Fantasy Golf Picks, Odds, and Predictions – The Travelers Championship

Fantasy Golf Picks, Odds, and Predictions for the The Travelers Championship

2019 The Travelers Championship Fantasy Preview

Golf rarely loses its ability to surprise.

Gary Woodland, a man who had failed to close out victory on each of the last seven occasions he held a 54-hole lead, somehow showed balls of steel to see off the threat of a beast going for the three-peat, Brooks Koepka, at the US Open.

At one point on Sunday Koepka had closed to within one shot of the lead, and a slice of history looked to be in the offing especially as the other former major champion in contention, Justin Rose, found that it’s very difficult to win a golf tournament if you consistently miss greens in regulation.

But Woodland, who has only won once in the past five years, showed enormous fortitude to birdie fourteen and eighteen to land his first ever major triumph.

A premium ball-striker and genuinely nice guy, Woodland’s win at Pebble Beach was well-cheered by fans of the sport all around the world.

Still, we can’t let a US Open go by without a word on the USGA, who it could be argued missed the mark once again with their major course set-up. Players were able to fire at the flags with abandon throughout the week, with missed fairways rarely punished. This is not how a US Open should be – double-digits under par is a standard PGA TOUR win, not the supposed most difficult event on the schedule – and once more the organization will come under fire.

Fans of easy courses will be treated to plenty of red numbers this week courtesy of TPC River Highlands, our host for the Travelers Championship. It was here that Jim Furyk fired his round of 58 a couple of years ago, and with fairly benign conditions forecast it could be an epic shootout that unfolds on the east coast this week.

Patrick Cantlay of the United States plays a shot from the third tee…

Patrick Cantlay of the United States plays a shot from the third tee during the final round of the 2019 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach Golf Links on June 16, 2019 in Pebble Beach, California. Get premium, high resolution news photos at Getty Images

Last Week’s Fantasy Results 

If you didn’t have Woodland in your lineup last week, you were no ‘good man.’ 

Woodland was the silent killer, or better known as a roster killer. If you were lucky enough to run with a Gary/Brooks heavy roster, you’re probably sitting on some new found cash.   

Unfortunately, our Top tier pick Dustin Johnson struggled to find any momentum on the weekend (71-74).

Gary Woodland of the United States celebrates on the 18th green after…

Gary Woodland of the United States celebrates on the 18th green after winning the 2019 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach Golf Links on June 16, 2019 in Pebble Beach, California. Get premium, high resolution news photos at Getty Images

The 2019 The Travelers Championship Field

A week after a major, we certainly wouldn’t expect to see such a high-quality field as this teeing up – especially when the start of their week involves a trip from California to Connecticut.

Brooks Koepka will look to put last week’s disappointment behind him straight away – don’t mention his record in non-majors, while Patrick Cantlay will look to capitalize on his recent excellent form.

Justin Thomas, Jordan Spieth and Jason Day – now with the services of Steve Williams on the bag – may feel that they have a point to prove, as does Bryson DeChambeau, who has spoken positively about his game in recent weeks.

The European charge will be led by Paul Casey, Francesco Molinari and Tommy Fleetwood, while Bubba Watson – that archetypal course horse – will be looking for an incredible fourth win at TPC River Highlands.

Tommy Fleetwood of England plays a shot from the third tee during the…

Tommy Fleetwood of England plays a shot from the third tee during the second round of the 2019 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach Golf Links on June 14, 2019 in Pebble Beach, California. Get premium, high resolution news photos at Getty Images

This Week’s Course Preview

TPC River Highlands may well have had a thorough re-work courtesy of the vaunted Pete Dye, but this is not by any means one of his more classic layouts.

In fact, it plays pretty easily: Furyk’s 58, Patrick Cantlay’s 60 and various other rounds of 61 have been posted in the past couple of years, so this is not Sawgrass by any means.

As you might expect from a course where Bubba has dominated, there is an emphasis on shaping your shots off the tee – there are tree lines and doglegs to navigate – but missing in the right place is absolutely fine with rough on the thin and friendly side.

This is a short track at 6,841 yards for its Par 70, and so nobody is discounted here. With perfect, receptive Bentgrass greens to find, this could turn into something of a putting contest with a winning score in the mid-teens under par traditional.

Water is only an issue on four holes, and three of those come at the ‘Golden Triangle’ from 15 through 17. These holes feature approaches hit over or adjacent to a lake, but it’s unlikely many will find the drink this week – wind permitting.

A course scenic view of the 15th hole during the final round of the…

A course scenic view of the 15th hole during the final round of the Travelers Championship at TPC River Highlands on June 24, 2018 in Cromwell, Connecticut. Get premium, high resolution news photos at Getty Images

Weather Forecast for Cromwell, CT

You can only read so much into the forecast of course, but there is some quite substantial rain in the prediction for midweek.

Both Tuesday and Wednesday have rain in the forecast, the former more so than the later, and with minimal wind to dry surfaces out and temperatures in the low 70s the greens could be particularly receptive this week.

Isolated thunderstorms are the order of the day on Thursday, with high humidity and sultry temperatures suggesting there may be a problem or two.

