Golf tips, free bets and latest odds for the Travelers Championship and Women’s PGA Championship

No Rory McIlroy as he licks his wounds after his US Open meltdown, and Scottie Scheffler on a run of FIVE successive rounds where he has failed to break par.

Surely this is the time for one of the PGA Tour’s ‘lesser lights’ to stand up and grab the $4million first prize on offer at this week’s Travelers Championship in Connecticut?

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As the reigning Open champion, Brian Harman could argue he does not deserve to be ranked in the second tier of PGA Tour golfers. But odds of 40-1 suggest the bookmakers do not regard him too highly.

That could be a mistake, especially at River Highlands, where Harman finished joint second behind Keegan Bradley – his sixth top ten finish at this course.

At a shade over 6,800 yards this is a course where everyone, not just the big-hitters, can feast on birdies. Jim Furyk, a man who could still make out every dimple on his ball after his longest drive, shot 58 here a few years ago.

So deadly putters in the Furk-mould, like Harman, have to command respect, especially at these odds.

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Golf tips

Bradley set a tournament record by finishing 23 under par last year, despite playing the final six holes in three over as he went on the defensive to protect his big lead. If he is in the same mood, his 50-1 quote would look massive. 

No-one has gone back-to-back at the Travelers for more than twenty years which is a downer. But a share of second with Scheffler at the Charles Schwab three starts ago means Bradley deserves respect.

Patrick Cantlay shared fourth with Scheffler last year, and even though he is Marmite to most golf fans, you cannot knock his third place at the US Open. He is another player who looks over-priced at 20-1.

Ludvig Aberg, available at 14-1 this week, had just turned professional when he played here last year- a statement that seems ridiculous when you consider all he has achieved since then.

Fast forward 12 months and he is fourth in the world rankings, finished runner-up at the Masters, and was a Ryder Cup hero after joining Viktor Hovland to hand Scheffler and Brooks Koepka a record-breaking 9&8 thrashing in Rome.

Aberg finished a respectable 24th here a year ago, and will be much better prepared this time.

He held the halfway lead at Pinehurst before slipping back into a share of 12th, but he came away looking a lot fresher than most of the US Open battlers.

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As a Signature event, the Travelers is another no-cut tournament limited to 71 players, leading to the usual problem of trying to find outsiders who could spring a surprise.

No-one in the three figure bracket holds much appeal, but 80-1 chance Akhshay Bhatia could do well here.

Bhatia enjoyed the slightly easier test at San Antonio in April, and made plenty of birdies on his way to victory at the Texas Open. A share of 16th at Pinehurst, in a much sterner test, was highly encouraging.

Bhatia beat Denny McCarthy in a play-off in San Antonio after both finished 20 under par – NINE clear of McIlroy in third. That showed their fondness for a birdie-fest.

McCarthy, another top-notch putter, was only two shots behind runner-up Harman here last year in a share of seventh. At 66-1, he also holds plenty of each way appeal.

And if you MUST have a nibble at a 100-1 shot, how about Thomas Detry? He was right in the hunt at Pinehurst until a third round 76 dropped him to T14 – but his runner-up finish at Houston and fourth place in the USPGA were fine efforts.

The second women’s Major, the PGA Championship, also takes place this week. Nelly Korda is a strong favourite at 11-1, but Lilia Vu is the player who catches the eye, at a best-priced 25-1.

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