The golfing world returns to normal after the second major of the year last week as the PGA Tour hosts the Travelers Championship where unlike at Shinnecock Hills we should see a number of birdies in what is usually a good event.
Jordan Spieth touched off Daniel Berger in a play-off here 12 months ago and he is one of a host of players high up in the world rankings teeing it up this week as he looks to make a successful title defence.
Recent Winners
2017 – Jordan Spieth
2016 – Russell Knox
2015 – Bubba Watson
2014 – Kevin Streelman
2013 – Ken Duke
2012 – Marc Leishman
2011 – Freddie Jacobson
2010 – Bubba Watson
2009 – Kenny Perry
2008 – Stewart Cink
The Course
TPC River Highlands hosts the tournament once again this week. It remains a cracking course. The Pete Dye design is a par 70 which only measures 6,841 yards so it is by no means a monster in terms of length but most clubs in the bag get a working out.
As with most Dye designs second shots and scrambling are key facets to going well this week. There is a little rain around on the eve of the competition so iron play will certainly need to be pinpoint to get in contention here. Generally on second shot courses you need players who will convert their chances so those putting well should be elevated onto any betting slips.
The Field
We’ve a real top level line up here this week. It is headlined by the man who made it successive US Open’s last week in Brooks Koepka while Rory McIlroy, Justin Thomas, Jason Day and Jordan Spieth give it a world class feel. If that isn’t enough throw in The Masters champion Patrick Reed and Players Championship winner Webb Simpson and we’re set up for a right old ding dong.
Former champions Marc Leishman, Bubba Watson, Russell Knox and Kevin Streelman are here looking to regain the title while the man Spieth touched off last year, Daniel Berger is looking to go one better in a truly top class field given it is a week after a major.
Market Leaders
Justin Thomas is the favourite to win the tournament this week. It shows how competitive the event is expected to be that he is 12/1 when normally you would pick him up at single figure prices. He has the game to go well around here but I always worry about leading lights the week after a major as they will have got themselves right up for that and then face the inevitable comedown.
There will certainly be a comedown for the joint second favourite Brooks Koepka. Based on his play last week 14/1 would look a snip but he must be emotionally shattered as well as mentally, and possibly even physically after his dream week. He can’t possibly be for me and neither can Rory McIlroy at the same price. I don’t care what anyone tells me. He isn’t anywhere near the top of his game. Jordan Spieth is also 14/1 but putting the way he is he’s not for me either.
Jason Day has already won twice this season so 18/1 on him maybe shouldn’t be sniffed at but I don’t believe he is hitting the ball well enough off the tee at the minute. He isn’t fantastic with the irons either so I’ll pass him over. If I knew Paul Casey’s back wouldn’t go at any point I might consider him at 18s but you never can tell. Patrick Reed is said to be mightily unhappy at not winning last week so he could be considered at 18s but I fear some emotional baggage from last week so he’s not for me either. It is 22/1 bar.
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Main Bets
There were two truly annoying things about Bryson DeChambeau winning The Memorial recently. The first was he beat my outright pick in Kyle Stanley in a play-off and the second was I’d backed him the week before. While the horse may have bolted his game characteristics, minus the crazy science nonsense, are actually suited to this track so I’m back in with him again. He should be full of confidence after the win at Jack’s place and in truth his US Open wasn’t terrible. He’s hitting the ball well and if he putts well this week he shouldn’t be far away.
The rest of the players I’m backing are players I back regularly convinced they’ll go in soon and Emiliano Grillo is one of them. He is as good a tee to green player as there is pretty much these days but he is no longer shabby on the greens either. I’ve collected a couple of places out of the Argentine in recent times and hopefully he can go a little better here on a course which should play right up his street.
Outsiders
Three more bets this week. Regular readers and followers will not be surprised by any of them. I mentioned how close I came with Kyle Stanley a few weeks ago and I’ll go back in on him. He defends next week so we know he likes this time of year and on a second shot golf course I want to ride his tee to green prowess all weekend. Only bad luck on the 72nd and 73rd holes denied Stanley in The Memorial. If it levels itself up this week he will win this.
Chez Reavie is a fairways and greens machine which makes his top level scrambling statistics all the more remarkable, although to be fair he doesn’t miss many greens. Reavie was sixth at the St Jude Classic to confirm that he is hitting the ball well. He’s another who I’ve lost in a play-off with this season but his form hasn’t fallen away too much. At 80/1 he’s an obvious outsider pick.
Completing the trio of outsiders who I have lost a play-off on this season is Andrew Landry and at 200/1 I’ve absolutely no problem backing him again. We saw at the CareerBuilder how good his tee to green game is and we know he is a wonderful putter. If we didn’t take notice there then we should have done when he landed the Texas Open. That was only seven weeks ago so he’s clearly in good form this term and simply must be backed here.
Tips
Back B.DeChambeau to win Travelers Championship (e/w) for a 1/10 stake at 34.00 with Unibet
Back him here:
Back E.Grillo to win Travelers Championship (e/w) for a 1/10 stake at 46.00 with Skybet (1/5 1-8)
Back C.Reavie to win Travelers Championship (e/w) for a 0.5/10 stake at 81.00 with Skybet (1/5 1-8)
Back them here:
Back K.Stanley to win Travelers Championship (e/w) for a 0.5/10 stake at 67.00 with Coral (1/5 1-7)
Back A.Landry to win Travelers Championship (e/w) for a 0.5/10 stake at 201.00 with Coral (1/5 1-7)
Back them here:
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