PGA Tour Picks: Travelers Championship

By Tom LaMarre

With three of the four majors out of the way and only the Open Championship at Royal Portrush in Ireland remaining next month, players on the PGA Tour are trying to secure or improve their positions in the FedEx Cup standings as the season rolls toward its climax.

That could be one reason the 68th Travelers Championship has lined up such a strong field this week at TPC River Highlands https://tpc.com/riverhighlands in Cromwell, Conn., one week after the 119th U.S. Open, as only eight weeks remain in the season before the playoffs begin.

Defending champion Bubba Watson, who also won the title in 2010 and 2015, will be joined by several top players even though it’s only few days since Gary Woodland won his first major title at Pebble Beach.

Watson will try to join the great Billy Casper as the only four-time winner of the tournament.

“The Travelers Championship is one of my favorite tournaments­—and favorite weeks—on the PGA Tour,” said Watson, a two-time Masters champion who has won 12 times on the circuit.

“It will always hold special meaning to me because it was the site of my first Tour victory, but the way the entire community embraces it, and how the tournament team goes above and beyond to ensure it’s a great experience, truly makes it special.”

Watson’s first victory at TPC River Highlands came when he beat Corey Pavin and Scott Verplank in a playoff in the 2010 Travelers. He also beat Paul Casey in a playoff in 2015, and last year he won by four strokes over Paul Casey, Stewart Cink, J.B. Holmes and Beau Hossler.

In addition, Bubba has made more fans on Connecticut by donating in excess of $300,000 to the tournament’s charities over the years.

Notables who will tee it up with Watson this week include Brooks Koepka, 2017 Travelers champion Jordan Spieth, Francesco Molinari of Italy, Patrick Cantlay, Bryson DeChambeau, Jason Day, Justin Thomas, 2012 Travelers winner Marc Leishman and Phil Mickelson, who won the tournament in 2001 and 2002.

Not only did Mickelson win in 2002, he helped save one of the more popular events on the PGA Tour, which was losing title sponsor Canon. Lefty made a plea in his press conference afterward and tournament officials believe it made the difference.

Local money was found to keep the tournament alive in 2003, Buick became the title sponsor in 2004 and Travelers signed on in 2007.

“Having a quote from Phil to be able to put out there was really big,” then tournament Dan Baker said. “We couldn’t have had a better defending champion for that period of time.”

Lefty helped preserve a tournament that started out as the Insurance City Open in 1952, and among its other champions have been Sam Snead, Arnold Palmer, Lee Trevino, Greg Norman, Nick Price, George Archer, Tommy Bolt, Gene Littler, Art Wall Jr., Charlie Sifford, Dave Stockton, Curtis Strange, Lanny Wadkins, Paul Azinger and Hubert Green.

Looking at this field, another big name could go on the trophy this week.

BEST BETS

1. Bubba Watson, United States – TPC River Highlands probably is Bubba’s favorite course on the PGA Tour since he claimed his third title there last year by four strokes. He has three other top-10 finishes in the Travelers and this event might revive his game because he hasn’t played all that well since a tie for 12th in the Masters two months ago.
2. Brooks Koepka, United States – Coming off a runner-up finish in the U.S. Open as he tried to win it for the third straight year, Koepka will make his fourth career start in the Travelers. His best result at TPC River Highlands was a tie for ninth in 2016 and he also tied for 19th last year. Koepka has two victories and three runner-up finishes this season.
3. Francesco Molinari, Italy – Trying to build on a tie for 16th in the U.S. Open ahead of his title defense in the Open Championship next month, Molinari plays in the Travelers for the third time, having tied for 25th in 2016 and tied for 47th the following year. He has won Arnold Palmer Invitational and tied for third in WGC-Dell Match Play this year.
4. Jason Day, Australia – Following a tie for 21st in the U.S. Open, his third top-25 result in the majors this year, Day will tee it up in the Travelers for the fifth time. He posted his best finish, a tie for 12th, last year and also tied for 18th in 2014. Day has 12 PGA Tour victories, but has not won since the Wells Fargo Championship last season.
5. Patrick Cantlay, United States – A tie for 21st in the U.S. Open coming off a victory in the Memorial gave Cantlay his 12th top-25 finish of the season on the PGA Tour, including six in his last seven starts. He will make his fifth career start at TPC River Highlands, and after missing the cut twice in a row, he recorded a tie for 15th last season.
6. Justin Thomas, United States – Still trying to overcome the effects of a right wrist injury that cost him playing time, Thomas missed the cut for on the second time this season in the U.S. Open. He will try to get back on track in a season that includes five top-10 finishes at the Travelers, in which he tied for third with a closing 62 in 2016.
7. Bryson DeChambeau, United States – Seems to be getting back on track after three straight missed cuts, tying for 22nd in the Memorial and playing well at times while tying for 35th in the U.S. Open. Has six top-25 finishes this season, including a victory on the Safeway Open, and last year tied for ninth in his third start at TPC River Highlands.
8. Marc Leishman, Australia – The Aussie claimed the first of his four PGA Tour victories in the 2012 Travelers by one-stroke over three-time tournament winner Bubba Watson and Charley Hoffman. His latest victory came this season in the CIMB Classic and he has six top-10 finishes, but had a disappointing tie for 35th in the U.S. Open.
9. Jordan Spieth, United States – The 2017 Travelers champion had his string of three straight top-10 finishes end when he shot 75 in the final round to finish tie for 65th after being on the fringe of contention in the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach. Spieth shot 63 in the first round at TPC River Highlands two years ago and led virtually from wire-to-wire.
10. Phil Mickelson, United States – Lefty claimed two of his 44 PGA Tour victories at TPC River Highlands in 2001 and 2002, the only back-to-back winner in tournament history. Won at early Pebble Beach this season, but hasn’t played really since a tie for 18th in the Masters, and last week had a disappointing tie for 52nd in the U.S. Open.

OTHER PLAYERS TO WATCH – Paul Casey, England; Louis Oosthuizen, South Africa; Charley Hoffman, United States; Tommy Fleetwood, England; Canada; Chez Reavie, United States.

SLEEPERS

1. Viktor Hovland, Norway – The 2018 U.S. Amateur champion makes his pro debut after being low amateur in U.S. Open (T-12) with a closing 67, and the Masters (T-32nd).
2. Collin Morikawa, United States – Former No. 1 amateur in the world posted T-14 in pro debut at RBC Canadian Open and a T-35 in major debut last week in the U.S. Open.
3. Sepp Straka, Austria – PGA Tour rookie, who won on Web.com Tour last year, makes his tournament debut after tying for 28th in his major debut at the U.S. Open.
4. Beau Hossler, United States – Hopes to revive game that took him to a tie for second in the Travelers last year after he lost in a playoff to Ian Poulter in the Houston Open.
5. Matthew Wolff, United States – The NCAA champion and Haskins Award winner, Hovland’s Oklahoma State teammate, makes pro debut after winning six times this year.

For first-round tee times visit https://www.pgatour.com/leaderboard.html