– Last Updated on November 21, 2022 2:41 pm
2017 PGA Travelers Championship Prediction and Picks
Ready to bet on this week’s 2017 Travelers Championship betting odds? A week after a typically thrilling US Open the PGA pros head to Cromwell, Connecticut to play the 2017 Travelers Championship. TPC River Highlands will play host yet again on its 6,841 yards, par 70 layout – the scene of last year’s historic 58 shot by Jim Furyk.
2017 Travelers Championship
When: June 22-25, 2017
Where: TPC River Highlands, Cromwell, Connecticut
Format: 72 holes – Stroke Play
Purse: $6,800,000
Defending Champion: Russell Knox
TV Coverage: Golf Channel, CBS
Updated Sportsbook Bonuses For Today
A pretty good field will assemble – World No.2 Rory McIlroy and No.3 Jason Day will be out to avenge missed cuts last week and Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas and Paul Casey will try to build on what they would characterize as disappointments at the US Open.
As one of the shorter courses on TOUR, TPC River Highlands, it wouldn’t seem the Driving Distance would be a factor here – Bubba Watson has won this event twice and a few other notable winners have been strong off the tee.
That said it is GIR stats, strokes gained and par-4 scoring that I leaned on heavily this week – approach shots will win or lose this tournament. Course history is also something to keep in mind as is, as always, a hot putter.
So, with all of that in mind who should we be keeping a special eye on this week? Let’s take a peek.
2017 Travelers Championship Favorites:
Rory McIlroy +900
Well – didn’t see the missed cut at the US Open coming! Rory will be out to avenge that result this week, healthy and excited to go. River Highlands, like most stops in the world should suit his game very well – accuracy and strong putting is right in the World #2’s wheelhouse.
Rory is still one of the classiest, most well-rounded players on the planet and will be a motivated guy despite what Steve Elkington says!
Jordan Spieth +1000
Will play this event for the first time this week off a pedestrian T35 at the US Open – he did shoot the fourth best round on Sunday however.
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He leads the Tour in Strokes Gained: Approaching the Green and in proximity to the hole on approach which should definitely help on this shorter, second-shot track. Although wildly inconsistent this year, Spieth has a real chance to make some noise on a course that plays to his strengths.
Jason Day +1100
Day is one guy that has been awfully tough to figure out this year but he is still one of the best players on the planet. A missed cut at the US Open should motivate him this week.
He leads the TOUR in strokes gained: around-the-green and has finished inside the top 27 in both appearances here – a T27 in 2008 and a T18 in 2014. Day will be one of the longest players in the field this week, allowing him to concentrate on his touch which has been the best part of his game this year.
2017 Travelers Championship Contenders:
Justin Thomas +1200
A third round 63 at the US Open was sensational! Unfortunately for Thomas, that record-setting Saturday was his only really solid round. He still finished T9 last week to follow a T4 at Memorial – he now has eighth top 10s this year including three of his last four starts overall!
Yup – Thomas is in pretty good form! He now gets a crack at a course he finished T3 on last year thanks to a 62 on Sunday.
Thomas leads the TOUR in birdie average, putts per green-in-regulation, ranks 19th in GIR, 14th in proximity to the hole and is the TOUR leader in birdie-or-better percentage. Something HAS TO GIVE for Thomas who looks posed for a big week.
Paul Casey +2000
Played well last week at Erin Hills but stumbled a bit on the weekend to finish T26. He lost in a playoff here two years ago and arrives at this year’s event and finished T17 last year.
He has 10 top 25s this year and should be able to flash his tremendous iron-play in an event he’s played well at in the past. He’s fifth on TOUR in greens-in-regulation percentage and if he can get some putts to drop he could be the last man standing Sunday.
Marc Leishman +2800
Won his first PGA TOUR title here five years ago and arrives at this year’s edition in very good form having finished top 15 in his last two starts and having posted a win on TOUR already this year – the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill.
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Along with his win on this track Leishman has posted a T9 finish in 2016 and a T11 in 2014 – a true horse for this course.
Bubba Watson +3000
Has not been good on 2017 but arrives at the friendly confines of TPC River Highlands where he is a two-time champ and all-time earnings leader. Somehow, he has missed the cut in five of 13 starts this year and his putter has been absolutely dreadful.
