2022 Travelers Championship Picks, Odds and Predictions at TPC River Highlands

After a thrilling U.S. Open that gave Matt Fitzpatrick his first major championship and our own Iain MacMillan a clairvoyant +2500 cash, it's time to shift gears to the Travelers Championship at TPC River Highlands.

Harris English won last year's Travelers, and past winners also include Dustin Johnson, Chez Reavie, Bubba Watson, and Jordan Spieth.

I'm ready to dive into the key stats to look for and my favorite picks, but let's first check out the odds leaderboard from WynnBET Sportsbook:

Odds to Win the Travelers Championship

• Rory McIlroy (+1000)
• Scottie Scheffler (+1000)
• Justin Thomas (+1100) -- withdrew on Wednesday
• Patrick Cantlay (+1400)
• Sam Burns (+1600)
• Xander Schauffele (+1800)
• Jordan Spieth (+2200)
• Joaquin Niemann (+2800)
• Sungjae Im (+3000)
• Tony Finau (+3000)

Want even more golf betting coverage? Check out this week's episode of "Green on the Greens!"

How to Handicap the Travelers Championship

TPC River Highlands is one of my favorite courses on Tour because it seems any combination of skills can lead you to victory. It's a Pete Dye-design, 6,841-yard, Par-70 course with a bent and poa grass blend.

Driving accuracy is one of the strongest predictors of success here, but Bubba Watson has won three times and never been a particularly accurate driver of the ball.

I'll look for players that are accurate off-the-tee though, as well as strong approach players at shots from under 175 yards. TPC River Highlands is a relatively shorter course, but has many challenging pin locations and approach shots, giving an advantage to guys who can stuff it close to the pin.

Recent form is important, as most winners had shown promise in recent tournaments or were among the best players in the world. Seven golfers have multiple wins here, so familiarity with the course is key too.

Perhaps the biggest difference at TPC River Highlands than other courses is that there are only two Par-5 holes, so Par-4 scoring is crucial. Long bombers can't make up strokes by dropping a birdie at a Par-5, so whoever is the strongest on Par-4 holes will have an advantage.

Key Stats for the 2022 Travelers Championship

• Driving Accuracy Percentage
• Strokes Gained: Off-The-Tee
• Strokes Gained: Approach
• Strokes Gained: Total Pete Dye Designs
• Par 4 Birdie or Better Percentage
• Scrambling Percentage

Picks to Win the 2022 Travelers Championship

Rory McIlroy (+1000)

Rory's current form is impossible to ignore. He's third on Tour in Strokes Gained: Off-The-Tee, 20th in Strokes Gained: Approach, 16th in Strokes Gained: Around-The-Green, and leads all players in Strokes Gained: Total & Strokes Gained: Tee-To-Green.

He's 14th in Par 4 Scoring Average and seems to have no holes in his game. With Rory chasing the No. 1 ranking in the world, making a statement at the Travelers would be a great way to keep his hot streak going.

Xander Schauffele (+1800)

Schauffele finished T14 at the U.S. Open and now has five straight top-20 finishes. I think we're getting a discount on a player that fits TPC River Highlands well and I'm thrilled to back the Olympic Gold Medalist.

Xander is ranked ninth on Tour in Par 4 Scoring Average, 7th in Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green and ninth in Strokes Gained: Total. He excels at approach shots from 125-200 yards and his strong game around-the-green will help if he makes any mistakes. Among the top players, he's one of the most accurate drivers and should be in position to pull out a win come Sunday.

Sungjae Im (+3000)

Sungjae missed the cut at the U.S. Open but has been on fire, posting a top-15 in four of his five tournaments before that. Another win is coming for him soon and I think the Travelers could be the spot.

He's 29th in Driving Accuracy, fifth in Strokes Gained: Around-The-Green, ninth in Strokes Gained: Tee-To-Green, and second in Par Four Scoring Average. Thus, he perfectly fits the type of player I want to back.

Im is strong with his approach and ranks eighth in GIR percentage, so he'll consistently give himself birdie looks with his accuracy. At +3000, Sungjae represents a great value to get back on track. I always like to revisit trendy picks after a disappointing major performance, like Sungjae at the U.S. Open, and I think he'll be in contention. With these odds, that's all I can ask for out of a player whose profile aligns with what we're looking for in a winner.

Follow all of Joe Summers' betting picks here.