Dan Roebuck’s Travelers Championship preview: Oppose Rose for Fowler
Published:Justin Rose, England’s first Major winner since Nick Faldo in 1996, heads the betting at 12/1 for this week’s Travelers Championship but after such an emotional win at the tough Merion Golf Club on Sunday, surely he cannot be expect to follow up his US Open success with victory at TPC River Highlands in Connecticut.
It’s not just the favourite who punters should swerve this week but also Hunter Mahan, who I thought buckled under pressure down the stretch on Sunday in Philadelphia. And while his course and current form stands up well, mentally I think last week took too much out of him.
Psychologically, the week in Pennsylvania will have done Rickie Fowler (20/1) the world of good. The golden boy of America golf had managed only a single top ten since January before finishing 10th at Merion. He slipped down the field on Sunday – as did many of the later starters – but his best of the day Saturday 67 would have restored plenty of confidence.
He said that everything ‘finally clicked’ for him in the third round of the US Open and with a fast finishing 13th on his Travelers Championship CV on his last appearance at River Highlands back in 2010, he can take plenty of positives ahead of a title tilt this week.
The market makers are taking no chances with John Rollins’ price of 25/1, but as his latest two appearances at River Highlands have rewarded each-way backers, not to mention current form figures of 4-6 heading into this week’s tournament, he cannot be left off the staking plan.
Lastly, Roberto Castro has the all round game to succeed at River Highlands. He grabbed the headlines when he fired a course record 63 at Sawgrass last month, and his ability to go low marks the Texan down as a player to follow on a course that rewards aggressive play at 100/1.
My three to follow – Fowler, Rollins and Castro.
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.
