Best bets for the Travelers Championship
The major championship hangover is all too real for golf fans this week, but the Travelers Championship should be able to provide some much-needed relief. Because the Travelers is an elevated event, 23 of the top 30 players in the OWGR will be in the field at TPC River Highlands, the second-shortest course on the PGA Tour schedule.
We should be in for a birdie fest this week, so let's target a few best bets that should fit that mold.
Sahith Theegala top 10 (+550 DraftKings)
This could finally be the week for Sahith Theegala. The 25-year-old has been banging on the door of a win for nearly two years, most notably at last year's Travelers when he bogeyed the 72nd hole and finished runner-up. Theegala leads the PGA Tour in total birdies this season, which should bode well this week with the winning score likely settling close to 20 under.
I'll take the safer route with a top-10 bet, but don't be surprised if he breaks through with a victory.
Viktor Hovland top 20 (+100 FanDuel)
This price makes no sense to me. Viktor Hovland has finished inside the top 20 14 times in his last 18 starts, and he has two wins in that span. The Norweigan ranks sixth on the PGA Tour this season in proximity to the hole from 125-150 yards, which will be a crucial yardage this week on the short par-4s, and he's gained nearly 14 strokes putting in his last four starts.
There's no reason there should be a plus sign in front of Hovland's top-20 odds this week.
Denny McCarthy top 40 (+110 FanDuel)
Short course? Small greens? Emphasis on putting? Sounds like a Denny McCarthy paradise to me.
McCarthy has been on fire lately with eight top-25 finishes in his last 10 starts, and he nearly won the Memorial before losing to Hovland in a playoff. The American has gained an astounding 30 strokes putting in his last five starts, so I'll ride the hot hand in what should be a birdie fest.
Min Woo Lee top Australian (+350 DK)
Min Woo Lee was one of my favorite longshots at last week's U.S. Open, and he proved me right with an impressive T5 finish. In what could turn into a putting contest this week, I love Lee's chances considering he's gained strokes on the green seven times in his last eight starts.
His biggest competition in this market is Jason Day, who's missed three straight cuts, and Adam Scott, who missed the cut at LACC and has only played here once since 2010.
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