Friday has scattered showers in the offing, but the weekend should be much drier and brighter, with winds around 10 mph and temperatures of approximately 78°F.

Last Year’s Results from the The Travelers Championship

The defending champion, Jordan Spieth, started like a train with a round of -7 a year ago, and with Rory McIlroy one back after the opening 18 we looked set for a high-class renewal.

But that duo quickly lost pace with the rest of the leaderboard, as a pair of 64s from Bubba Watson ultimately proved to be the difference.

It was surely one that got away for Paul Casey though, who led by four shots at the 54-hole stage.

But the Englishman showed his trademark fragility in contention, and in the end it was left to Bubba to cap a fantastic 2018 by getting his hands on a third trophy in the calendar year.

Highlights | Round 4 | Travelers Championship 2018

SUBSCRIBE to PGA TOUR now: http://pgat.us/vBxcZSh In the final round of the 2018 Travelers Championship, Bubba Watson came back from being six strokes behind and rallied to the sole lead position to win his third Travelers Championship in his career. The Travelers Championship is played at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, CT.

Where to Play Fantasy Golf for the The Travelers Championship this Week

Even after a major week, the DFS sites haven’t completely turned to mush with a healthy $700k main event for the Travelers Championship. Here are two other options for gamers to explore:

• PGA $50k Albatross: If you’re banking on your superior knowledge of the game coming in handy this week, how’s about this $12 single entry contest where you can bank a cool jackpot of $5k? The top 10 players trouser a minimum of $100 too.
• PGA $30k Sand Save: Here’s an intriguing contest where if you can stump up the $75 entry there’s plenty of excitement in the offing: this 454-team event features a top prize of $3k, and the top 25% of team owners win a minimum of $125.

This Week’s Fantasy Notes for the The Travelers Championship

This is one of those annoying weeks on the Tour where there are few narratives for gamers to hang their picks on.

The historic stats at TPC River Highlands don’t particularly reveal anything of note, and the rollcall of recent winners here – Bubba x2, Spieth, Knox, Streelman and Duke – hardly delivers any insight either.

We know that Bubba whacks it miles off the tee while missing fairways as, to a lesser extent, does Spieth, while Knox and Streelman tend to be completely at the other end of the driving distance/accuracy spectrum.

And Ken Duke? Well, answers on a postcard.

There isn’t anything particularly Pete Dye about River Highlands either, so that’s another angle down the drain, and with players having to circumnavigate the country to get to Connecticut, there’s the spectre of travel weariness to consider.

Yep, it’s one of those weeks.

So what do we know? Well, this is a course with plenty of tree-lined fairways and doglegs, so somebody comfortable shaping their shots both ways – Bubba is a three-time winner here remember – is a must.

There are only two Par 5s too, which means that Par 4 Scoring will be at a premium. If there is rain around and the greens are slowed, this will be a case of making lots of birdies through a simple point-and-click iron and wedge game.

Perhaps picking players in form and hoping for the best is the only way to go this week!

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Our Top 5 (and Top 2 Sleeper) Fantasy Picks and Odds to Win the The Travelers Championship

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Top 5 Picks/Odds to Win the The Travelers Championship

Top Tier Pick #1:  

Paul Casey (Odds: 20/1, FPPG: 68.7, GPFP: 70.07 Salary: $9,500)

He’s by no means our idea of a reliable top-tier pick, but with doubts over many at the top of the salary list Paul Casey has to come into consideration.

The Englishman was outstanding off the tee at Pebble Beach, and that should provide a firm foundation for a tilt at the title this week.

Casey loves TPC River Highlands – 2-5-17-2 is his formline here – and don’t forget he was four shots clear with a round to play 12 months ago. He’s somebody we want to win from off the pace, rather than being in contention, come Sunday.

His normal Achilles heel is his putting, but he was actually half-decent on the greens at Pebble Beach and that, complimented by his reliable tee-to-green game, bodes very well.

Key Stats:

• Total Driving – 1st
• SG: Tee-to-Green – 8th
• Scoring Average – 20th

Top-Tier Pick #2:  

Bryson DeChambeau (Odds: 30/1, FPPG: 79.2, GPFP: 63.33 Salary: $9,200)

What a difference six months can make in golf.

Back then, Bryson had established himself as one of the most prolific winners around, with his scientific approach – once the source of much scorn – earning him rave reviews from those seeking a bold new world in golf.

A dry spell has seen his stock fall, mind you, and this week he is just tenth in the salary listings.

But that’s fine by us: you sense that DeChambeau is a player that thrives on confidence – don’t we all – and he was speaking very positively about his game at Pebble Beach.

Improvements on the greens, coupled with his standard excellence off the tee, are what makes him such a prolific champion, and in easy birdie-fests on Bentgrass where there is little to separate the field, Bryson’s ‘X factor’ could well be the difference-maker.

