The Travelers Championship has always been a well supported event on the PGA Tour and has a ‘big tournament’ feel in Cromwell, Connecticut, just 2 hours drive out of Manhattan. 2025 sees elevated status and the associated strong field with defending champion Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy, Xander Schauffele, Viktor Hovland, Ludvig Aberg, Collin Morikawa and Sepp Straka, all committed.
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Trends & Key Factors: Analysing the Strokes Gained Stats of the Travelers Championship winners here at TPC River Highlands since 2016 gives us a little more insight into the requirements for this north-eastern parkland test:
Strokes Gained Tournament Trends:
Strokes Gained Tournament Skill Averages:
Across the 2021 to 2024 Travelers renewals, statistically from a Stroke Gained perspective the winners gained on average 2.18 strokes per round from Tee to Green (62%) and 1.34 Putting (38%). These metrics are similar to what we saw a few weeks ago at the Charles Schwab Challenge at Colonial, with Strokes Gained Putting a significant part of any winning total.
Tournament Trends & Key Factors: Analysing the final stats of the winners of the Travelers Championship back to 2016 gives us a little more insight into the requirements for this parkland test:
Tournament Skill Averages:
Let’s take a view from players as to how TPC River Highlands sets up and what skill sets the course favours:
Scottie Scheffler (2024): “I lean pretty heavily on Ted week-to-week. This is a golf course that he’s had a lot of success on, so if there’s a difference of opinion I’m probably going to lean towards him a little bit more than myself, just because I haven’t had the success on this golf course specifically. A different tournament I may lean more to what I feel and think, whereas out here he really does a good job of managing around this golf course. I think of another place, Augusta is kind of like that, where whatever he says seems to kind of go for me in my head, just because he’s had the success, he has the pedigree, he knows where to put the ball and where not to put the ball. And especially when it comes to a lot of course management stuff clubs to choose off the tees, what areas to play into, just because, like you said, he has seen Bubba win here numerous times and he knows exactly I think how to kind of get me there, if that make sense.
I would say No. 12 definitely changed. That’s a hole where I would usually try and get driver down there to the bottom. Today I hit 3-wood there instead because driver was going to go through the fairway. I did really like the changes, I didn’t feel like they did too much. They did what I would call just enough to kind of bring in a few more challenges and still without kind of taking away the character of a lot of holes..”
Keegan Bradley (2023): “My start was amazing. There are some tough shots there actually, especially when you’re off that early. They’re all birdie holes, but they’re all bogey holes as well. I hit just perfect shots on every shot I had on those first five holes.
Yeah, I love the 15th because everybody is going to hit — try to drive the green. It’s not some people laying up. It’s basically 100%, and it’s a risk reward hole and it’s an awesome hole.
Well, I mean, just I’ve been putting really well all year, especially lately, especially on bent grass greens. I was just reading them really good, and it was just — when you’re putting good everything feels easy and it’s automatic. It breaks a little this way, a little that way, and I just had that going today.
Yeah, I was playing great. I didn’t look a little many leaderboards because I knew I sort of had control of the tournament if I just played my best. With Chez, who was kind of right behind me who was a little bit back, I knew that I sort of had control. This course is so fun to play because every hole is a birdie hole, but also on that backside there is water everywhere so you can make a bogey in a second. It was a stressful finish, but once I got that ball on the green on 17, I kind of could take a little bit of a deep breath.”
Xander Schauffele (2022): “It’s one of those courses if you’re living in the rough all day it’s going to be a long day. You can’t really get too aggressive to pins. I was in the rough a few times. Fortunately I had room to run up the ball. I got nine yards of roll on a couple of wedge shots out of the rough. It’s not too hard to shoot level par or nothing too low if you’re not in the fairway off the tee.”
“Yeah, this course protects itself. It did rain last night, but if it didn’t rain, the course is pretty firm. Mid teens to high teens have won this tournament. If you finish in the high teens you’re in a pretty good spot for the week. If it stays soft, it may be lower than that for the week. I think it’s just a forgiveness thing. After playing the U.S. Open you kind of beat yourself up all week and then you kind of hit a bad shot on a day like today and your ball may stay on the green and not roll off into some ankle-high rough. I think mentally it’s a little bit more forgiving.”
