Travelers Championship betting tips: DJ needs to get back on track
Preview and odds for this week’s PGA Tour event
Dustin Johnson returns to defend his Travelers Championship title this week having been knocked off the top of the world rankings by Jon Rahm’s US Open victory.
Johnson had been closing in on a year-long reign as world number one but, despite a creditable tied-19th finish at Torrey Pines, was usurped by Rahm claiming his maiden major title.
Since following November’s Masters win with victory in Saudi Arabia at the start of the year, Johnson’s form has slipped slightly with only one top-10 finish in his last nine events.
However, the American still has the third-best scoring average on the PGA Tour this year and at 12/1 is sure to feature in plenty of Travelers Championship betting tips.
Cantlay worth considering
Big-hitting Bryson DeChambeau has been installed as the 10/1 favourite after putting up a strong defence of his US Open crown last week, but TPC River Highlands is a course that rewards precision over power.
Patrick Cantlay is priced at 16/1 and set a then-course record when he shot 60 here as a teenage amateur a decade ago, with Jim Furyk’s remarkable 58 in 2016 since surpassing it.
Cantlay is eighth on the PGA Tour this season for strokes gained – around the green and second in scrambling, while he has the third-best birdie to bogey ratio on tour behind Rahm and Webb Simpson.
The world number seven was a winner three weeks ago at the Memorial Tournament and has posted six other top-20 finishes this year.
Connecticut success elementary for Watson
Bubba Watson is a three-time winner of this event and the left-hander’s game is clearly well-suited to the course.
While the 42-year-old’s form has not been scintillating this season, he has made six successive cuts either side of withdrawing from the Memorial Tournament.
Watson is sixth on the PGA Tour for shots gained – tee to green this season and is available at 50/1 to land a fourth Travelers title.
Cink chasing River Highlands hat-trick
Stewart Cink first won this title 24 years ago and claimed it for a second time in 2008.
The 48-year-old veteran also has two runner-up finishes to his name in Connecticut, most recently to Watson three years ago, and has already captured the RBC Heritage this season.
Cink has hit the seventh-highest percentage of greens in regulation on the PGA Tour this season and is 80/1 to win a third title at TPC River Highlands.
All odds and markets correct as of date of publication
