PGA Betting – Travelers Championship Preview & Pick
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The Travelers Championship produces the usual “calm after the storm” effect since a handful of big names won’t play after last week’s U.S. Open. But there are still some dangerous players in the field. Expect to see some guys go low at the Travelers; the last 16 champs have finished at least 10 under par.
Hunting for birdies and putting well are the keys this week.
Date: Thursday June 24 – June 27
Event: Travelers Championship
Course: TPC River Highlands, Cromwell, Connecticut
Purse: $6,000,000
Defending Champ: Kenny Perry
FedEX Cup Points Up For Grabs: 500
Let’s break down the field and make a pick.
THE ELITE
Arguably, no golfer gets elite status this week.
THE CONTENDERS
Padraig Harrington
Travelers Championship odds: +1215
Harrington’s name value puts his odds above everyone else in the field but he really has nothing going for him entering the Travelers. He’s fresh off knee surgery and hasn’t played the Travelers since 2007, when he finished 54th. He also has just one top-20 finish in his last six starts. You can do a lot better this week than Paddy.
Justin Rose
Travelers Championship odds: +1615
I really like Rose this week because, when he wins, he goes really low. That’s because he’s a strong ball striker (19th on Tour) and putter from 15-20 feet (19th). When he won the Memorial a few weeks back, he led the field in putting and birdies. Rose has cracked the top 20 three times in six tries at the Travelers Championship.
Hunter Mahan
Travelers Championship odds: +1850
This guy absolutely owns the Travelers Championship. His last four finishes there: second, first, second, fourth. So why doesn’t he have by far the best odds to win? Because he’s lost his swing. Mahan has missed three straight cuts. Does that mean we should avoid him or is the Travelers just the event to restore his confidence? 
SOLID PICKS
Bo Van Pelt
Travelers Championship odds: +1850
The reliable Van Pelt has two top-10s at the Travelers in the last three years, leads the Tour in ball striking and ranks 18th in putting from 10 to 15 feet. Can’t blame anyone for picking him but it’s too bad he doesn’t offer better value than +1850.
Kenny Perry
Travelers Championship odds: +2550
It’s too bad Kenny Perry is struggling so badly in 2010. Otherwise, he’d make a great pick to win the Travelers. He has a great pedigree as he won the event last year and has long been considered one of golf’s best ball strikers. But the reality is that Perry will turn 50 in August and hasn’t finished better than 16th in 12 straight tournaments. It may be time to accept that his prime is over.
THE SLEEPER
Scott Verplank
Travelers Championship odds: +4050
Verplank really sizzles at this track. He finished ninth last year and owns the course record at 61 with a 62 under his belt there as well. Verplank’s peripherals are also strong: 13th on tour in fairways, seventh in putting. The numbers seem to point to him.
THE PICK
At first my gut told me Justin Rose was the man. But we haven’t seen too many prolonged hot streaks in 2010. Instead, let’s play the math game – not to mention the sportsbook value game – and pick the long shot. Go with Scott Verplank and hope to hit a home run.
Pick: Scott Verplank +4050
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