Power Rankings: Travelers Championship

18 Jun 2024 15:11

GolfInsider.Asia

Power Rankings: Travelers Championship
Power Rankings: Travelers Championship

After a pair of challenging tests and to cap off the series of Signature Events, it’s perfect timing for the Travelers Championship.

A field of 71 is promised a scorable track in TPC River Highlands, four rounds on it and beefier FedExCup points. What it faces and what it embraces are below.

 

Power Rankings

 
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15

Backdoored a T19 at the U.S. Open with a 1-under 69 in the finale. The week overall was a continuation of form that reignited on the Florida Swing and contributed to victory in New Orleans. Also placed T6 at the PGA Championship.

14

Although his only pair of top 30s in his last six starts were T12s, and his best performances this year have occurred on difficult tracks, he still possesses the firepower to contend at will. Case in point, he finished T2 here two years ago.

13

Co-led the U.S. Open on Sunday with a 67 (to finish T3). Now has two straight top 10s and four straight top 20s. Despite a scoring average of 68.58 in 26 rounds at TPC River Highlands, he’s been limited to four top 25s (and zero top 10s).

12

The good news about his missed cut at the U.S. Open is that he’s rested and free from the stresses of contending in the major. He shot himself out of the tournament with an opening 78 but responded strongly with a second-round 68.

11

Dismissed concerns about his health with a T8 at the Memorial and a solo sixth at the U.S. Open. Those results align with early-season successes, including a victory at The Genesis Invitational. T13 in Travelers debut a year ago.

10

With his brand of ball-striking, you knew that he wouldn’t go 0-fer in the U.S. Open forever, but last week’s T9 was his first payday in six tries in that major. He’s now cashed in 24 straight starts … since a T9 at last year’s Travelers.

9

He’s the defending champ but his title near home in New England is an achievement that most professional golfers never experience. That’s one injection of confidence. So is the absence of the pressure to do it at all. Fun times, no doubt.

8

Shared the low round at Pinehurst on Sunday with a 67 to secure a career-best T7 in his 11th U.S. Open. He’s scattered five top 10s among eight top 25s this year. Also 5-for-6 at TPC River Highlands with a T6 (2018) among four top 20s.

7

The lefty is third in all-time earnings at the tournament and the only non-winner of it among the top nine. Since 2015, he’s connected for six top 10s, the highlight a T2 last year. His scoring average in his last 22 rounds here is 67.

6

His recurring theme is that he has quietly converted now six top 10s. The latest is a T9 at the U.S. Open where his putting was on point. The aggressive 27-year-old is benefited by tamer targets on approach at TPC River Highlands.

5

If it weren’t real, you’d laugh. Barely a year removed from college and already No. 4 in the Official World Golf Ranking. Now he’s fresh off a T12 at the U.S. Open where he held the 36-hole lead. Second appearance at the Travelers (T24, 2023).

4

Try this for size: He missed the cut at last year’s Travelers despite a bogey-free, 7-under 63 in the second round. That’s how one bad round (an opening 74) can ruin a week, but consistency since the 2024 Masters has been sublime.

3

Gasp. Who knew that he had a T41 in him at a major? That’s golf and that’s the U.S. Open for ya. He’s been challenged by heavier weights than that in recent weeks, so it truly would be a jaw-dropper if he didn’t fire it back up immediately.

2

With a T3 at the U.S. Open, he came close to answering pal Xander Schauffele’s major breakthrough. Now Cantlay can feast on TPC River Highlands where he’s been a regular since 2018 with six top 15s and a scoring average of 67.17.

1

The last two weeks were his first two starts as a major champion, and he delivered a T8-T7 extension. Arguably in the best place of a sparkling career that includes a victory at TPC River Highlands in 2022. It’s one of four top 20s.

 


When the final FedExCup standings for the 2022-23 season were determined, the eligible among the top 50 were guaranteed tee times in all eight Signature Events in 2024. These stops have been the gifts that have kept on giving as five were devoid a 36-hole cut. The Travelers Championship is among the lot. The only qualifier who has opted not to peg it is Rory McIlroy. The U.S. Open runner-up withdrew on Monday.

The stock par 70 in Cromwell, Connecticut, about 10 miles south of Hartford, is just 6,835 yards when stretched out. And that’s down 17 yards thanks to a new tee on the par-4 ninth hole that limits it to 389 yards. Last year’s full field of 156 for what then was a Designated Event turned in a scoring average of 68.400. The fields at TPC River Highlands have been strong in recent years, but that was a tournament record for the course.

Therein lies the anticipation of the exhale in the wake of the last two weeks. After Muirfield Village Golf Club averaged 73.504 as a par 72 for the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday – third-highest in relation to par of 30 courses this season – Pinehurst No. 2 predictably went into the books as the hardest at 72.891. The host of the U.S. Open was a par 70.

So, this week’s champion will feel like a scorer again. He’ll also bank 700 FedExCup points. And he might cite confidence from (and display) residual sharpness on approach after the U.S. Open where greens were larger but played closer to the 5,000 square feet on average that TPC River Highlands features. Once on them this week, the Poa annua surfaces will be slower by comparison but still at a customary 12 feet on the Stimpmeter by PGA TOUR standards. The tallest of the rough is 4 inches against this year.

The days leading up to and covering the first two rounds will leave no doubt that astronomical summer officially arrives on Thursday. Temperatures will climb in the mid-90s until a system pushes in just before the weekend. Rain and storms are likely and could linger into Saturday. Daytime highs will drop into the upper 80s for the last two rounds during which the wind might be a factor. (Wednesday’s Golfbet Insider will revisit the forecast.)

ROB BOLTON’S SCHEDULE

MONDAY: Power Rankings
TUESDAY*: Sleepers
WEDNESDAY: Golfbet Insider
FRIDAY: Medical Extensions
SUNDAY: Points and Payouts; Qualifiers; Reshuffle

* Rob is a member of the panel for PGATOUR.COM’s Expert Picks for PGA TOUR Fantasy Golf, which also publishes on Tuesday.
source: https://www.pgatour.com/article/news/power-rankings/2024/06/17/power-rankings-travelers-championship-tpc-river-highlands?deviceId=d08919a6-bd2c-4f69-9ad4-f007644b3ade

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