The top five in the Official World Golf Rankings are missing from the Travelers Championship, which gets underway at TPC River Highlands, Cromwell, Connecticut on Thursday, but there was never any doubt that defending champion Bubba Watson would tee it up this week. Watson, 37, misses the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games in Rio to do so but, granted his impressive record in the Travelers, punters may…

The Qatar Sussex Stakes (3.10) at Goodwood on Wednesday features the first three home in the St. James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot, Galileo Gold, The Gurkha and Awtaad, who reoppose on identical terms. The Gurkha has since been turned over, at odds-on, in the Coral-Eclipse, over 1 mile 2 furlongs, at Sandown and, with the going at Goodwood likely to remain on the fast side of good,…

The 145th Open Championship gets underway at Royal Troon on Thursday and ante post favourite Dustin Johnson (10/1) can complete a memorable hat-trick. The big hitter from South Carolina landed his first major with victory at the U.S. Open at Oakmont, followed up with a come-from-behind win at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational at Firestone and arrives in South Ayrshire in irresistible form. Not only that, but he boasts an…

This week’s European Tour event is the Lyoness Open at Diamond Country Club, Atzenbrugg, Austria and, with home advantage, Bernd Wiesberger can continue his excellent run of results in the tournament. Wiesberger failed to recover from an opening round 79 when missing the cut in the Lyoness Open last year, but three top-five finishes in his previous four appearances, including a win in 2012, have seen the tall…

Aidan O’Brien saddles three runners in the Investec Oaks (4.30) at Epsom on Friday, but ante post favourite Minding (10/11) looks far and away his best chance of landing the second fillies’ Classic for the sixth time. The daughter of Galileo stayed on strongly to beat stable companion Ballydoyle by 3½ lengths in the Qipco 1,000 Guineas on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket in May and, although failing…