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84/185.00 English backed to perform well again
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40/141.00 Kim for the win in Connecticut
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36/137.00 a fine prize for 'winning machine' Pablo
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80/181.00 Rai bet as Dave targets another FRL winner
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Course info, form stats and players to back at 100/1+
Travelers Championship: Putting the key to success in Connecticut
Steve Rawlings: "The world number one, Scottie Scheffler, hasn't finished any worse than 12th all year and he arrives at River Highlands with current form figures reading 5-2-3-3-3 but this could be the week that he finally runs out of steam.
"He has improving course form figures reading MC-47-13 but given how poorly he's putting and how well you usually need to putt to contend here, it's hard to see him winning unless something changes dramatically...
"English sat fifth and four off the lead with a round to go at last week's US Open, but he was out of the reckoning after a double-bogey six at the second hole.
"He dropped another shot at the fifth so did ok after that to post a two-over par 72 to finish tied eighth and given how much of an advantage the bigger hitters enjoyed with the wide fairways at Los Angeles Country Club, that was a very respectable finish for the 33-year-old."
Travelers Championship Each-Way Tips: Kim for the win
Dave Tindall: "Tom Kim isn't a power hitter so a shortish test like this where wedges and short irons come into play a lot should suit. Looking at last year, far more shots than average were hit from the 125-150 yards and 150-175 range.
"That's good news for Kim who ranks 2nd in approaches from 125-50 yards and 15th from 150-175.
"Let's just remind ourselves that by capturing the Shriners Children's Open in Las Vegas back in October, Kim became the first player to win twice on the PGA Tour before the age of 21 since Tiger Woods in 1996.
"Kim's two wins have been achieved with 20-under (Wyndham Championship) and 24-under (Shriners) so this birdie-fest should be right in his wheelhouse."
Travelers Championship: Deadly putter Denny can get off the mark
Steve Rawlings: "I really don't think it was a coincidence that 30-year-old, Denny McCarthy, was matched at a low of just 1.18 at the Memorial Tournament, one week after last week's hero, the 29-year-old, Wyndham Clark, had won his first PGA Tour title at the Wells Fargo Championship.
"Both men have similar profiles, both were expected to get off the mark on the PGA Tour years ago, and I suspect Clark's victory inspired McCarthy.
"He did nothing wrong at the Memorial and there was a lot to like about last week's 20th behind Clark at the Los Angeles Country Club where he didn't putt as well as he usually does.
"He's yet to shine at TPC River Highlands but there's no reason for that given the shorter track should suit him and I was happy to get him onside at 110.0."
Place order to lay 10u @ 10.0 & 10u @ 2.0
Travelers Championship First-Round Leader Tips: Rai to fly
Dave Tindall: "Back in April, Aaron Rai sat out the US Masters before returning to action at the following week's RBC Heritage and taking the first-round lead with a 63 at Pete Dye's Harbour Town.
"Fast forward to this Thursday and Rai finds himself in the exact same position: teeing off on a Dye course having sat out the previous week's major. Let's hope the outcome is identical!
"Rai will be chomping at the bit having finished third at the Canadian Open the week before the US Open at Los Angeles Country Club. In that event, he again franked his reputation as a first-round specialist by opening with a 67 to share the Thursday lead.
"That's three 18-hole leads he's had in his last 15 starts and there are two more top fives in that run."
Travelers Championship: Course and current form stats
Course Notes: " TPC River Highlands is a gently undulating parkland course which was given a facelift eight years ago. Water comes into play on just five holes, most of these towards the end of the round;
"At under 6,900 yards, it is one of the shorter venues on the PGA Tour calendar. A hot putter is absolutely necessary at TPC River Highlands where the greens are slightly smaller than the Tour average."
Andy Swales' Players to Watch: "Austin Eckroat is at a career-high No 85 in the World Ranking, having impressed on the PGA Tour in recent months. Although disappointed not to win the Byron Nelson event last month, he has performed solidly since. Tied-10th at last week's US Open."
BMW International Open: Course form counts at Eichenried
Steve Rawlings: "Li Haotong won wire-to wire last year (although it was far from straightforward) and Hovland was never far away in 2021. He sat tied for 18th and four off the lead after round one but he was up to second at halfway and clear with a round to go.
"In 2019, Pavan led after round one, before falling off the pace and rallying on Sunday and Ernie Els won wire-to-wire in 2013 but a fast start isn't imperative.
"Back in 2006, Henrik Stenson beat Padraig Harrington and Retief Goosen in a playoff after the three had started the event with rounds of only 71, 70 and 73 respectively and except for Li, Ernie and Pavan, the closest to the front any winner has been after round one in the last 12 events here, is tied 6th (Niclas Fasth in 2007 and Romero five years ago).
"Last year's losing playoff protagonist, Pieters, started slowly (tied 29th - trailing by seven) and Matt Fitzpatrick was beaten in the playoff in 2019, having sat tied for 85th after round one, so a slow start can definitely be overcome...
"I was happy enough to take 36.0 about the two-time tournament winner, Pablo Larrazabal, despite his missed cut last week at the US Open.
"In search of his fifth DP World Tour victory in 16 months and his third win in five starts, the 40-year-old Spaniard has turned himself into a winning machine."
BMW International Open Each-Way Tips: 28/1 Larrazabal under-estimated
Matt Cooper: "Regular readers will be well aware that I like back Thriston Lawrence when the air is thin. True, Munich is not Crans, Nairobi or Johannesburg, but it is 520 metres above sea level, and players and caddies do take note of slightly extra distances for every club.
"Thriston Lawrence broke through on the DP World Tour with a win in Johannesburg, he finished second in Nairobi, added another pair of top 10s back on the Joburg high veldt, was eighth in the Czech Republic (another sneaky high spot), won in Crans and then won again on the high veldt at the start of this season.
"His form has dipped since then but he only missed the cut by one shot last week in the US Open and he was T36th on debut at Eichenried last year. The form isn't great but the match up of potential and big price is persuasive."
BMW International Open: Course and form stats
Course Notes: "Following the 2017 edition, the course underwent some major modifications, that included lengthening it by around 50 yards;
"The biggest changes were reserved for the greens. All 18 were renovated, with many of the putting surfaces re-contoured which made them a lot more undulating than before;
"New trees are planted each year and, to provide a better viewing experience for spectators, numerous mounds were built on what is a largely flat venue;
"Many of these mounds are close to greens, while others run alongside generously spacious fairways."
Andy Swales' Players to Watch: "Jorge Campillo 28/1 stood on the Munchen Eichenried podium two years ago and has enjoyed a solid DP World Tour campaign during 2023, that includes a victory in March."