Find Me a 100 Winner: Four long shots to back on both tours from 119/1 to 159/1

A great week to back outsiders

Historically, outsiders, PGA Tour maidens, and old-timers all had a good record at TPC River Highlands, the venue for this week's PGA Tour event, the Travelers Championship, but when last year's winner, Keegan Bradley, won here for the first time at 110.0109/1 three years ago, he was the first triple-figure priced winner in nine years.

The 1000.0999/1 chance, Kramer Hickock, came very close to winning five years ago and he was matched at as low as 1.11/10 in the playoff, and two huge long-shots won in consecutive years 12 and 13 years ago.

Kevin Streelman was a 220.0219/1 shot before the off 12 years ago, a year after the 45-year-old PGA Tour rookie, Ken Duke, claimed the spoils having been matched at 680.0679/1.

More recently, and in addition to Bradley in 2023], we've seen a couple of 50/151.00 shots win, a 60.059/1 chance, and an 80.079/1 winner so a triple-figure priced winner this week is plausible and I've backed two, although the stats suggest we may have more chance at the Italian Open on the DP World Tour...

Outsiders have fared well in the event for a long time and in more recently, four of the last eight winners have gone off at a triple-figure price, with Ross McGowan providing the biggest shock, winning the 2020 edition at 1000.0999/1.

I'll start with the two picks in Europe, beginning with regular play, Jorge Campillo, who keeps hinting at winning again.

Italian Open bet #1 - Jorge Campillo @ 120.0119/1

Jorge Campillo can't be described as a consistent type of player.

It's far from unusual to see him contend one week and miss the cut the next and vice versa so his missed cut last time out in the KLM Open following his second-place finish in the Soudal Open, when he was a column selection at 110.0109/1 doesn't put me off.

He won the Qatar Masters back in 2020 a week after missing the cut in Oman and the fact that he turned 40 on June may also explain his lacklustre performance last time out.

With any lingering possible hangovers now gone, Campillo can get back to business and draw inspiration from his latest significant birthday in an event he's quite enjoyed over the years.

The Spaniard has finished inside the top 10 in three of his last nine appearances in the Italian Open and he also finished second sixth in Italy on the HotelPlanner Tour 15 years ago.

His second-place finish in Belgium last month was his second runners-up finish this year, as he also finished second in China in March, and the fact that he's played here previously, in both editions held here, in 2013 and 2014, may also be advantageous, although he finished only 23^rd and 54^th.

Place order to lay 8 Us @ 10.09/1 and 12 Us @ 2.01/1

Italian Open bet #2 - Ricardo Gouveia @ 160.0159/1

As highlighted in the Italian Open preview, experienced pros came to the fore at this week's venue, Circolo Golf Torino, on the only two previous occasions that the venue has been used, so along with 40-year-old Campillo, I'm also chancing the 34-year-old Portuguese, Ricardo Gouveia, who's still in search of his first victory on the DP World Tour.

The fact that Gouveia is yet to win on the DP World Tour is quite odd given he's won seven times on the HotelPlanner Tour, including twice in Italy, and I was happy to chance him given how close he's come to winning lately.

Gouveia finished only 38^th last time out in the KLM Open but that came just one week after he'd traded at odds-on to win the Austrian Open so it can certainly be excused.

Prior to that he had current form figures reading 7-13-24-2, and he's been getting the results due to a hot putter.

In his last six starts, he's ranked third, seventh, 72^nd, seventh and 26^th for Putting Average and it looks like a good week with the flatstick may prove important.

In the only two editions of the Italian Open at Circolo Golf Torino, the first and second have ranked fourth and second for PA.

Place order to lay 8 Us @ 10.09/1 and 12 Us @ 2.01/1

Travelers Championship bet #1 - Ryan Fox @ 140.0139/1

As highlighted in the preview, putting is very often the key to success in the Travelers Championship so I've picked out a couple of players that know how to roll their potato - Ryan Fox and Jacon Bridgeman.

Fox has caught the eye over the last few weeks, and that's perhaps not surprising given he won twice on the PGA Tour at around this time last year - at the Myrtle Beach Classic in May and the Canadian Open in June.

After a reasonable 35^th in the US PGA Championship, Fox finished a respectable 27^th in the Memorial Tournament, where he ranked ninth for Putting Average.

He then put up a stout defence in Canada, where he finished eighth, ranking fifth for PA and he caught the eye at Shinnecock on Sunday, posting a two-under-par 68 to climb up to tied 23^rd, despite bogeying two of the last four holes.

The 39-year-old Kiwi, who appears to be improving with age, has only played here once before, finishing 17^th on debut 12 months ago and I though he was fairly priced at 140.0139/1 given he'll know what to expect this time around.

Place order to lay 8 Us @ 10.09/1 and 12 Us @ 2.01/1

Travelers Championship bet #2 - Jacob Bridgeman @ 140.0139/1

Jacob Bridgeman was another to sign off last week's gruelling test at Shinnecock with a round in the 60s and he may just be ready to go in again, after winning the Genesis Invitational back in February.

The 26-year-old finished tied for 39^th last week but he putted nicely, as he had done the week before when finishing 11^th in Canada after a slow start.

That was his highest finish since he finished fifth in the Players Championship so his current form can't be described as brilliant, but his putting certainly can.

He's already topped the Putting Average rankings three times this season, in the Sony Open, the Genesis and the Players Championship and like Fox, I suspect he'll improve now that he's played the venue.

Bridgeman, who had plenty of potential at just 25, finished 59^th on his first look at the place last year.

I expect a much better finish this year and was happy to chance him too at 140.0139/1.

Place order to lay 8 Us @ 10.09/1 and 12 Us @ 2.01/1

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