James Piot To Play Rocket Mortgage Classic

Hometown hero James Piot (pictured above at Washtenaw Golf Club) has been given a sponsor’s exemption to the Rocket Classic.

Piot won the 2021 US Amateur and soon after signed with LIV. A Michigan native, he is a frequent player at Washtenaw (GolfBlogger’s home course). Piot was a fixture in the Michigan amateur golf championships starting as a junior. He was GAM Player of the Year in 2020 and 2021.

The Rocket Classic is played this week at Detroit Golf Club with 150 players competing for a $9.6 million purse. 

Piot competed on LIV with the Fireballs and HyFlyers from 2022 – 2023. He finished 47th on the individual points list in 2023 and was relegated. Piot’s last appearance on LIV was October 2023.

Since originally signing with LIV, Piot has played in mini tours, on the Asian Tour and in the 2025 Lecon Suncoast Classic on the Korn Ferry Tour.

Much has been made on social media about a LIV player finally being able to play a PGA TOUR event. Piot’s case, however, is different than most.

Unlike many others who joined LIV, as far as I know, Piot was never a member of the PGA Tour. I’m no lawyer, but it strikes me that it would be difficult for the PGAT to sanction someone who was never a member of the PGA TOUR. One cannot violate an agreement that was never agreed to.

There also have been more than a few social media comments claiming Piot hurt his career by playing on a tour with lesser competition.

I don’t think that is the case, either. If Piot had joined the PGA TOUR, he likely would have started in the Korn Ferry or PGA TOUR Americas. On LIV, he played alongside multiple Major winners.

There’s also this: getting a big signing bonus and paychecks from LIV took off a lot of financial pressure and presumably allowed Piot to concentrate on the golf.

In any case, I wish Piot all the best. It would be great to see him play on the weekend, and perhaps spark a new career on the PGA TOUR.