Travelers Championship 2021 Odds: Brian Harman gets our Pick to win

The US Open saw a popular winner with Jon Rahm but the PGA Tour moves on to Connecticut this week with the 2021 Travelers. Our golf man J.N. Campbell has his thoughts ahead of the event...

PGA Tour Preview: Travelers Championship, TPC River Highlands, Cromwell, CT

Course: TPC River Highlands

Location: Cromwell, CT

Date: June 24 - 27

Par: 70, Yardage: 6,843

Purse: $7.4M, Winner $1.33M

Fairways: Bentgrass, w/KY Bluegrass; Rough: Perennial Fescue; Greens: Bentgrass

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Introduction:

The venerable Travelers Championship from Connecticut forces many of the golfers who contested the U.S. Open in SoCal to hoof it all the way across to the East Coast. It will not be an easy turnaround. Drawing a strong field of players, that speaks to the history of this contest, and the quality of the show at the TPC at River Highlands. Several Top Ten golfers will be on hand to try and notch a victory, and we should expect some prolific scoring - that is, of the low variety.

A course that was re-mastered by the great Pete Dye, this TPC features a strong finish through what has become known as the “Golden Triangle,” which is a true gauntlet (Holes 15/16/17). Shot-making precision is at a premium, especially considering this is a fairly short course by PGA standards. Having some nifty iron play would be advantageous and being nimble around the greens will be essential. With such a strong field, we are in for some excellent approach shots. Artists welcome …

Check out some of these wagering recommendations, as we try to get some winners!

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Prop bets, aplenty …

DJ vs. Koepka, low score comp … (Johnson, +1300 vs. Kopeka, +1800)

A classic slug-fest is in-store for this head-to-head with DJ and Koepka squaring off. DJ won this tourney last year on a fan-less 4-day stretch. As for Koepka, he was excellent over the weekend at the U.S. Open. In a “versus” setting like this one, I will give the nod to Johnson. He was pretty strong 2 weeks back in his native South Carolina. If he can keep his head about him, especially around the greens, then he could win the day against the powerful Koepka. It will not be an easy one to call, but DJ is going well, and the strokes will go his way.  

The Long Shot Weekender … (Leishman +7000)

In 2009, Marc Leishman stormed onto the scene winning Rookie of the Year honors, the first ever Australian to win that honor. Since then, he has had some highlights. By 2020, he had recorded his 5th PGA Tour win in the Farmers Insurance Open, besting Jon Rahm (the current U.S. Open Champ). This year, it has been a series of highs and lows for Leishman. He won the Zurich Classic with fellow countryman Cameron Smith, and tied for 5th in The Masters. Missing the cut in the PGA Championship and finishing 64th in La Jolla was not a great set of finishes in those Majors. Coming into the Travelers, he should be long odds. If he can put together some strong early rounds, he might have the chance at the weekend.

Brian Harman from Downtown … (Harman +4500)

The former Bulldog from Georgia was hot, hot, hot at the U.S. Open before a disastrous meltdown derailed his chances. A 4-putt from 5 feet away … Now, we are going to see what the man is made of, as he tries to put the pieces back together. He is made of sterner stuff, and let’s not forget that this ballstriker has a pair of Tour wins in the John Deere and the Wells Fargo. Though the last one of those came way back in 2017, his work of late continues to be full of some intriguing moments. When it comes to Top 20 finishes, Harman has built quite a dossier since The Players Championship @Sawgrass where he ended up 3rd. I like his chances coming into the Travelers, and when it comes to prices, he is going to be excellent. He can drive and chip with the best of them, even if he is not a household name. Don’t count him out … Bulldogs fight!

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Enjoy all the action from Cromwell, Connecticut! It is time for the Travelers Championship!