Travelers Championship Golf Odds and Betting Picks

Does this week’s Travelers Championship on the PGA Tour seem to be played on an unusual date? For the first time in the history of the tournament (since the name change in 2007) it’s not being staged the week after the U.S. Open. Why the move? Partly to accommodate the return of golf to the Olympics — that event is next week in Rio — and because the TPC River Highlands course in Hartford underwent some enhancements last fall and tournament organizers wanted the extra time. An American has won this tournament three straight years and U.S. player Bubba Watson is the Sports Interaction betting favourite at +1100 on golf odds.

Can Bubba Watson Go Back-To-Back?

Eight players in the world Top 20 are playing this week, and Watson is the highest-ranked at No. 6. He won this tournament in 2015 for the second time in his career. He made an 8-foot birdie putt on the second hole of a playoff to outlast England’s Paul Casey. Both players finished 72 holes at 16-under 264. TPC River Highlands is a par 70 measuring at 6,841 yards. In the tournament’s 63-year history, only Phil Mickelson (2001-02) has won it back-to-back. He’s not playing this year.

Watson, who will play for Team USA in Rio, also won the 2010 Travelers in a playoff, beating out Corey Pavin and Scott Verplank for his first PGA Tour win. Watson is the seventh multiple winner of the Travelers Championship. He comes off a disappointing 60th at last week’s PGA Championship, the final major of the season. The winner of that tournament, Jimmy Walker, isn’t playing this week.

Other Players to Watch

American Brooks Koepka is currently listed at +1100 and South African Branden Grace is the +1600 second favourite. Koepka was fourth last week at the PGA Championship and 51st here last year, his first time playing in the tournament. Grace was also fourth last week and he has missed the cut in both trips to this event, including in 2015.

Matt Kuchar and Patrick Reed, both Americans, are each at +2300 on our golf odds. Kuchar missed the cut at the PGA Championship and has a best finish of eighth in this event, coming in 2012. Reed was 14th last week and has missed the cut in Hartford the past two years. The last player from outside the USA to win this tournament was Aussie Marc Leishman in 2012. He’s +5400 this week.

No Canadian player has won this tournament. Dave Barr lost in a playoff to Mark Brooks back in 1988 when it was called the Greater Hartford Open. Canada’s top two players in the world rankings, David Hearn and Graham DeLaet, aren’t in the field. Adam Hadwin, ranked No. 184, is +17200 to win. He didn’t qualify for the PGA Championship and was tied for 49th in his last event, the Canadian Open. Hadwin is yet to win on the PGA Tour. He missed the cut in this tournament last year after rounds of 67-72.

Travelers Championship Prediction

It’s sometimes boring to bet chalk in golf tournaments, but you have to lean towards Watson this week. Not only does he have those two wins in Hartford, he was runner-up in 2012 and fourth in 2013. He’s a true “Horse for the Course.” I’d also take Ryan Moore for a Top 10 in golf betting as he has three of them in Hartford this decade.