Cam Davis loves the Motor City.
The Australian has two career PGA Tour titles to his credit after winning the 2024 Rocket Mortgage Classic for the second time.
Davis, the 2021 Rocket Mortgage Classic champion, shot 2-under 70 Sunday at Detroit Golf Club to get in the clubhouse at 18-under 270, and that was good enough for the title when Akshay Bhatia took three putts from 32 feet to make bogey at the last.
“I wouldn’t wish what happened to Akshay on anyone, but I’ve done a lot of grinding to get myself out of a hole,” he said. “It’s pretty good.”
Davis, 29, hadn’t recorded a single top-10 finish this season, and conceded he didn’t see a week like this coming to get him “out of the doldrums.” Since May, in his last six starts, Davis was a cumulative 32-over par, and had missed the cut at the PGA Championship and U.S. Open
“I saw a little bit of a spark last week” said Davis, who finished T-48, his best result in his last six starts, but nothing to show this coming, so this is crazy.”
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Davis earned $1.656 million for the win, more than he had made in 16 previous starts combined. A few weeks earlier he began working with hypnotherapist Grace Smith, who helped him get into a better head space.
“From where I was a couple of weeks ago to today, just completely different person,” he said.
Davis was a member of the International Team at the 2022 Presidents Cup and seemed on the verge of a breakthrough but he’s struggled to keep his card for much of the last two seasons. “When you watch Cam Davis hit the ball and you watch his skillset you go, ‘How does this guy only have one win on the PGA Tour?’ ” said Golf Channel’s Tripp Isenhour. “It’s great to see him find the peace that pulls him to where he needs to be. That might be bad news for every one else because he’s very, very talented.”
In the final round, Davis opened with a bogey at the first but bounced back with birdies at Nos. 3, 5 and 7, the latter giving him the solo lead. Bhatia caught him with a birdie of his own at No. 7 and it turned into a back-and-forth affair.
Davis drilled a 3-wood at the par-5 14 th that landed on the green but reversed gears and trickled into the water. It was a terrible break and he made bogey to drop one stroke behind. But he got revenge on 17, sinking a 4-foot birdie putt at the par-5 17 th to tie Bhatia for the lead.
A Northwest breeze blew on Sunday and protected the par 5s, preventing players from feasting on the four holes as they had the first three rounds. Davis Thompson (68), Min Woo Lee (69) and Aaron Rai tied for third (72). Seeking his first Tour title, Cameron Young was just one stroke back when he cracked the shaft of his driver in anger on the 14 th hole. He brooded on the greens too as his balky putter let him down and he settled for a 73 and a T-6 finish. Amateur Luke Clanton, 20, remained in the trophy hunt until late on the back nine, signing for an even-par 72 and T-11 finish.
Bhatia lipped out for par from 4 feet at 18, his first three putt of the week and just his second bogey of the tournament.
“It sucks,” Bhatia said. “There’s no other way to put it.”
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