Akshay Bhatia vs. Michael Thorbjornsen

Akshay Bhatia has unfinished business at Detroit Golf Club. Two years ago he opened with a 64 on this exact composite layout, and while a missed cut at the Open Championship is the freshest line on his résumé, it came at a links venue with nothing in common with what's waiting this week. Bhatia leads the entire PGA Tour in strokes gained: putting, and a course that's had its greens rebuilt and bunkering reshaped this year is going to reward exactly that as the field works out where to miss. Michael Thorbjornsen is a solid, improving player, but he doesn't carry Bhatia's specific history of low, aggressive rounds on this setup. A cold week at a windswept English course says little about how a player's short game and flatstick travel to a Midwest Ross design about to play firmer and faster than it has in years. Go with Bhatia.