Sleeper Picks: Travelers Championship

Mark Hubbard (+150 = Top 40) … Guess who’s heating up again? Well, OK, he’s been dialed in for most of the last two months, which makes this an easy call, but he found form at the same time last year ahead of consecutive top-five finishes in the U.S.-based opposite events in July. Since Harbour Town in mid-April, he’s 7-for-8 with a pair of top 10s and another two top 20s. He can hold his own just fine off the tee, thank you, but he’ll never win a long-drive contest, which also is just fine at TPC River Highlands where the field plays back to him in the context of distance off the tee. He’s proven it, too, as the 34-year-old is perfect in five trips with a personal-best T13 in 2021. His scoring average in 20 rounds is 68.85.

Brandon Wu (+200 = Top 40) … He got some love in this space for the PGA Championship but his debut in the major resulted in a missed cut. That’s OK because he still deserved the endorsement, just as he did for the Butterfield Bermuda Championship (T35) and THE PLAYERS Championship (T19) for which he was a Sleeper as well. This week’s positive angles are nothing new, either. Superbly balanced throughout his bag, the PGA TOUR sophomore had last week off after a T9 at the RBC Canadian Open. It was his sixth top 25 on his own ball in 2023 alone and third in his last five starts.

Lee Hodges (+160 = Top 40) … If you were to analyze the guys around the bubble of the top 70 in the FedExCup, and then consider investing in at least one to finish inside the top 70 to qualify for the Playoffs, the 28-year-old slotted 73rd might generate a larger handle than you’d expect, but rightfully so. Half of his 14 paydays have gone for top 25s that he’s scattered throughout his second season on the PGA TOUR. In his last three starts, he’s gone T29-T12-T25, so this prop is a no-brainer as he’s gliding along. He also finished T25 in his debut at TPC River Highlands last year despite a closing, 2-over 72.

Ludvig Åberg (+150 = Top 40) … Not that he’s experiencing the fear of missing out, but the newest member of the PGA TOUR has to be at least a little jealous of the immediate successes of fellow recently turned professionals Adrien Dumont de Chassart and Ricky Castillo. The former prevailed in his pro debut on the Korn Ferry Tour two weeks ago, while the latter did the same in his last week, also on the KFT and in a playoff that included the former. Kids, these days… Objectively, Åberg was the best of the collegians in the last two years, so expectations arguably are highest for the Swede who starred at Texas Tech University. He launched his play-for-pay career at the RBC Canadian Open two weeks ago and finished T25 while leading the field in total driving and Strokes Gained: Off-the-Tee. That skill figures to play up on tracks longer than TPC River Highlands, but retreating into this prop already feels too conservative. Still, respect the learning curve, or at least the potential of the pressure it usually presents despite early receipts to the contrary among his contemporaries.

Carl Yuan (+333 = Top 40) … It’s why they get a full season to see what they can do. The 26-year-old with the funky follow-though and who generated considerable buzz on the Korn Ferry Tour last year has scuffled in adjusting to the next level. However, with just a few weeks remaining in his rookie season on the PGA TOUR, there are signs that he’s turning it around, pun intended or otherwise. Two weeks ago, he recorded a season-best T18 at Oakdale where he led the field in converting greens in regulation into par breakers and ranked T2 in par-5 scoring. After a week’s rest, he gained entry into the Travelers Championship via Monday’s open qualifier. The angle for this prop is that he retains the kind of momentum that he showcased throughout last year’s brilliance because it’s not unfamiliar to him.

Odds were sourced on Tuesday, June 20, 2023. For live odds, visit BetMGM.

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