Phil Mickelson shot a 64 at age 50 in the first round of the Travelers Championship on Thursday. Mickelson is playing in his first competitive round on the PGA Tour since turning the big 5-0 on June 16. “I love what I do. I love my job. I love trying to play and compete,” he said after his round. Mickelson, winner of 44 Tour titles, is a two-time champion at the Travelers. Mickelson’s 64 tied his lowest round of the season.
Phil Mickelson shot a 64 at age 50 in the first round of the Travelers Championship on Thursday. Mickelson is playing in his first competitive round on the PGA Tour since turning the big 5-0 on June 16. “I love what I do. I love my job. I love trying to play and compete,” he said after his round. Mickelson, winner of 44 Tour titles, is a two-time champion at the Travelers. Mickelson’s 64 tied his lowest round of the season.
Analyzing the best fantasy golf picks for the 2020 Travelers Championship at TPC River Highlands.
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The 2020 Travelers Championship is set to tee off Thursday at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, Connecticut. The third event on the PGA Tour’s revamped 2020 schedule is the first to be played on its regularly scheduled dates and features another star-studded field. Below, we look at the top-30 fantasy golf power rankings for the 2020 Travelers Championship.
Thirteen of the top 15 players in the Golfweek/Sagarin world rankings will be in attendance, including reigning RBC Heritage champ Webb Simpson. Daniel Berger, who has risen all the way to No. 5 in the Golfweek rankings, withdrew from the event Sunday night.
TPC River Highlands is a par-70 measuring just 6,841 yards and featuring Bentgrass greens.
Here are my top-30 fantasy golf rankings for the 2020 Travelers Championship at TPC River Highlands.
30. Ryan Moore
Moore has never won here, but has gained an average of 1.75 strokes per round on the field across 44 career rounds at TPC River Highlands, according to Data Golf.
29. Matthew Fitzpatrick
A regular contender on the European Tour, Fitzpatrick is still looking for his first win on the PGA Tour after a T-14 result last week at a favorite course of his.
28. Corey Conners
Conners again lost strokes putting last week and still managed a T-21 finish. His ball-striking should shine through at this short venue.
27. Joel Dahmen
Dahmen has quietly climbed into 31st in the Golfweek rankings with a top-50 finish in each of the last three events. He was in contention last week until a Sunday 75 dropped him to T-48.
26. Ian Poulter
The veteran Poulter has taken up residency on the PGA Tour with the European Tour still on pause. He tied for 14th last week after grabbing a share of the first-round lead.
(Photo Credit: Brian Spurlock – USA TODAY Sports)
25. Jason Day
Still one of the best Bentgrass putters on Tour, Day has a good history here with a T-8 in 2019 and T-12 in 2018.
24. Scottie Scheffler
Potentially a sneaky play after last week’s Tuesday morning withdrawal. Scheffler scores well on par 4s from 400-450 yards and gains scoring opportunities on these shorter courses.
23. Patrick Reed
Missed the cut last week at a short, but tight course following a T-7 finish at Colonial Country Club. Reed is a much better putter on Bentgrass than last week’s Bermuda greens.
22. Jordan Spieth
The rollercoaster continues, but there’s denying Spieth is a strong choice in any fantasy format that rewards birdies more strongly than it punishes bogeys.
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21. Sergio Garcia
A T-5 finish last week was his best result since a T-4 at the 2019 Wells Fargo Championship. Led the field in Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green and ranked second in SG: Approach last week.
20. Sungjae Im
A rare missed cut was entirely the fault of losing 2.20 strokes per round putting on the Bermuda greens at Harbour Town Golf Links. He ranks 41st in this week’s field on Bentgrass greens, according to Fantasy National.
19. Joaquin Niemann
A first-time winner at A Military Tribute at The Greenbrier in the first event of the 2019-20 season, Niemann resurfaced with last week’s T-5 result in a considerably stronger field. He excelled from tee to green and on approach.
18. Jon Rahm
Still ranked second in the Golfweek rankings, Rahm is one of the few players from among the world’s elite without a top-20 finish in two events back from the midseason pause.
17. Xander Schauffele
Lost strokes in all key areas except for SG: Off the Tee last week after narrowly missing out on a playoff at the Charles Schwab Challenge. Missed the cut in 2018 after a T-14 in 2017.
