2019 Travelers Championship Odds: Defending Champ Watson Seeks Fourth Title

• Defending champion Bubba Watson will seek his fouth title at the PGA Travelers Championship
• Watson opens at odds of +2800
• He also opened at odds of +2800 when he won last year’s tournament

One thing we’ve learned over the years about the PGA Travelers Championship is that US Open contenders don’t travel well.

In 2007, the tournament was situated immediately after the US Open on the PGA Tour schedule. Since that time, no winner of the PGA Travelers Championship has finished higher than 14th the previous week at the US Open.

This history suggests that Brooks Koepka, the +750 favorite, would not be a wise wager. He finished second to Gary Woodland in the US Open at Pebble Beach.

2019 PGA Travelers Championship Odds

*Odds taken on 06/17/19. 

Bubba Watson, defending champ in this event, is the ninth betting choice at +2800. Watson missed the cut at the US Open. He also failed to make the US Open cut when he won last year’s Travelers Championship, and when he won the tournament in 2015.

Weary Travelers

There’s a surprisingly deep field headed to the Travelers Championship this year. Generally, many of the world’s top players give this event a pass following the grueling stress test that is the US Open.

Superstars, major winners, young phenoms and fan-favorites. The #TravelersChamp field is loaded. See these guys here next week. https://t.co/FnznFje1qC pic.twitter.com/i7fHn9GfmU

— TravelersChamp (@TravelersChamp) June 14, 2019

Brooks Koekpa, no. 1 in the World Golf Rankings, is among five of the top 10 players on the planet who will take on the TPC Rivers Highland layout.

He’ll be joined by Francesco Molinari (sixth), Justin Thomas (seventh), Patrick Cantlay (eighth) and Bryson DeChambeau (10th).

Go for the Long Ones

The TPC Rivers Highland layout is a course that rewards the long hitters on the Tour. Watson, currently fourth on the PGA Tour in driving distance (312.2 yards) has certainly taken advantage of that factor in the past.

Others to watch in this category include Tony Finau (fifth, 311.6) and Ollie Schniederjans (10th, 309.4) Like Watson, both of them missed the cut at Pebble Beach, so they also fit into our US Open betting trend.

Let’s not forget Patrick Cantlay (15th) and late entrant Jason Day, who tied for 21st in the US Open.

You’ll also want to strongly consider wagering on a US player. Americans have won five of the last six Travelers Championships

Last Five PGA Travelers Champions

2019 PGA Travelers Championship Best Value Picks

1. Patrick Cantlay (+1200) Long-ball hitter who finished tied for 21st in the US Open. Was 15th in this event last year.
2. Bubba Watson (+2800) Can’t count out a three-time champion who always seems to play well here. But there hasn’t been a back-to-back winner since 2001-02.
3. Tony Finau (+2800) Another long hitter who’s missed the cut at his last two tournaments. Has seven top-five finishes in the last year but no wins. He could be due.
4. Phil Mickelson (+4000) Since his Pebble Beach Pro-Am win he’s cracked the top 20 once in 10 tournaments. But Phil still hits it a long way and he’s won the Travelers Championship twice.