2024 Travelers Championship Tips
The PGA Tour heads to TPC River Highlands, Connecticut this week for the Travelers Championship, the eighth and final signature event of the season.
After the dramatic end to the US Open at Pinehurst, where Bryson DeChambeau capitalised on Rory McIlroy's late collapse to snatch the trophy for the second time, the world's best now descend upon Cromwell for more top-class action.
World number one Scottie Scheffler will be eager to move on from his disappointing showing at the Major, while the likes of Viktor Hovland, Justin Thomas and Jason Day will be hoping for improvement after they all missed the cut.
McIlroy has made the choice to take a break from golf for the next couple of weeks, which leaves Scheffler as the 4/1 favourite, ahead of 7/1 Xander Schauffele.
Tip 1 - Sam Burns to win and each-way @ 22/1
There could be a few players in the field who are mentally drained from last week's US Open exploits, but one player who came out of that tournament on a positive note was Sam Burns.
He was never in contention going into the final round and this appeared to free him up for the last 18 holes, as the American shot a joint-best final round of 67 to finish in a tie for ninth - his best Major finish.
Burns was superb on the slick greens at Pinehurst, finishing third in strokes gained: putting, and this bodes well heading to a course where making lots of birdies will be required for glory.
The 27-year-old is looking somewhere close to his best since the arrival of his first child, with his results since the arrival reading T13-MC-T10-T15 and T9, and he can challenge for a sixth PGA Tour title.
Tip 2 - Brian Harman to win and each-way @ 45/1
Reigning Open champion Brian Harman is one of the best putters on tour and that club should help him enjoy another positive performance at the Travelers, where he finished tied-second last year.
The 37-year-old American loves coming to TPC River Highlands, with that runners-up effort adding to two top-fives and three top-10s at this course.
Harman appreciates this test of hitting greens and holing putts, with less emphasis on crushing it off the tee, so it would be no surprise to see him in the mix again.
Tip 3 - Russell Henley leader after round 1 @ 33/1
With a potential US Open hangover for some players in the field, there is value in the first round leader market and Russell Henley is an appealing proposition at 33/1.
The American is enjoying a good season and he continued his solid run of form with a tied-seventh finish at Pinehurst, his best effort in that Major and a performance that showed he belongs at this level.
Henley shot a final round of 67 in North Carolina, the joint-best score of Sunday, and he can keep the good vibes going by taking an early lead in Connecticut.