With the 2020 PGA Tour now back in full swing, this week’s event in Hartford in Connecticut tells the story of professional golf on the way back to at least some level of normality.
With this in mind, I take a look at the Travelers Championship from a betting angle and try and source some of the likely chances to do well.
The Travelers Championship at the TPC River Highlands is being played in its normal time slot after what would have been the US Open, although this year the event has benefited from its position in the schedule rather than perhaps suffering from being the week following a major.
With PGA Tour members being starved of competitive golf over the past three months or so until their return in Fort Worth two weeks ago, the opportunity for tournament golf has seen an impressive entry list this week with only Adam Scott and Patrick Reed of the World’s top ten missing from the event.
As is always the case in a PGA Tour event, the winning possibilities are endless but in order to narrow it down and to find a bit of value I am considering the following.
Of the more favoured players, and there are many of them, Bryson DeChambeau stands out for the following reasons.
DeChambeau has been in outstanding form in 2020, his last five finishes being inside the top ten and four of those inside the top five. He has been 8th and 9th in each of his last two starts at the TPC River Highlands and so at $13.00 represents some better value amongst the more favoured players.
DeChambeau returned after the break with a 3rd place finish at Forth Worth and last week was again in the mix when 8th at the RBC Heritage Classic. There is a lot to like about those credentials.
Despite the field being stacked with such high-quality players, there appears to be a lot of value around the $30 mark, such players including Sungjae Im, Bubba Watson. Collin Morikawa and Joaquin Niemann.
Im is in his second PGA Tour season after being named the Rookie of the Year in 2019. He did miss the cut last week, admittedly, but he finished 10th at Fort Worth two weeks ago and on his debut in this event last year recorded a final round of 66 to finish 21st. He is a much-improved and more experienced player since then and it would not surprise to see him in the finish this week. At $34.00 he appears good value.
Watson is a course specialist here having won the event on three occasions and finished runner-up on one other, a phenomenal record. He finished 7th two weeks ago at the event at the Colonial Golf Club and, although well back last week, at $29.00 this week over a golf course that clearly fits his eye, he appears a great chance.
Morikawa, like Im, is a rapid mover in professional golf. He had one bad round when on debut here last year but other than that played the course well. He did finish runner-up at Fort Worth two weeks ago and although only average last week he is putting himself in the mix so often now he could well feature again. Morikawa is at $31.00 to win the event.
The final player in my ‘value’ category is Joaquin Niemann who is his only start in this event last year finished an impressive 4th and in his return to tournament golf last week at Hilton Head finished 5th. He is at $34 to win the event and well worth a few dollars given his effort here last year and his impressive last start.
There are 100 players or more who could possibly win this event but we can’t pick them all and so hopefully, amongst the group I have selected, there is someone to give you a good run for your money.
Good luck.