“ I think I focused a little bit more. I was expecting him (Sahith Theegala) to par or birdie. He hits it a really long way. So if he hit it down the fairway he would have had a lob wedge in as well. I knew the 18th hole is, even though it’s downwind, that left bunker is dangerous, as we saw. The right rough is probably the thickest on the property. So if for whatever reason you don’t hit a great tee shot there you’re trying to play for par. With the greens being firm and crusty you just never know what can happen. So I really just tried to worry about myself and the task at hand and I think Austin and I did a really good job of that.”
Harris English (2021): “I’ve played here a lot over the years, so I feel like I know where the pins are going to be. Kind of played this course in my mind. Coming out here I know where to hit all the shots. It’s just about focusing and pulling it off.”
“I love the U.S. Open setup. I love when it’s difficult like that. I can use a lot of that on days like today where it’s tough, it’s windy, you’ve got to grind out there. I feel like I’m a really good grinder on the golf course. I never really get out of it. Had some really great up-and-downs today, made some great seven- or eight-foot par saves. It just shows the validation, all the work you put in, the work I put in back at Sea Island, and putting myself in those positions. I love being in that spot. I love being in the hunt of a golf tournament, and to come down the stretch and actually pull it off is an unbelievable feeling.”
Dustin Johnson (2020): “Well, to me I thought the wind, well, yesterday morning they didn’t have any breeze. Today we had, I mean, I was just talking to Jordan, and other than 16, every single shot we hit was into the wind. I mean, we didn’t get one hole downwind. I don’t know how you can go around this golf course and do that other than 16, which worked in our favour. All three of us made birdies there. But yeah, I thought the wind was tricky today. It was hard to get a beat on it, and it wasn’t blowing one or two miles an hour, it was enough to where it would affect the golf ball enough. That’s why I think it played tougher this morning.”
“Yeah, I mean, probably obviously the way I hit my irons today was, finally I felt like I had a lot of control of my distance and the shot shapes. I hit a lot of great shots, you have to shoot a 61. I think that was probably the biggest key. But probably the most important part of the round would have been No. 11, where I made that really good bunker save because I put myself in just an awful spot with a wedge.”
“On 9, I’ve been hitting hybrid off the tee, and today I hit hybrid and a pitching wedge to about two inches, and then yesterday I did the same thing, hybrid and a pitching wedge to about five feet and made it. I just want to hit it off the fairway, especially around here, because the rough is pretty thick. It’s hard to control the golf ball. The greens are fast and kind of firm. For me, it doesn’t really matter what distance I’m playing from, as long as I’m in the fairway.”
Chez Reavie (2019): “ I mean, I hit the ball a little closer on the back than I did on the front, but I hit a lot of great shots on the front, too. I would say the front was a little tougher for me. Some of the holes are real long and playing into the wind today. I was hitting 5-wood. Like at 4 and 5 I hit 5-wood at both of those holes and hit good shots. So I just got some more scorable clubs on the back nine in my hands. I have shot 28 before on nine holes, but not on tour, I don’t believe. I’ve done it at home.”
“Yeah, the golf course is great. You can shape it both ways off the tee; hit every club in your bag from longer irons to short irons. It’s just a test of all your shots. That’s something I like. I’m a shot maker. I like to work it both ways. Fortunately I don’t have to hit hybrid like I did at Bethpage. I’ve always loved the layout since the first time I came here. Just the way the holes are shaped you can shape shots and think around the greens. It’s a great challenge and something I really enjoy”.
“Biggest shot for me down the stretch? When I stepped up to 17 tee, which that is the toughest visual shot for me on the golf course because I like to hit a draw. With that water off to the left it kind of doesn’t suit me, so I just tried to aim at the bunkers and let the wind blow it into the fairway. Knocked it on the green and I was very comfortable, and when I made the putt it kind of sealed the deal for me.”
Bubba Watson (2018): “Earlier this year I had won in L.A. for my third win in L.A. Now I just need one more in Augusta and that would be great. Get a different jacket. I like this jacket, don’t get me wrong. I love this. I’ve got a few of them. But, yeah, there are certain places that we’ve built our schedule, everybody builds their schedule around places they’ve seen, loved, the atmosphere, all of that comes into play. Around here there are a lot of driver holes where I can hit some drivers and shape it. There are a lot of guys, a lot of guys that are starting to come. Jordan came last year when he won, and he said, “Bubba, anywhere you play good that’s where I want to play, because I think I can play where you can play.” I don’t know if that was a dig or what, but he backed it up with a win. Yeah, it’s one of those things where it just fits our eye. You can see the fairway. You can see the shape of the holes and the greens are always in great shape, so it’s fun.”
