The Rocket Mortgage Classic kicks off on June 27, but the excitement for Detroit’s first-ever PGA Tour event is starting sooner than that. Leading up to the tournament’s first day, locals can expect to enjoy a star-studded event with the Area 313 Celebrity Challenge. From 3-5 p.m. on June 25, teams of professional golfers and notable metro Detroit celebrities like Dylan Larkin, Kid Rock, and Tom Izzo will compete in a scramble-style game of golf at the Detroit Golf Club.
The stars have been split into three teams. Team Rickie includes professional golfer Rickie Fowler, who is a is a five-time PGA Tour winner. Fowler will be joined by musician Kid Rock; Detroit Red Wings right wing, Justin Abdelkader; and professional golfer and Golf Channel host Blair O’Neal. Team DJ will include 20-time PGA Tour winner Dustin Johnson; NFL Hall of Fame inductee Jerome Bettis; Detroit Red Wings center man, Dylan Larkin; and professional golfer and social media influencer Paige Spiranac. Team Bubba is made up of Bubba Watson, a 2012 and 2014 Masters champ and 12-time PGA Tour winner; Michigan State University basketball coach Tom Izzo; Red Wings goaltender, Jimmy Howard; and Troy Mullins, who is a World Long Drive competitor.
The challenge is simple. The teams will play in a scramble format between holes 14 through 16 with the goal of registering scores of 3 (eagle), 1 (ace), and 3 (birdie). The name of the challenge and the scoring goals are a nod to Detroit’s area code.
This challenge will continue once the PGA Tournament begins on Thursday. The first PGA player to score 3-1-3 on holes 14 through 16 cumulatively will receive $313,000 to be donated to a charitable organization of the winner’s choosing and several youth-based nonprofit partners. Among these nonprofits are the Detroit Children’s Fund, the Midnight Golf Program, First Tee of Greater Detroit, The Caddie Scholarship Foundation, and Community Solutions.
Along with participating in the the 313 Celebrity Challenge, Fowler, Watson, and Johnson will play in the official tournament with other notable athletes. “With some of the top-ranked players in the world, along with a host of recent major winners and FedExCup champions, the Classic is going to be one of the summer’s most competitive events,” says Jason Langwell, executive director of the Rocket Mortgage Classic, in an April press release.
Tuesday’s event will be supported by the Children’s Foundation. Tickets are $10 and children 15 and under are admitted for free. Tickets can be purchased at rocketmortgageclassic.com.
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