After Jon Rahm’s victory at the US Open, the PGA Tour heads across America from San Diego to Connecticut for the Travelers Championship and the betting market looks tight at the top.
Defending champion Dustin Johnson is 12/1 after his one-shot victory over Kevin Streelman at TPC River Highlands last year, but he faces a tough challenge from Bryson DeChambeau, who should be anxious to bounce back after a closing 77 put paid to his hopes of a successful defence at Torrey Pines last week.
He is 12/1 alongside Englishman Paul Casey, who has claimed four top-10 finishes at the Cornwall venue and should be encouraged by his seventh spot at the US Open.
Reed Ready to Build on Fine Form
A strong case could be made for all three market leaders but some value a little further down the list can be found by backing former Masters winner Patrick Reed at 25/1.
The Texan, who last tasted success when he won the Farmers Insurance Open by five shots in January, has been playing well for the last few weeks and this could be where it all comes together on a course where he finished fifth in 2017.
Reed will be looking for his 10th PGA Tour title and he should be full of confidence after his closing 67 at Torrey Pines was enough to earn him a share of 19th place.
That performance came two weeks after he was fifth at the Memorial Tournament on a similar tee-to-green test to the one the players face at River Highlands.
Finishes of sixth at the Wells Fargo and eighth at The Masters suggest another victory may just be around the corner and this week’s set-up could provide an ideal opportunity.
Harman Has Solid Claims
Brian Harman missed the cut at last year’s Travelers Championship but that is no reason to desert the diminutive left-hander from the betting portfolio this week at 25/1.
It is more than four years since the Georgian captured the second of his two PGA Tour victories at the Wells Fargo Championship but he has finished eighth and sixth in this tournament and also missed out on a playoff by just one shot in 2015 when Bubba Watson was left to duke it out with Paul Casey.
Harman has finished in the top 20 in seven of his last eight tournaments – he missed the cut at last month’s US PGA Championship – and his game is in a good place after four solid rounds earned him a 19th-placed finish at Torrey Pines.
Bradley is Geared to Bounce Back
Keegan Bradley is 50/1 to win this week and that could be worth an investment.
The former US PGA champion is looking to recover from missing the cut at Memorial, where he was unable to book a weekend spot after an opening 78.
However, his form before that had been good with a second spot at the Valspar Championship and he finished 18th at both the Wells Fargo and the US PGA.
This solid tee-to-green performer is worth chancing at a course where he finished second to Chez Reavie in 2019.
*All odds correct at time of writing