The cure could be River Highlands where his scoring average the last eight years is 67.19. It’s a track history thing for Bubba – certainly not current form!
Daniel Berger +3300
Was tied for the 54-hole lead in this tournament last year before melting down on Sunday en route to a T5. He is a winner on TOUR this year already – he defended his FedEx St. Jude Classic win just a couple of weeks ago but followed that with an unfortunate missed cut at the US Open.
Although he’s had just one good result the last few months, Berger seems to shine at River Highlands and could realistically do so again.
2017 Travelers Championship Sleepers (+5000 or higher):
Graham DeLaet +5000
Didn’t play this event last year but certainly had some success on this track before that – a solo third in 2013 and a solo fourth in 2015. Last time out was a respectable T10 at the Memorial. DeLaet will win on TOUR sometime soon – why not in an event he’s had consistent success.
Zach Johnson +6000
Zach has fallen off the radar for sure. At +6000 on a course that should fit his eye, Johnson should be on your radar this week. He only has four top 25s this year but he does have five top 25s in 11 appearances at this event – a solo sixth in 2015 being the best result.
He’s currently ranks 12th on TOUR in driving accuracy, and 27th in strokes-gained: around the green which is perfect for this track. If there is a tournament Johnson can snap his funk its this one.
Adam Hadwin +6600
The second Canadian in the Sleeper category has been terrific this year in terms of ball striking – his accuracy should help immensely this week. He’s been on my radar all year long and could provide a nice payday this week.
2017 Travelers Championship Picks:
My pick this week is Justin Thomas at +1200. He has a terrific track record here and he looked terrific at times last week. Momentum carries him to the win this week.
My sleeper is Adam Hadwin at +6600. A premier ball striker, I’m expecting a huge week for Hadwin in Connecticut.
Golf handicapper DAVE B weighs in each week with his top selections. Including top picks and sleepers!
Check back each week for your PGA golf gambling, handicapping info & free golf picks.
ODDS TO WIN 2017 Travelers Championship
- Jordan Spieth +1000
- Rory McIlroy +1000
- Jason Day +1200
- Justin Thomas +1200
- Paul Casey +1800
- Brandt Snedeker +2500
- Patrick Reed +2800
- Marc Leishman +2800
- Bubba Watson +3000
- Brendan Steele +3300
- Charley Hoffman +3300
- Daniel Berger +3300
- Tony Finau +3500
- Brian Harman +4000
- Kyle Stanley +4000
- Bud Cauley +5000
- Byeong-Hun An +5000
- Graham DeLaet +5000
- Webb Simpson +5500
- Zach Johnson +6000
- Adam Hadwin +6600
- David Lingmerth +6600
- Emiliano Grillo +6600
- Jamie Lovemark +6600
- Danny Lee +7000
- Harris English +7000
- Jim Furyk +7000
- Chez Reavie +7500
- Russell Knox +7500
- Kevin Na +8000
- Kevin Streelman +8000
- Kevin Tway +8000
- Martin Laird +9000
- Xander Schauffele +9000
- Anirban Lahiri +10000
- Chad Campbell +10000
- Daniel Summerhays +10000
- Keegan Bradley +10000
- Lucas Glover +10000
- Ryan Palmer +10000
- Seung Yul Noh +10000
- Trey Mullinax +10000
- Wesley Bryan +10000
- William McGirt +10000
- Harold Varner III +12500
- Jim Herman +12500
- Luke Donald +12500
- Nick Taylor +12500
- Nick Watney +12500
- Patrick Rodgers +12500
- Scott Piercy +12500
- Smylie Kaufman +12500
- Sung Kang +12500
- Whee Kim +12500
- Brian Gay +15000
- Dominic Bozzelli +15000
- Grayson Murray +15000
- Hudson Swafford +15000
- Jason Kokrak +15000
- Joel Dahmen +15000
- Morgan Hoffmann +15000
- Jhonattan Vegas +17500
- Jonas Blixt +17500
- Jonathan Randolph +17500
- Odds courtesy Bovada.lv