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Ranking the Travelers Championship field: Thomas leads surprisingly stacked group

Streeter Lecka / Getty Images Sport / Getty

With the carnage at Shinnecock Hills a thing of the past, the PGA Tour heads to a familiar stop in the Hartford, Connecticut area for the Travelers Championship, a tournament that's been on the schedule since 1952.

A surprising number of top players will make the quick trip from last week's U.S. Open venue to tackle the Pete Dye-designed TPC River Highlands, a short 6,841-yard par-70 course. Despite lacking length, the course is full of nuances and elements that test a golfer's accuracy off the tee, as well as shot selection and strategy.

Here, we rank the field's top-10 golfers heading into the Travelers Championship (betting odds in parentheses).

10. Webb Simpson (20-1)

Webb Simpson turned in another great result, adding to his incredible season with a tie for 10th at the U.S. Open. The improving putter combines accuracy off the tee with a great approach game - a recipe for success on Pete Dye courses. Simpson ranks 7th in strokes gained on Dye's courses since 2014 (minimum 30 rounds played).

9. Marc Leishman (25-1)

Marc Leishman hasn't missed a cut at the Travelers Championship, winning in 2012 and finishing tied for ninth in 2016. The Aussie nearly won the AT&T Byron Nelson a month ago and has knocked on the door multiple times this year. It's only a matter of time before he breaks through.

8. Patrick Reed (16-1)

Patrick Reed's fourth-place result at Shinnecock Hills gives him an incredible three-straight top-five finishes in majors. Building off that momentum could lead to Reed's seventh career win at the Travelers. He finished in ties for fifth and 11th at the event over the last two years.

7. Patrick Cantlay (28-1)

Cantlay opened this week with 40-1 odds to win the Travelers. Those odds have improved to 28-1, suggesting that substantial money is being bet on him to break through. He is three weeks removed from an amazing showing at the Memorial, where Cantlay gained over 10 strokes on approach shots. Cantlay's performances at the RBC Heritage indicate he excels on Pete Dye courses.

6. Brooks Koepka (16-1)

The back-to-back U.S. Open champion has to be among the 10-best golfers teeing off in Hartford, but there are fatigue and focus concerns with Koepka. Shinnecock provided a grueling mental grind, and the 28-year-old is now $2 million richer. He could easily check out for the week, or come out and dominate the field.

5. Jason Day (16-1)

Like many others, Jason Day is coming off a disappointing showing at Shinnecock Hills. However, his trip to the Travelers should come with some comfort, as he leads the Tour in strokes gained on Pete Dye-designed courses since 2014 (minimum 30 rounds played).

4. Jordan Spieth (14-1)

Spieth won the Travelers last year in dramatic fashion, holing out from the bunker for a playoff victory over Daniel Berger. He missed the cut at the U.S. Open and will look to quickly turn the page, gearing up for the fast-approaching Open Championship.

3. Paul Casey (20-1)

One of the easiest weekly predictions is saying Paul Casey will be in the mix on Sunday. He lingers near the top 10 of seemingly every event, and Casey has two top-five finishes at the Travelers over the past three years. Historically, he also plays well on Dye-designed courses.

2. Bubba Watson (28-1)

Watson is a rare breed because seven of his 11 career wins have come on three courses. TPC River Highlands is one of them, as he won this event in 2015 and 2010 to go along with four other top-15 finishes since 2008. Watson is extremely picky when it comes to tournaments he likes, and he typically performs very well after finding one that suits his game.

1. Justin Thomas (12-1)

By kicking the habit of frequently missing cuts, Justin Thomas has become one of the most consistent golfers on the PGA Tour. Last week's tie for 25th at the U.S. Open was his worst result in 16 events, which shows Thomas' recent steadiness. He finished third at the Travelers in 2016 and is the favorite to pick up his third win this season.

Not ranked: Rory McIlroy

Despite being one of the best golfers in the world, McIlroy failed to crack the top 10 here due to his recent struggles and inconsistencies. His performance at the U.S. Open was very uninspiring.

(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)
(Betting odds courtesy: Bodog)

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