(Photo Credit: Brian Spurlock – USA TODAY Sports)
16. Viktor Hovland
His first victory at the Puerto Rico Open in February was on a much longer course, but he’s an expert ball-striker who can create scoring opportunities.
15. Tony Finau
A disappointing restart to the season with a T-23 and T-33 finish. Missed the cut last year, but tied for 17th in 2017.
14. Dustin Johnson
Johnson gained an impressive 1.35 strokes off the tee and 0.79 strokes on approach last week. The T-17 finish was his best result since a T-10 at The Genesis Invitational.
13. Gary Woodland
Stumbled to a T-62 last week following a ninth-place finish at the Charles Schwab Challenge. Playing here for the first time since 2016.
12. Collin Morikawa
Last year’s T-36 finish in his debut last season now pales in comparison to what he has accomplished since. Still hasn’t missed a cut as a professional.
11. Patrick Cantlay
Back-to-back T-15 finishes here in the last two years. Returns to play for the first time after sitting out the last two events following the midseason suspension.
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10. Justin Rose
Another veteran with good history here, but no appearances since a 13th-place showing in 2013. Back-to-back top 15s out of the break.
9. Bubba Watson
A three-time champion here looks to tie Billy Casper’s 47-year-old record four titles. Has been quietly playing well and salvaged a T-52 finish with a Sunday 65 last week.
8. Bryson DeChambeau
All that added power may be for naught at such a short venue. Struggles on Bentgrass greens compared to Bermuda or Poa Annua, as well.
7. Rory McIlroy
Has excelled on shorter courses in his career, including a victory at 22-under par at last year’s RBC Canadian Open. Has gained 1.84 strokes per round in two appearances here.
6. Marc Leishman
A champion in 2012, Leishman has averaged 1.13 strokes gained per round on the field at TPC River Highlands. Leads this field in SG: Ball Striking and Par Efficiency: 400-450 Yards on courses shorter than 7,200 yards and featuring Bentgrass greens.
(Photo Credit: Brian Spurlock – USA TODAY Sports)
5. Webb Simpson
Now a two-time winner in 2020, Simpson rebounded nicely from a missed cut at the Charles Schwab Challenge to win last week. He’s been largely unimpressive here and last missed the cut in 2018.
4. Abraham Ancer
Came oh-so-close to his first career PGA Tour win last week in Hilton Head, S.C. Led the field with 2.96 SG: Approach and ranked second in SG: T2G.
3. Justin Thomas
Two top 10s since returning to play, but has struggled at this venue since tying for third in 2016.
2. Brooks Koepka
Flashed his old form in a seventh-place finish last week, while gaining 1.73 strokes per round off the tee. Also gained 0.94 strokes putting on the Bermuda greens, including some clutch long attempts on Sunday.
1. Paul Casey
The would-be course history darling if it weren’t for Watson. Casey has finished either T-5 or as a runner-up in four of his five appearances here. Leads the field in Opportunities Gained in what should be another shootout in the Tour’s return to play.
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Analyzing the golf betting odds to win the 2020 Travelers Championship, with PGA Tour betting odds, picks, predictions and best bets.
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The Travelers Championship begins Thursday at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, Conn., as the PGA Tour’s best move on from Webb Simpson’s victory at last week’s RBC Heritage. Below, we look at the BetMGM betting odds and make our best bets for the Travelers Championship.
Another loaded field is in attendance as Patrick Cantlay, who ranks sixth in the Golfweek/Sagarin world rankings, makes his first appearance out of the midseason break. Defending champ Chez Reavie and three-time winner Bubba Watson are also in attendance. Charles Schwab Challenge champ Daniel Berger withdrew from the field Sunday night following his T-3 finish at the RBC Heritage.
TPC River Highlands measures just 6,841 yards and plays to a par of 70 with Bentgrass greens.
Casey will tee it up for the first time since The Players Championship was canceled. He has three top-5 finishes here in the last three years and another runner-up result in 2015. No one with at least five rounds played at TPC River Highlands averages more than Casey’s 2.46 strokes gained per round on the field, according to Data Golf.