Jordan Spieth (2017): “Yeah, I had no idea until we kind of got on the grounds and I saw Michael (Greller) on Tuesday before we played any holes, and he said, “This course is tailor made for you,” is what he said. I love the back nine. I think it’s a very exciting nine holes of golf, one of the coolest stretches that we play where anything can happen. So that’s good and bad when you’re leading. So again, yeah, I thought it was a really good golf course for us. You kind of manoeuvre the ball both ways. You’ve kind of got to watch out for – you’ve got some clearings where the wind affects it more than other times where you’re kind of in the valleys. But overall, poa annua greens, historically, aren’t my best, and so today was a big confidence boost. The rest of the golf course I really love. You’ve got to work both ball flights. You’ve got to kind of be fearless in playing different shots. You really have to. You can’t get out there and just step and hit just draws the whole day. It forces you to hit different shots. The greens are just tough.
Yeah, you’ve got to stay patient. You can’t force it here. You get so many opportunities, you feel like you’re losing to the field if you don’t birdie with a wedge in your hand. But they put these pins in such difficult locations it’s hard to feed it next to it, once you do, it’s difficult to get the right line on the green. So recognizing that the course is 6800 yards for a reason. It’s tricked out elsewhere. And being very patient on the weekend is key. I always mention that, that’s always the word. I try to tell myself that, and sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. Given here especially, given that we’re going to have a lot of chances, greens in regulations is going to be an important stat.”
Russell Knox (2016): “The scores here – I always think this course, if you tee off in the morning, the conditions, you can always shoot a mega low score. That’s what Jim Furyk did last year on Sunday. But as the day goes on, teeing off in the afternoon, especially on a weekend, shooting under par is a great score if you tee off at 1, 2 o’clock. So the course changes significantly as the day goes on, just the firmness of the greens. I think players like that. But every hole, I don’t really feel uncomfortable on. I mean, you don’t have to overpower this course. I remember watching the year before. I think Bubba Watson and Corey Pavin were in a playoff with Scott Verplank maybe too. And I remember thinking what an amazing course this must be that the shortest hitter and longest hitter in the field are in the playoff. So this course, I think, allows everyone in the field to win, and I think that shows what a great course this is.”
Paul Casey: “This is a golf course where the green is relatively small, but they’re tucking the pins away and putting them on some funky little slopes. If you short side yourself, especially if you get over these greens, you’re going to be in a world of hurt. I’m a guy that hits a lot of greens in regulation. I’m pretty aggressive when going with the irons into the greens. I try to give myself a lot of birdie looks. To me, as a player, I love playing these kinds of events where you can go low. I think it’s good for the psyche. If all you ever do is play events where level par is winning score, you feel like you get beaten up, and you’ve got to have these, because every now and then you’ve got to go really low. It is fun. You can’t get the wrong side of it. With a golf course like this, it’s not that easy. I think the scores are reflective in the fact that we’ve got perfect conditions and perfect greens. If you get to the wrong side of it, you can make bogeys very easily out there.”
Bubba Watson: “First hole is going to be a wedge; second hole, wedge; third hole, wedge. These are the approach shots. And then next hole is going to be…it’ll change, but 8, 9 or wedge; next hole is a 6 iron to a 5 iron; next hole is a 3 iron, going for it in two; next hole is a wedge; next hole is an 8 iron; next hole is a wedge; next hole is a wedge; next hole is a wedge; next hole is a wedge; next hole is going for it in two; next hole is a wedge; next hole is a wedge, or if you drive the green you can putt; next hole is a 9 or an 8; 17 is a 9 or a wedge; and 18 is a wedge. So when you look at that, why would I not want to play here if I’m hitting that many wedges? It doesn’t matter if I’m in the rough or not, those are the clubs I’m hitting. It comes down to me putting; if I can putt halfway decent, I have a chance to top 10 here or scare a victory.”
First Round Leader Analysis: First round leader(s), their group and winning score since 2010.
