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By Tim van Straten
Sports Betting Writer
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The PGA Tour heads to Cromwell, CT, for the 2024 Travelers Championship. This week's tournament at TPC River Highlands is the eighth and final signature event, meaning there's a limited field, more FedEx Cup Points and a drastic increase in prize money. Superstars like Scottie Scheffler, Xander Schauffele, Ludvig Aberg and Tony Finau headline a 71-man field competing for their share of the $20 million purse.
Unlike last weekend's U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2, golfers will need to go low to win the Travelers. The average winning score since 2010 is 16-under par, which includes Keegan Bradley's course record of 23-under par in 2023. Keep that in mind as we dive into the latest betting odds and five of our favorite picks for the Travelers Championship.
2024 Travelers Championship Odds
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Despite an uneven performance and a disappointing T41 finish at Pinehurst, Scottie Scheffler is the runaway favorite at TPC River Highlands. The world's top-ranked golfer has won three signature events this season — the Arnold Palmer Invitational in March, the RBC Heritage in April and the Memorial Tournament just two weeks ago.
Xander Schauffele is the clear-cut favorite after Scheffler. The 30-year-old won the PGA Championship last month and finished 19-under par to win the 2022 Travelers Championship. Schauffele sits just ahead of Ludvig Aberg, Patrick Cantlay, Viktor Hovland and several other elite golfers.
Travelers Championship Betting Picks
TPC River Highlands is a short par-70 course that demands accuracy off the tee. Players who avoid the penal rough, hit excellent approach shots and capitalize on as many birdie chances as possible will have success this week. Bettors should prioritize driving accuracy, total strokes gained and Par 4 scoring when picking golfers to win the Travelers Championship.
Here are five golfers I'm taking a flier on at TPC River Highlands:
Ludvig Aberg (+1400)
The 24-year-old Aberg was in contention at Pinehurst last weekend before back-to-back 73s dropped him to T12. However, the talented Swede has a great shot to win his second professional tournament.
Aberg has high rankings in all of the most important stats. The second-year pro is fifth on the PGA Tour in total strokes gained per round, 11th in strokes gained on approach shots and 16th in driving accuracy. He's also eighth in Par 4 birdie percentage, a critical stat given that TPC River Highlands only has two Par 5s.
Aberg finished 13-under in last year's Travelers Championship, good for a T24 finish. Look for the talented youngster to put up a better display this week.
Tony Finau (+3300)
A Sunday 67 gave Finau a T3 finish at the U.S. Open. It was his second straight top-10 result, a testament to the quality of the golf the 34-year-old has played in recent weeks.
Finau heads to Connecticut sitting 11th in total strokes gained. While his putting is inconsistent, he ranks third on the Tour in strokes gained on approach shots. He's also in the top 10 in average birdies per round, as fans have watched him put up low scores at top-tier events throughout the years.
Finau is like Scheffler-lite in terms of having an elite iron game to counteract a shaky putter. It wouldn't surprise anyone to see Finau get his first win of the 2024 season.
Russell Henley (+3300)
Henley delivered a T7 performance at the U.S. Open, his fourth top-10 finish in nine tournaments. But momentum isn't the only thing the 35-year-old has on his side heading into the Travelers Championship.
The stats prove that Henley is among the sport's elite players. The Georgia native is eighth in total strokes gained, fifth in driving accuracy, 20th in Par 4 scoring and 21st in putting. Henley particularly excels on short Par 4s, which works for a course where nine of the 12 Par 4s are 445 yards or shorter.
Oddsmakers originally underrated Henley but have since wisened up. However, there's still enough value to make him an intriguing play this week.
Tom Kim (+4500)
On the surface, Kim has had a disappointing season. But there are reasons to be encouraged by the 21-year-old phenom heading into his second appearance at TPC River Highlands.
Although Kim ranks 78th in SG: Approach, he's eighth in approach shots from 125-150 yards out. He's also 17th in driving accuracy and a solid performer on Par 4s. This is one of those courses perfectly tailored to Kim's playing ability, even if he's only had one top-10 finish this season.
Kim is a bit inconsistent, but he has the iron play and overall talent to rack up his fourth career win on Sunday.
Keegan Bradley (+5500)
Given his pedestrian 2024 campaign, it's easy to overlook Bradley. But who better to take a flier on than the person who put up the best four-day score in the 40-year history of this tournament?
The 38-year-old Bradley finished at 23-under par at the 2023 Travelers Championship to win by three strokes. It was his third top-10 finish at TPC Riverlands since 2017, which also includes a T2 result in 2019. Bradley has found success due to his approach game, which currently ranks fifth from 150-175 yards out, and his consistency off the tee.
Seven golfers have won the Travelers Championship more than once, with Phil Mickelson serving as the lone back-to-back champ. Maybe Bradley can join them if he channels last year's magic.
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