After the fantastic action at the US Open last week, it is onto another strong field this week for the Travelers Championship. This is one is being hosted at TPC River Highlands. Returning as the defending Champion is Bubba Watson who has such a wonderful record at the event. Will his big driving get him another success? It is Brooks Koepka who is the 7/1 outright favourite* (Betting Odds were taken from bet365 on June 18th, 2019 at 7:54 p.m.)
PGA Tour Travelers Championship Golf Winner Odds*
Brooks Koepka 7/1
Patrick Cantlay 10/1
Jordan Spieth 16/1
Justin Thomas 18/1
Francesco Molinari 18/1
Jason Day 18/1
Paul Casey 20/1
Tommy Fleetwood 28/1
Marc Leishman 28/1
Bryson DeChambeau 30/1
Louis Oosthuizen 33/1
Bubba Watson 33/1
Tony Finau 35/1
40/1 bar
* (Betting Odds were taken from bet365 on June 18th, 2019 at 7:54 p.m.)
Can Bubba Watson win again?
Bubba Watson has won twelve PGA Tour events. Four of those have been at the Travelers. So this is clearly a course he connects with. Watons won by three strokes last year, his booming drive again excelling at the course. He has not been without his hiccups at the event of course and he missed the cut in 2017. It will be really interesting to see what he puts together because he’s been in some pretty poor form. That really started with a missed cut at the PGA Championship, before taking a T63 at the RBC Canadian Open and then a T116 at the US Open. Bubba is 33/1 to defend* (Betting Odds were taken from bet365 on June 18th, 2019 at 7:54 p.m.).
Main Contenders
Brooks Koepka is in the field and goes as the 7/1 outright favourite* (Betting Odds were taken from bet365 on June 18th, 2019 at 7:54 p.m.). He was in contention for a good while at the US Open, as expected, but ended up with a T16. Koepka did get a top twenty finish at last season’s Travelers. He was never in a position to make a run at the title though. He had a big run at the US Open at Pebble Beach over the weekend, finishing second to Gary Woodland. Koepka may be a bit dialled back after that effort and isn’t great value at short numbers.
Patrick Cantlay was in pretty strong form heading to Pebble Beach, but for some reason, he just couldn’t get going. So if you wipe out his T21 at the US Open and look at his form in the standard fixtures, then he does still make a decent option here. He has missed the cut in two of his last three attempts at the Travelers but broke that with a 15th twelve months ago. He was under 70 in each round last year and is much better value than Kopeka at 10/1* (Betting Odds were taken from bet365 on June 18th, 2019 at 7:54 p.m.).
Inconsistent Spieth to piece it together?
Jordan Spieth is up there as well among the leading pack because of his form leading up to the US Open. He was just starting to put together a really good run of form, without actually hitting the ball perfectly. It wasn’t a bad start from him at Pebble Beach either before he couldn’t get his act together over the weekend. That’s has been indicative of his season, lacking consistency but then he has a bit of course form with his win in 2017 on is first ever appearance.
Casey a good fit after near misses?
Paul Casey is a wonderful fit for the Travelers. He earned a second place last year after throwing away a four-shot lead on the final day. Back in 2015 he just missed out on the title in a playoff. That’s two-second place finishes (three top fives) from his four appearances at the event. That really is something that can’t be overlooked, even if it is with an each way punt because of near misses from a mark of 20/1* (Betting Odds were taken from bet365 on June 18th, 2019 at 7:54 p.m.). Actually, eight of the last ten leaders at the start of the fourth round have failed to win, so that seems to be the trend.
Each Way considerations
Phil Mickelson is a 55/1 option* (Betting Odds were taken from bet365 on June 18th, 2019 at 7:54 p.m.) and he has a bit of a track record. He was back to back winner at the turn of the century and this will be his fourth attempt at the tournament. He wasn’t in the reckoning at Pebble Beach, but the scoring is so relaxed at River Highlands, he may be able to get in the picture.
Chez Reavie could be trending towards something better. He is going well with a top twenty finish in all but one of his last five starts. Reavie has only missed the cut once at the Travellers since 2012 and while he hasn’t gotten close to the title, he is showing the kind of form to get something together, notably his T3 at the US Open. He isn’t a bad option at 60/1 each way* (Betting Odds were taken from bet365 on June 18th, 2019 at 7:54 p.m.).
Justin Thomas is an interesting one this week. He is still working his way back to an extent because of his six-week rest. This is the fourth tournament since then for him. There are signs that he is getting back on top of things. He got back into action with a missed cut at the Memorial. He then responded with a T20 at the RBC Canadian Open. Thomas didn’t make the weekend at Pebble Beach but in terms of the Travelers, that really doesn’t have a bearing.
2019 Travelers Championship Predictions
There is something that happens at the Travelers. It is not a tournament in which anyone in contention for the US Open title generally gets close to winning. So we wipe out Koepka because of that. There have been bigger priced winners of the Travelers recently like Bubba Watson last year and Kevin Streelman.
Paul Casey surely can’t be overlooked in this one. He makes for a bit of nice value at 20/1 odds in the outright winner market* (Betting Odds were taken from bet365 on June 18th, 2019 at 7:54 p.m.). Our other contender is also around that mark.
Justin Thomas at 18/1* (Betting Odds were taken from bet365 on June 18th, 2019 at 7:54 p.m.) may be in with a look. His game has shown signs of sharpening up. That is naturally going to happen after so long out resting his wrist. It doesn’t matter about the US Open and this is an easy-scoring track.
