The dust has barely settled from Monday’s delayed fourth round finish to the US Open but the bandwagon has moved on to Connecticut for the Travelers Championship.
As with the European Tour, I’m going to put a line through any of those players who played all five days last week on the gruelling Bethpage Black course, which means I won’t be putting up favourite Hunter Mahan. Mahan has preformed really well in both majors so far this season and had he had a little more luck on the run in on Monday he could have been the new major champion. He didn’t have the luck though and it’ll be difficult for him to bounce back this week, albeit on a course where he’s won and finished runner up twice in the last three years. At 12/1 with totesport this doesn’t represent enough value and we’ll be leaving him alone.
Having looked down the betting for the shortest priced player who wasn’t in New York you’ll find Woody Austin at 28/1 with totesport. Austin sat it out last week and comes here fresh, with two top ten finishes in his last three tournaments. He also has a top five finish here back in 2005 and should be suited to the course.
Paul Goydos is another player coming here fresh and in good form. With a third and fourth place finish in his last three tournaments the old campaigner is in good nick and could spring a surprise at 66/1.
Kevin Na is having a very consistent year on tour with six top tens from fifteen starts and he’s a good price at 33/1 with totesport to get his maiden tour victory. Na finished 9th here two years ago so should know his way around the course, plus this course has a history of helping young players get their first victory with both Hunter Mahan and JJ Henry breaking their duck at River Highlands.
