Despite the absence of River Highlands winner Phil Mickelson, who withdrew on Monday to protect his suspect left wrist, there's a better-than-usual field for the upgraded Travelers Championship which takes place from June 18th-24th, 2007.
This event used to be known as the Greater Hartford Open and then the Buick Championship. There’s a lot of speculation among the betting fraternity as to whether to have played all four rounds on last week’s Oakmont monster is going to be a good or bad thing. I guess we’ll know by Sunday evening but I’m pinning my colours to the respective masts of two European stars.
Stand forward Justin Rose and Padraig Harrington who have stayed on from the US Open to provide European interest.
Justin Rose of course played all four days in Pittsburgh finishing tenth and is clearly in form, he also finished 3rd at River Highlands in 2005. That’s good enough form for Point-Spreads.com, take the 12 to 1 golf betting odds on Justin Rose at Sportsbook.com.
Harrington missed the cut at Oakmont, as he did at the FedEx St Jude previous to that, but the River Highlands course that features up turned saucer greens that place a high onus on short game scrambling are right up Padraig Hamilton’s alley.
Vijay Singh heads the betting as the favorite and David Toms is in Connecticut, not one of his usual venues, hoping to continue the run of form which has seen him finish third and fifth the last two weeks.
It's all to do with the FedEx Cup rankings and a huge prize hike from $4.4m to $6m, making it that much harder for the rank-and-filers like Woody Austin, Brad Faxon and JJ Henry who have won the last three renewals.
Sportsbook.com has posted golf betting odds to win the Travelers Championship:
Vijay Singh 8-1
Justin Rose 12-1
David Toms 12-1
Stewart Cink 15-1
Zach Johnson 15-1
Padraig Harrington 20-1
Jerry Kelly 25-1
Stuart Appleby 30-1
Anthony Kim 30-1
Ryan Moore 30-1
Woody Austin 40-1
JJ Henry 40-1
Rod Pampling 40-1
Fredrik Jacobson 40-1
Arron Oberholser 50-1
Kenny Perry 50-1
Nick OHern 50-1
Heath Slocum 50-1
Troy Matteson 50-1
Tim Herron 50-1
Chris DiMarco 60-1
