the green, before getting up and down to keep the momentum.

“Got away with that one,” he said. “Today I stayed present, I didn’t get ahead of myself.

“That’s the game plan for tomorrow.”

The 61 is Hojgaard’s lowest round on the PGA Tour, as he jumped 62 spots on the leaderboard. He made the cut on the number, at 3 under. Rasmus’ twin brother, Nicolai, was also making an early charge Saturday. Nicolai Hojgaard was 5 under through two rounds but made an early go of it to get to 8 under on his first nine Saturday. He dropped back with four bogeys from Nos. 7-11, and finished with an even-par 70.

Also at 12 under was Fowler (67), the 2023 Rocket Classic champion and one of just six players to play in every Rocket, as well as Young (68) and Chris Kirk (66), who lost last year in a playoff.

At 11 under was Schauffele (67), Michael Kim (67), Kris Vnture (65) and Michael Thorbjornsn (66). Cantlay, who started the day at 10 under, finished the day at 10 under after an even-par 70. It was a frustrating day on the greens for Saturday’s final grouping of Cantlay and Young.

Si Woo Kim also was among those at 10 under after a 65, the latest highlight in a week that began with him making a wrong turn into Canada, where he was stopped by border patrol for over an hour because he didn’t have his passport. His finish was almost as eventful Saturday, as he made double-bogey at the par-4 16th, missing a 3-foot putt for bogey, before bouncing back with birdie at the tough par-4 17th.