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Marc Leishman (+4500)
Leishman took last week off following a missed cut at the Charles Schwab Challenge. The Farmers Insurance Open champ was the runner-up at the Arnold Palmer Invitational ahead of the break. He ranks first in this field in Strokes Gained: Ball Striking and Par 4 Efficiency: 400-450 Yards on courses shorter than 7,200 yards and featuring Bentgrass greens, according to Fantasy National.
Poulter has scored in the 60s in six of his last eight rounds, including all four at Harbour Town Golf Links last week. His minus-16 resulted in just a T-14 finish last week in what turned out to be a shootout at the RBC Heritage. He hasn’t played here since a 43rd-place finish in 2013, but he’s a value at these odds due to his current form.
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Jason Kokrak (+9000)
Kokrak disappointed a lot of bettors last week with a missed cut following a T-3 finish in the Tour’s return to play. He has struggled in 19 career rounds here, including missed cuts in each of the last two years, but he’s regained value at this price and excels in proximity to the pin from this week’s key approach distance of 150-175 yards.
2020 Travelers Championship Betting Picks – Long shots
(Photo Credit: Brian Spurlock – USA TODAY Sports)
Dylan Frittelli (+15000)
Frittelli grabbed attention Sunday while taking the early lead with a closing 62 before the leaders teed off. He has broken 70 just three times in his last 12 rounds, but the odds don’t reflect his most recent performance.
Doc Redman (+22500)
Redman ranks in the top 10 of the field in all three of SG: Ball Striking, Good Drives Gained and Proximity from 150-175 Yards on short courses with Bentgrass greens. The 22-year-old makes his debut at TPC River Highlands off of a T-21 finish last week.
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TPC River Highlands yielded the PGA Tour’s only 58. With this year’s Travelers Championship field loaded, look for birdies to fly.
CROMWELL, Conn. — Every year during the Travelers Championship, player after player showers the event with praise. Following U.S. Opens at venues like Pinehurst No. 2, Pebble Beach and Shinnecock Hills, where birdies can be as rare an occurrence as shorts worn inside the USGA headquarters, TPC River Highlands feels like sweet relief.
From the tips, TPC River Highlands is short by tour standards, playing to just 6,841 yards with a par of 70. While some holes are tight, and the rough can be thick in areas, it can be had and the pros know it.
“It’s a fun place to play because if you get hot, you can shoot 9-, 10-under no problem,” said Brooks Koepka before the start of last year’s Travelers. “If you’re just a little bit off, you seem to shoot even par at this place, which can be quite frustrating. But, that’s the sign of a really good golf course.”
There has been at least one 62 shot in eight of the last 10 Travelers Championships. Four years ago, after finishing 1-under-par (279) and tied for second at the 2016 U.S. Open at Oakmont, Jim Furyk shot the PGA Tour’s first 58. That day, the 2003 U.S. Open champion hit all 18 greens in regulation, made an eagle and 10 birdies and needed just 24 putts.
The chart below shows the winning score of each of the last 10 Travelers Championship winners.
That brings us to the 2020 edition. The field at this year’s event is the strongest in the Travelers Championship history, with seven of the top 10 players in the Official World Golf Ranking in the field — Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm, Brooks Koepka, Dustin Johnson, Justin Thomas, Patrick Reed and Xander Schuaffele. That group is being joined by three-time champion Bubba Watson, Jordan Spieth (the 2017 champion) and Bryson DeChambeau.
Those guys know how to make a lot of birdies, and with the humidity and temperatures forecasted to be high all week, the players will likely get more distance off the tee, allowing them to attack more hole locations.
So, a week after Webb Simpson won at 22 under at Harbour Town Golf Links, a tight, short course, look for the birdies to keep flying in New England.
While Tiger Woods won’t be playing, another loaded field will be heading north to the Travelers, including the top 7 players in the world.
Tiger Woods won’t be traveling to the Travelers Championship.
The reigning Masters champion and 15-time major winner will extend his break from the PGA Tour for at least another week after not committing by Friday’s 5 p.m. ET deadline for next week’s Travelers at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, Connecticut.
Woods has never played in the tournament. He did not issue a statement.
We last saw Woods in The Match: Champions for Charity on May 24, where he and Peyton Manning defeated Phil Mickelson and Tom Brady. Woods, seeking a record 83rd PGA Tour title, last played on the PGA Tour on Feb. 16, when he shot a final-round 77 to finish in last place at the Genesis Invitational at Riviera Country Club north of Los Angeles.