From a correlating course perspective, there is undoubtedly a form link between TPC River Highlands and a number of other parkland golf courses. The course here features Bentgrass with Poa Annua mixed green surfaces, and as we know the latter is a problem for many players. So a look at west coast courses which feature Poa Annua isn’t a bad angle in my view, namely Torrey Pines, Pebble Beach and Riviera Country Club.
A look at Dustin Johnson’s west coast resume tells you all you need to know. A 2-time winner at Pebble Beach (2009, 2010) a winner at Riviera Country Club (2017) amongst 10 top 10 finishes. “DJ” also has a 3rd place at Torrey Pines (2011) to his name and is a 2-time winner (2013 + 2018) on the rolling Bermudagrass green course at Kapalua.
Johnson may not be the best example so let’s take Xander Schauffele. A winner at Kapalua (2019), with supporting runner-up (2020) and 5th (2021) on the Plantation Course, Xander has also finished runner-up and 3rd at TPC Scottsdale (2021 + 2022). From a Poa Annua perspective 2nd (2021 Farmers Insurance Open) and 7th (2021 U.S. Open) at Torrey Pines, Schauffele also finished 3rd at the Pebble Beach-hosted 2019 U.S. Open and was 4th (2024) at Riviera Country Club.
How about defending champion Scottie Scheffler? 7th at the Torrey Pines-hosted U.S. Open in 2021, 7th (2022) and 10th (2024) at Riviera Country Club, plus 6th (2024) at Pebble Beach prior to winning the Travelers, highlight a player who could contend on Poa Annua. 7th (2023) and 5th (2024) on the Plantation Course at Kapalua also chime-in with DJ and Xander.
Keegan Bradley fits too. 2nd (2023), 4th (2017) and 5th (2018) at Torrey Pines, Keegan has also finished 2nd (2012) and 4th (2015) at Riviera Country Club. 4th at Kapalua (2013) forms a similar, if not quite as successful west coast footprint to Johnson and Schauffele.
Harris English – 2021 Travelers champion – is a winner at Kapalua (2021) and with a 3rd (2015), 4th (2014) and 9th (2013) at Waialae he’s also played well on the Bermuda segment of the west coast swing. However even the Georgia based player has a decent west coast Poa resume. 10th (2014) at Riviera, Harris had finished 2nd (2015) and 8th (2018) at Torrey Pines, before finishing 3rd at the Torrey Pines hosted 2021 U.S. Open. That was his best ever Major finish and by the following Sunday he had won the Travelers Championship.
2019 champion Chez Reavie won this straight off finishing 3rd at Pebble Beach hosted U.S. Open the week before. He had also finished 2nd at the 2018 AT&T Pro-Am at the classical Pebble and a finished 7th (2016) and 10th (2020) at Riviera Country Club.
3-time Travelers winner Bubba Watson has a great west coast Poa Annua CV. 4th (2007), 1st (2011) and 6th (2020) at Torrey Pines is supported by 3 wins (2014, 2018 and 2018) at Riviera. 2017 Travelers winner Jordan Spieth follows the Reavie-mould with 4th (2014), 7th (2015), 1st (2017), 9th (2020) and 3rd (2021) at the AT&T National Pebble tournament. He’s also been a feature at Riviera finishing 12th (2014), 4th (2015) and 9th (2018). 2014 champion here at TPC River Highlands, Kevin Streelman, is a real Pebble Beach specialist chalking up 4 top 9 finishes on the Monterey coast. 9th (2012), 6th (2018), 7th (2019) and 2nd (2020)w, highlights a player who copes admirably on a short course, with Poa Annua greens.
And 2012 Travelers champion Marc Leishman, has finished 2nd (2010), 9th (2011), 2nd (2014), 8th (2018) and 1st (2020) at Torrey Pines, with 5th (2016) and 4th (2019) at Riviera.
So what is the key to TPC River Highlands? Well high quality birdie making powered by top-notch Strokes Gained on Approach is the winning formula here in Hartford, Connecticut. 8 of the last 9 winners all have ranked in the top 18 for Strokes Gained on Approach and all have been in the top 8 for Strokes Gained Tee to Green.
This is Steve Bamford’s pre-event preview for the 2025 Travelers Championship. Steve’s final Travlers Championship tips will be published here on Monday before 6pm BST.