Key Stats:

• Total Driving – 4th
• Birdie Average – 9th
• SG: Putting – 43rd

Mid-Tier Pick #1:  

Chez Reavie (Odds: 70/1, FPPG: 67.1, GPFP: 53.71 Salary: $8,400)

Despite being surrounded by powerhouses at the top of the US Open leaderboard, the short-hitting Reavie once again proved he’s got the game and the nous to compete with the big boys.

One of the things that really stood out from his performance at Pebble Beach was how well he struck the ball off the tee. He used a variety of clubs, but still found a way to find plenty of fairways.

Short Par 70s are naturally his ideal outing, and a run of form in of 3-MC-14-18 suggests that Reavie can once again take care of business despite being one of the shortest off the tee on the PGA TOUR. Where there’s a will, there’s a way.

Key Stats:

• Driving Accuracy – 2nd
• SG: Approach – 24th
• Scoring Average – 27th

Mid-Tier Pick #2: 

Sungjae Im (Odds: 70/1, FPPG: 65.5, GPFP: 52.43 Salary: $7,800)

A period in the doldrums appears to be over for Im, who ended a quiet couple of months with a T7 finish at the Canadian Open last time out.

That strong showing, and others at Copperhead and Bay Hill, offers the suggestion that doglegging, tree-lined tracks are where the youngster feels most at home, and so we’re certainly willing to give him a whirl this week.

And why not: the Korean has six top-10 finishes to his name on the PGA TOUR this term, and that marks him out as one of the premier performers around in 2019.

Key Stats:

• Birdie Average – 30th
• SG: Tee-to-Green – 34th
• SG: Around-the-Green – 36th

Low-Tier Pick: 

Mackenzie Hughes (Odds: 150/1, FPPG: 49.6, GPFP: 39.71 Salary: $7,100)

The good times have returned of late for the Canadian, who has T8 (Charles Schwab Challenge) and T14 (Canadian Open) finishes to his name in his last pair of starts.

Unlike many in the field this week, he won’t have to slog his way across the country from California having missed out on the US Open, and while it’s wholly possible that somebody who competed at Pebble Beach will win this week, clearly NOT having to make that journey is something of an advantage.

Top 20 finishes both here and at Sawgrass suggest an affinity with Pete Dye designs, and with form in the locker Hughes is one of those guys who can far outperform their odds and salary this week.

Key Stats:

• Scrambling – 48th
• SG: Around-the-Green – 64th
• Approaches from 75-100 yards – 86th

Sleeper Pick for the The Travelers Championship

Andrew Putnam (Odds: 125/1, FPPG: 66.4, GPFP: 53.10 Salary: $7,600)

Sometimes, the right track comes along at the right time for certain players.

For Andrew Putnam, an ‘easy’ Par 70 is where he is perhaps most likely to win his first ‘proper’ PGA TOUR title (he won the Barracuda Championship last season), and with form in the tank TPC River Highlands appears at an opportune moment.

He ranks inside the top-15 on Tour for both Par 3 and 4 Birdie Leaders, and as one of the shorter hitters around it’s no surprise to learn he’s less prolific on the Par 5s – hence why Par 70s suit.

T3 at the Charles Schwab Challenge and T17 in the Memorial, Putnam was red hot on the greens at Pebble Beach, and if he takes a hot putter to the other side of the US he could well go very close.

Key Stats:

• SG: Putting – 2nd
• Par 4 Birdie or Better Leaders – 15th
• SG: Approach – 55th

Alternative Sleeper Pick for the The Travelers Championship

Sebastian Munoz (Odds: 150/1, FPPG: 58.9, GPFP: 47.08 Salary: $7,200)

There’s not much magic or mystery to this selection: of his last eight rounds on the PGA TOUR, four have been 66 or better.

All in all, six of those have been in the 60s, and that has led to T10 and T11 finishes in the Byron Nelson and Canadian Open – excellent lead-in form.

The Colombian is another who enjoys a birdie-fest – his career low round is 61 – and if his recent hot streak continues there is no reason why another top-10 couldn’t be in the offing.

Key Stats:

• SG: Around-the-Green – 14th
• Birdie Average – 45th
• SG: Tee-to-Green – 67th

This Week’s Sample DraftKings Lineup

Note: Sample lineups provided as examples only.  Be sure to mix-and-match players to best fit individual contests.

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Fantasy Golf Predictions This Season (2018-2019)

[skill_bar heading=”Total Top 3s” percent=”3.23%” bar_text=”7 out of 217 picks” style=”background-color: #5fb341″][skill_bar heading=”Total Top 10s” percent=”18.89%” bar_text=”41 out of 217 picks” style=”background-color: #5fb341″][skill_bar heading=”Total Top 25s” percent=”34.56%” bar_text=”75 out of 217 picks” style=”background-color: #5fb341″][skill_bar heading=”Total Winners Picked” percent=”12.90%” bar_text=”4 out of 31 events” style=”background-color: #5fb341″][skill_bar heading=”Total Runners-Up Picked” percent=”6.45%” bar_text=”2 out of 31 events” style=”background-color: #5fb341″][skill_bar heading=”Total Made Cuts (Includes Sleepers)” percent=”74.19%” bar_text=”161 out of 217 picks” style=”background-color: #5fb341″]

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