In his only other Tour start this year, he tied for ninth in the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines in San Diego.
The next tournament where Woods could make his first Tour start would be the July 2-5 Rocket Mortgage Classic in Detroit. That will be the fourth tournament since the PGA Tour resumed action last week with the Charles Schwab Championship. Woods also bypassed this week’s RBC Heritage.
Still a loaded field
While Woods won’t be playing, another loaded field will be heading north to the Travelers. The top seven players in the world are in the field – world No. 1 Rory McIlroy, No. 2 Jon Rahm, No. 3 Justin Thomas, No. 4 Brooks Koepka, No. 5 Dustin Johnson, No. 6 Patrick Reed and No. 7 Patrick Cantlay.
In addition to those men, No. 9 Webb Simpson and No. 10 Xander Schauffele are also playing. The only top-10 player not in the field is Adam Scott.
Defending champion Chez Reavie, a winner by four shots in 2019; two-time winner Bubba Watson; 2017 winner Jordan Spieth and 2012 champ Marc Leishman will be at TPC River Highlands. Adding to the star power will be newly minted 50-year-old Phil Mickelson, Bryson DeChambeau, Tony Finau, Justin Rose, Paul Casey, Gary Woodland and Jason Day.
Travelers Championship tournament director Nathan Grube talks about whether the June dates are realistic.
While the COVID-19 pandemic forced the cancelation of the Players Championship, and several other PGA Tour events in March and April, the 2020 Travelers Championship, slated for the end of June, is still on. In fact, in the minds of tournament director Nathan Grube and his staff, it has already been played several times.
“Once we felt that shockwave of events actually (getting) canceled and that many events, of course, all of a sudden (we) went, ‘Holy cow, what if we get canceled,’” Grube said in an exclusive interview with Golfweek.
After working on different scenarios, seeing where the event stood with its vendors and contractors, as well as its charity partners, options were played out. What needed to happen in order for TPC River Highlands to host a PGA Tour event?
“We worked back from canceled, to limited build to no build,” Grube explained. “From just fans on the property to limited fans to this made-for-TV situation. We joke that we’ve got about five versions of the Travelers Championship that if anybody wants that, we can pull it out of a drawer.”
With no fans in attendance at this year’s Travelers Championship, TPC River Highlands will look very different. No one will be lining the ropes along the fairway. In fact, there won’t be ropes. Or grandstands. Or concession stands. There may be some television towers, but the course will be more open than ever.
Connecticut governor, Ned Lemont, was the honorary chairman of the 2019 Travelers Championship and Grube has a solid relationship with him. They’ve talked several times since the pandemic started, and everyone agrees on the priorities.
Right now in Connecticut, and many other places in the United States, testing is still a challenge that has to be improved.
PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahon told Mike Tirico in an interview last week, “We need to have widespread, large-scale testing across our country. We are going to need to test players, caddies and other constituents before we return.”
While that is not possible today, in two months it might be. That’s what Grube and other tournament directors are banking on.
“If it’s not safe, we’re not going to do this,” Grube said. “We are being, I would say, very aspirational that all of this is going to be possible to do in mid- to late June. We couldn’t host an event right now.”
Connecticut does not have an NFL football team, an NBA basketball team or a Major League baseball team. There are minor league baseball and hockey teams, the WBNA’s Connecticut Sun and UConn sports, but the Travelers Championship is easily the biggest annual sporting event in the state. On competition days, TPC River Highlands is filled with over 40,000 people. The vast majority are fans, but even with no spectators at this season’s tournament, aggressive testing needs to happen in order to maintain safety for the players, caddies, tournament officials, television workers, media personnel and a handful of volunteers.
“We’re going to work closely with the tour on (testing),” Grube said. “We are a PGA Tour event and we are going to 100 percent take the lead from the tour on what to do with that, how to do that. And then we’ll take the lead from the state with the rest of the people on the property.”
As of Tuesday afternoon, The New York Times reported nearly 20,000 confirmed cases of the COVID-19 virus in Connecticut. More than 1,300 have died since the outbreak started. Any large gathering is potentially risky, but if testing improves and tournament organizers can work out the logistics, there is a chance professional golf could return this summer to the Nutmeg State.
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