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The Travelers Championship at TPC River Highlands has always been a course the players and fans enjoy, but in recent years the promoters have really upped the ante in getting better fields and they’ve done so by creating an atmosphere the players enjoy in the week after the U.S. Open. As will be pointed out further into this preview the challenge is traditionally a huge contrast to the major which goes before. The course yields plenty of birdies, but there might also be a sense that some players are therefore a little gung ho with their approach. Plenty of winners here have been steady types who let it happen and last year Rory McIlroy pointed out why that might be. “I think it's easy on a golf course like this to get ahead of yourself and see all the chances that are coming up instead of just playing one hole at a time and trying to execute your shot,” he said. “That’s the challenge. It's quite similar to an event on the European Tour every year in Hong Kong. It's a par-70, same sort of thing, quite short, you feel like you have a wedge in your hand every hole. “But if you don't hit it in the fairways and don't put yourself in position, it can be a little tricky. You need to be accurate here and not feel like you can be super aggressive, but just sort of rein that back a bit, knowing that there's plenty of opportunities and just to stay patient.”
Angles to consider 1/ Par 4 Performance This one has been pretty consistent in the last five years. Bubba Watson (in 2018 and 2015), Jordan Spieth (2017), Russell Knox (2016) and Kevin Streelman (2014) were the last five winners here and they had something else in common – they were all also ranked first for Par 4 Performance. (Ken Duke in 2013 and Freddie Jacobson in 2011 ranked second.) 2/ Putting Average Plenty of birdies are made on this track so it pays to have a hot putter. Bubba Watson ranked fifth and 17th in this category during his wins, Jordan Spieth third, Russell Knox eighth and Kevin Streelman first. 3/ U.S. Open hangover Since 2007, with the exception of 2016 when it came straight after the PGA Championship, this tournament has been held the week after the U.S. Open. In that time no player has finished top ten in the major and then won here. In all eight players competed in the U.S. Open ahead of their win here, three missed the cut, another two finished outside the top 30, three (Freddie Jacobson 2011, Stewart Cink 2008, Hunter Mahan 2007) finished T13th or T14th. Ryan Moore said in 2014, of enjoying River Highlands: “Golf just seems so much easier when you're not playing on a U.S. Open golf course. So I think to some extent it allows me to relax a little bit and kind of go play golf again. Where (in contrast) you're standing over every shot of the U.S. Open trying to not make double.”
Selections The above angles have been used to create a shortlist from which the following players are selected. Jason Day Ranking third in the field for both Par 4 Performance and Putting Average, and having had a relatively stress-free week at Pebble Beach (T21st, never nearer the lead, playing his best golf at the weekend), makes him the player at the top of the market with the best profile as determined above. Three top 30 finishes on the course with plenty of low rounds. C.T. Pan The winner of the Heritage (on a Pete Dye design like this week), he’ll be ecstatic to have escaped Pebble Beach after carding 80-73. His previous start, however, saw him finish tied third at Colonial. Moreover he was T25th on course debut in 2015 and eighth in 2017. He ranks third in the field for Par 4 Performance and a solid 39th in Putting Average. Andrew Putnam His best two finishes this calendar year have been second at Waialae and third at Colonial so River Highlands' doglegs should be no problem to him as he prepares for a course debut. His putter is hot (he ranked third in the Memorial and U.S. Open for SG: Putting), is 13th in the field for Putting Average, ninth for Par 4 Performance and was T43rd at Pebble last week.
Tips: 1-2; -5.00pts 1pt e.w. Jason Day at 20/1 (PaddyPower, Betfair SB 1/5 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8) 8th 1pt e.w. C.T. Pan at 100/1 (Betfred 1/5 1,2,3,4,5,6,7) 36th 1pt e.w. Andrew Putnam at 100/1 (PaddyPower, Betfair SB 1/5 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8) 57th
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