Paulie’s Picks: 2024 Travelers Championship

What an absolutely brutal scheduling spot for the Travelers this year. Players are running on fumes, having been mentally and physically beaten up by a two-week stretch that included the signature event at the Memorial and then the U.S. Open. Now they must play another 72-hole, no-cut signature event at the Travelers. You will see some very weird results this week, as I expect there’s at least a handful of players who are only there because they have to be. The questions, then, are how does that relate to betting this week, and how do we take advantage of it?

One way to figure out who actually wants to be here is to find players who usually play the Travelers, signature-event status or not. Players who skip this event year after year are probably a bit less focused this week compared to players who make this an annual stop because they like it, the course fits their game, or both.

What does it take to succeed at TPC River Highlands? It’s a pretty simple handicap this week. You need to keep the ball in play off the tee and excel with approach shots inside 150 yards. You don’t have to be a bomber to contend here. After all, this is a course where Jim Furyk shot 58.

Let’s take a look at two Travelers regulars to bet on in this 71-player field:

Patrick Cantlay Top 20 -140

Historically, the Travelers at TPC River Highlands is one of the top-five events of the year for Cantlay in terms of performance. He has finished 15th or better each of the last six years. Last week, he finished third at the US Open while striking his irons the best he has all year, gaining over five strokes on the field. If he can carry that solid iron play over to this week, I think he has a very good chance to contend on a course that suits his eye.

Brian Harman Top 20 +120

Harman continues to go under the radar, likely because he just plods along without any flash whatsoever. The 11th-ranked player in the world offers elite consistency, only missing two cuts in the last 12 months. Harman’s game is based on keeping it in play off the tee and allowing his wedge game and putting to do the talking. So it shouldn’t come as a surprise that he has finished eighth or better in this event in six of the last nine years. Look for him to finish top 20 this week and contend for another top-eight finish.