Travelers Championship Preview and Picks
by Matt Fargo
As with any golf fan, this is a letdown week after a Major, as the U.S. Open concluded Sunday with Graeme McDowell capturing the trophy. The letdown not only comes because of the less importance on the line but also because the field strength goes way down following a Major championship. Both are the case this week for the Travelers Championship taking place from the TPC at River Highlands in Cromwell, Connecticut.
The scoring will be the complete opposite this week compared to last week at Pebble Beach as the last 16 winners of the Travelers have carded double-digit scores under par. That means birdies are coveted so ball striking and hitting greens are of the utmost importance. This can be said almost every week on tour but when you are talking about going low, they become even more important.
TPC at River Highlands has hosted this event since 1984 and it was formerly known as the Buick Championship and the Greater Hartford Open. It has gone through two redesigns and River Highlands is second only to the TPC Scottsdale for most spectators at a PGA Tour event. With the scoring, it is not a very difficulty track and last year it was ranked 36th in difficulty out of 51 venues. The 6,841 yards in length makes it one of the shorter stops as well.
Because of the U.S. Open taking place last week and on the opposite coast for that matter, the field has been thinned out considerably. There is only one player in the field ranked in the top 15 and just five players ranked in the top 30 in the OWGR. Also, just six 2010 tournament winners are teeing it up so the possibility is there once again to crown a first-timer.
The reigning champion is Kenny Perry (+2500), who broke the 72-hole course record last year by shooting -22 and winning by three shots over David Toms and Paul Goydos. His schedule this year has been shortened and even though he is not playing great, just one top ten, he has missed only one cut in 12 stroke play events. Four of his last five events have resulted in top 25 finishes.
Hunter Mahan (+1500) is having a rough stretch but if ever there is a venue to recharge, this is it for him. He has missed three straight weekends including the U.S. Open last week but his record at the Highlands takes precedence. His has finished in the top five the last four years including a win in 2007 so he obviously loves it here. He is fourth on tour in ball striking which is a big edge despite the recent poor play.
The favorite this week is Padraig Harrington (+1200) as he is the highest ranked player in the field. He is coming off a T22 at Pebble last week, his second straight event following knee surgery last month. He has played the Travelers only once, finishing T54 in 2007 so there is not a whole lot to get excited about. He hopes to continue to shake the rust off and would be the fourth straight European winner on tour.
Bo Van Pelt (+2000) makes this list the majority of the time because he deserves it. He is coming off a T40 at the U.S. Open because of a Saturday 82. The fact that he recovered with a 68 Sunday tells you something. He has five top ten finishes this year including two top threes but has yet to break through with a win. He has two top tens in the last three years at the Travelers.
Bill Haas (+4000) has some excellent value here. He already has a win under his belt this season and he has missed only three cuts all year while making the weekend in his last nine events. He did not qualify for the U.S. Open and that could be a blessing in disguise this week. He has made the cut in three of four starts at the Travelers including a T19 in his last start in 2008.
The thin field makes sleeper picks more valuable and that is the case for J.J. Henry (+8000). He is not in the best form right now after missing the cut in his last two events as well as three of his last five but he is from Connecticut and he has fared well in his home state. He has three top 25’s in the last four years at River Highlands including a win in 2006 by three shots over Hunter Mahan and Ryan Moore.
Another great sleeper pick is Tim Petrovic (+6000) who is also from the New England area. He did not play in the U.S. Open and the time off hopefully will not kill any momentum he had built up. He had missed the cut in nine of his first 13 events but he has made it to the weekend in four straight and that includes two top tens. He has made the cut in three of the last four years in this event.
Recommended Tournament Win Six Pack at the Travelers Championship – All for 1 Unit
Hunter Mahan (+1500)
Bo Van Pelt (+2000)
Kenny Perry (+2500)
Bill Haas (+4000)
Tim Petrovic (+6000)
J.J. Henry (+8000)
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