After the third major of the season created such a buzz at Pebble Beach last week, the PGA Tour comes down to earth a little more this week as it stages the Travelers Championship once again, at the TPC River Highlands course.
This is always a popular stop off for many on the calendar, in particular Bubba Watson who won the title for a third time here 12 months ago. The mercurial left-hander is back to look to defend his title this week.
Recent Winners
2018 – Bubba Watson
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
The Course
We are at the short and sweet TPC River Highlands once again this week. The track is one of the shorter courses on the Tour. It is a par 70 but it only stretches out to 6,841 yards so although length can be an advantage it is very much the shorter irons that are the scoring clubs this week.
I believe they have let the rough grow this week so firing into these tiny greens really needs to be done from the fairway for the best effect so he might be looking for a plodder or course management expert rather than someone who pounds it, but the beauty of TPC River Highlands is it offers something for all game types.
The Field
We’re not lacking for big names this week with the US Open runner up Brooks Koepka in the field along with the likes of Jordan Spieth, the defending champion Bubba Watson, Phil Mickelson and the next big thing Patrick Cantlay who are all teeing it up in this tournament. Justin Thomas is another leading American in the field.
The overseas charge comes in the form of The Open champion Francesco Molinari and Australian star Jason Day with Paul Casey, Tommy Fleetwood and Louis Oosthuizen all looking to go well. Former champion Marc Leishman is teeing it up this week while the likes of Patrick Reed and Tony Finau will be looking to get back in the winners’ circle.
Market Leaders
Brooks Koepka is understandably the favourite based on the form he continues to show in the majors but he doesn’t tend to have the same focus and intensity when it comes to regular PGA Tour events and that would be a concern to anyone backing him as short as 8/1. If he turns up with his best he is the most likely winner but that doesn’t happen enough in regular events these days for my liking so I’ll swerve him for sure.
There was a lot of optimism over Patrick Cantlay last week but it was either misplaced or unjustified as he never really landed a blow but if his form he had at The Memorial turns up with him here then he could easily justify the 10/1 quotes on him here. Cantlay has an ideal game for this place but he is another who isn’t in the mix as often as he should be, although he is beginning to rectify that it must be said.
There is then a trio of players next in the betting. They are the American pair of Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth along with Paul Casey. All three of them are 18/1 to come out on top here. Spieth is certainly returning to form but whether he can keep it solid enough off the tee remains to be seen. Thomas doesn’t quite look at his best since his injury while Casey has the mental demons of coughing up a four-shot lead to get over. None of them are for me. It is 22/1 bar.
Main Bets
I’ll go with a couple of main bets this week. Chez Reavie impressed me once again at Pebble Beach and as long as the emotions and the mental side of a major championship hasn’t got hold of him I’m expecting him to go very well here. He is a straight hitter off the tee and finds plenty of greens and doesn’t have the worst short game in the world either. If the Reavie that played in California arrives here then he is entitled to go very close at a 50/1 quote that looks a fair bit too big to me.
Kevin Streelman has already won this tournament in the past and at the same price as Reavie I fancy he can go well again here. He has three top 10s in his last five stroke play events so he is clearly hitting the ball nicely at the minute. The last of those top 10s was at Muirfield Village where he closed with a 66 to finish fourth. He had last week off which isn’t altogether a bad thing and at 50/1 he is well worth a bet this week.
Outsiders
I’ll go with a pair of ball strikers as my outsiders this week in Keegan Bradley and Chesson Hadley. Bradley should be winning more events than he does at the minute given how he hits the ball and the improvements he has made with the putter. He tends to fare better with the Poa greens which he will encounter this week and I wouldn’t be surprised if he gets a few putts to drop as a result. At around 80/1 he is well worth an outsider’s stake here.
Chesson Hadley has a decent all-round game which should suit this place quite nicely and he arrives here off the back of a fair effort at the US Open last week which should have done his confidence no harm at all. As long as Hadley keeps it straight off the tee he will have the chance for the rest of his game to shine. I think he is too big at a three figure price and so he is definitely one to have on the staking plan this week.
Tips
WON – Back C.Reavie to win Travelers Championship for a (e/w) 1/10 stake at 56.00 with Betfred (1/5 1-7)
Back him here:
Back K.Streelman to win Travelers Championship (e/w) for a 1/10 stake at 51.00 with Boylesports (1/5 1-8)
Back him here:
PLACED – Back K.Bradley to win Travelers Championship (e/w) for a 0.5/10 stake at 81.00 with Betway (1/5 1-7)
Back him here:
Back C.Hadley to win Travelers Championship (e/w) for a 0.5/10 stake at 151.00 with 888sport (1/5 1-6)
Back him here:
Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2019
