Wyndham Clark, wow. The two-time collegiate player of the year picked up his second win in six weeks and his first-ever major championship. Despite the moans and groans from social media, I enjoyed the US Open at Los Angeles Country Club. Sure, I didn’t love seeing two rounds of 62 in the opening round, but the course progressively played more difficult as the tournament progressed, and the leaderboard provided a little drama at the end.
This week, we focus on the Travelers Championship at TPC River Highland in Cromwell, Connecticut. After playing at a course featuring multiple par 3s over 280 yards, the golfers get a little relief at a course playing just 6,852 yards. With the course playing short, the playing field is leveled between the bombers and shorter hitters. Golfers who have success here generally play well, tee to green. Driving distance is not an emphasis, but driving accuracy is your friend. This is a great week to chase after a few long shots. The average winning odds since 2010 are +5900. Find long shots and try to attack them.
Key Metrics Correlated to Success:
- Strokes Gained: Off-the-Tee
- SG: Approach
- SG: Around the green
- SG: Putting
- Driving Accuracy
- Course History
Longshot Picks to win the 2023 Travelers Championship
Si Woo Kim +5000
With course history being such a significant factor in tournament success here, part of me wants to ignore how well Si Woo Kim has played this season and leave him off my betting card. However, at +5000, I will gladly overlook his back-to-back missed cuts and take a stab at him picking up his second win of the season. Kim has played well for weeks. He won the Sony Open and was in contention at the Byron Nelson and the Memorial Tournament. Kim has been dynamite off the tee and gaining many strokes on approach. With this course shorter than the last few, Kim should benefit more by having a few more short irons in his hands. In his win and the top five finishes, he’s gaining over +4 strokes on approach. I expect another excellent finish from Kim this week.
Sahith Theegala +9000
Since course history correlates to success, why wouldn’t I put a little money on Sahith Theegala, who finished T2 here last season? He doesn’t grade out high here because he doesn’t gain a ton of strokes off the tee and isn’t all that accurate. However, with the lack of length required and the rough that’s not overly penal, he can get away with a few wayward shots. On his route to finishing T2 here last season, he gained +2.8 strokes off the tee and another +4.7 on approach. In the events where he keeps his driver under control, he’s played well. Much like Hideki Matsuyama with his putter, if he breaks even with the driver for one week, he’s live to win.
