Following an action-packed US Open, the PGA Tour shifts from L.A. to Cromwell, Connecticut this week for the 2023 Travelers Championship at TPC River Highlands. Xander Schauffele is the reigning champion, as he shot a final round 62 last year to earn himself a victory with a winning score of 261 (-19). This week has another elevated field, as Xander attempts to defend his title against the top names on tour.
TPC River Highlands
TPC River Highlands is a par 70 and will be playing just north of 6,800 yards. This course has been known to produce some very low scores, so expect plenty of birdies from the field this week. We saw Jim Furyk post a 58 in his final round of 2016, the lowest 18-hole score in PGA Tour history. There has also been a handful of rounds of 63 or better in the past.
TPC River Highlands is one of the shortest courses on tour, so precision off of the tee is required. The course only has two par 5’s, one of them longer playing 574 yards. Almost all of the greens are slightly elevated, most of them surrounded by semi-deep bunkers.
The Front Nine – TPC River Highlands
Embed from Getty ImagesThe first four holes are Par 4’s, only one of them under 430 yards. All four have false fronts with slightly elevated greens. There are definitely some birdie opportunities here, specifically the 341-yard Par 4 second.
Hole 5 is a long par three with bunkers right and left of the green, playing right around 220 yards. This hole shouldn’t be much of an issue for the field after some of the monster par 3’s they saw at LA Country Club last week.
The par 5 sixth is the longest hole on the course. There will be opportunities for eagles this week, but a bad second shot could lead to a bogey or worse with trouble around the green.
The front nine wraps up with two par 4’s and another par 3. Holes 7 and 9 both require good tee shots with trouble on both sides. The par 3 8th will most likely be the toughest par 3 of the week. Being short will be no good here, as a massive false front leads right into a pond short of the green. It is also guarded by bunkers on both sides, expect to see guys playing to the middle of the green most of the week.
The Back Nine – TPC River Highlands
Embed from Getty ImagesThe back nine starts with a tight par 4 but follows up with perhaps the most gettable stretch on the golf course. Holes 11-14 contain the shortest par 3 on the course, as well as a reachable par 5 with water short left of the green.
Hole 15 starts the “Bermuda Triangle” with three holes surrounding a massive pond. Starting with the drivable 296-yard par 4, a massive risk-reward. With water left of the green, we have seen players hit stellar shots here in the past leading to eagle putts. However, we have also seen guys put themselves in a tough spot with a below-average tee shot. Expect most of the field to be taking 3-wood and driver right at the green.
The par 3 16th has water leading up to the front of the green. With a short iron here in hand here, anything long of the green will run down the slope and present a difficult chip up. Hitting the green here is very important.
17 wraps up the triangle. An intimidating hole down the stretch, it could potentially make or break somebody’s week. With water all up the right side, a good tee shot is needed to make 3 or 4.
The course wraps up with a gettable 18th hole. Carrying two fairway bunkers should lead to a wedge in for the field.
The Field
Take a look at the full field and betting odds. Last year, there were limited big names in the field despite plenty of guys finishing better than 10 under for the week. Some notables in the field last year included defending champ Xander Schauffele, Rory McIlroy, Patrick Cantlay, Tony Finau, Tommy Fleetwood, Jordan Spieth, and Rickie Fowler. This year is quite the opposite.
This week’s field is perhaps the strongest we have ever seen at the Travelers Championship. With it being another elevated field event, we will see almost all of the PGA Tour’s big names on the course this week. The field includes 9 of the top 10 of the Official World Golf Rankings, with the exception of Cam Smith.
Players to Watch
The betting favorite this week is none other than Scottie Scheffler. He played solid overall last week on his way to a top five finish.
TPC River Highlands will reward driving accuracy this week. Russell Henley, Tom Kim, and Collin Morikawa all rank in the top five on tour this year in driving accuracy percentage. Expect these guys to be in the hunt if they can continue to get off the tee well this week.
Some returning contenders from last year include Sahith Theegala, Nick Hardy, and Brian Harman. They all finished top 10 last year at TPC River Highlands, and should be right back in the mix again come Sunday. Tony Finau and Patrick Cantlay also finished T-13 last year at -10.
This field also has plenty of guys who contended last week, including Rickie Fowler, Harris English, Min Woo Lee, and US Open champion Wyndham Clark.
What to Expect
With such a strong field, there will be plenty of big names in the mix come Sunday. TPC River Highlands doesn’t necessarily reward the long hitters, meaning it is anybody’s game. With one of the shortest courses on tour, accuracy will be the focus for many guys this week. Players will take varying approaches, as some of the more gettable holes are surrounded by water, false fronts, and bunkers. Overall, we should see plenty of birdies and a low winning score with a loaded field at TPC River Highlands this week.
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