TRAVELERS CHAMPIONSHIP: GOLFERS TO WATCH
Here’s a look at 10 players Hearst Connecticut Media’s Joe Morelli says to keep an eye on at this year’s Travelers championship, along with a darkhorse pick to be a contender.
PATRICK CANTLAY
Age: 27
Country: United States
2018-19 Season: Nine top-10 finishes, including a victory at the Memorial two weeks ago.
World Rank: No. 8
FedEx Cup Rank: 6
Victories: 2
Previous Travelers appearances: 4
Best finish: T15 (2018)
Career Majors: None
Career highlights: Former topranked amateur has rounded into form this season, winning the Memorial with a final-round 64. Briefly held the lead during the final round of the Masters.
Morelli’s take: Held a share of the single-round scoring record with a 60 in the second round in 2011 while still an amateur at UCLA. That course knowledge, plus recent strong play, equals a bona fide contender for the weekend here.
PAUL CASEY
Age: 41
Country: England
2018-19 Season: Successfully defended his title at the Valspar Championship; tied for second at the AT&T Pebble Beach tournament
World Rank: No. 15
FedEx Cup Rank: 7
PGA Tour victories: 3
Previous Travelers appearances: 4
Best finish: Second in 2015 and 2018 (lost to Bubba Watson both times)
Career Majors: 0
Career highlights: Has 14 international victories, including the 2009 BMW PGA Championship and the 2013 Irish Open.
Morelli’s take: Held the lead going into the final round, but faltered with a 72 and Watson beat him again. Should be a contender again, just may not have enough to be the champ on Sunday.
JASON DAY
Age: 31
Country: Australia
2018-19 season: Five top-10 finishes includes a tie for fifth at the Masters.
World Rank: No. 16
FedEx Cup Rank: 38
PGA Tour victories: 12
Previous Travelers appearances: 4
Best finish: Tie for 12th (2018)
Career Majors (1): 2015 PGA
Career highlights: Vaulted to No. 1 in the world rankings in October of 2015, then held it for 11 months from 2016-17; played on four Presidents Cup teams; won the 2016 Players Championship.
Morelli’s take: Day has played well, but not up to his usual high standards. Also, he has never really been in contention here. Expect that to continue.
BRYSON DECHAMBEAU
Age: 25
Country: United States
2018-19 Season: Won at Shriners in November, but has struggled of late. Missed three straight cuts following the Masters. Tied for 22nd place in an attempt to defend his crown at the Memorial.
World Rank: No. 9
FedEx Cup Rank: 29
Victories: 5
Previous Travelers appearances: 3
Best finish: Tied for 9th in 2018.
Career Majors: 0
Career highlights: Won the 2017 John Deere Classic; member of the 2017 Walker Cup team. Won the first two legs of the FedExCup playoffs last season. Known for having all of his clubs at the same length.
Morelli’s take: It was around this time last year when DeChambeau turned things around and was on fire in the FedExCup playoffs. Played with Watson last year in the final round at Travelers, so he saw first-hand what it takes to win here.
BROOKS KOEPKA
Age: 29
Country: United States
2018-19 Season: Defended his PGA Championship title last month at Bethpage Black. Won the CJ Cup at Nine Bridges in October.
World Rank: No. 1
FedEx Cup Rank: 3
PGA Tour victories: 6
Previous Travelers appearances: 3
Best finish: T9 (2016)
Career Majors (4): 2017 and 2018 U.S. Open; 2018 and 2019 PGA Championship
Career highlights: Has won four of the last nine major championships. Played for the United States in last fall’s Ryder Cup.
Morelli’s take: First player to commit to the tournament in January and kept it. Can overpower TPC River Highlands and putt well enough to win here. The only thing working against him is it’s not a major, where he thrives.
PHIL MICKELSON
Age: 49
Country: United States
2018-19 season: Won the AT&T Pebble Beach and finished second in the Desert Classic.
World Rank: No. 24
FedEx Cup Rank: 25
PGA Tour victories: 44
Top 10 finishes: 38
Previous Travelers appearances: 5
Best finish: Won (2001 and 2002)
Career Majors: 5 (2004, 2006, 2010 Masters, 2005 PGA, 2013 Open Championship).
Career highlights: Went almost five years in between victories, but has played better recently. Has played on 12 Ryder Cups and Presidents Cups each. Only trails Tiger Woods for tour wins among active players.
Morelli’s take: Can Mickelson call on his course knowledge 16 years after last appearing at TPC River Highlands? He may be past his prime, but Mickelson can still take advantage of one of the tour’s shorter courses if his putting is on.
FRANCESCO MOLINARI
Age: 36 Country: Italy 2018-19 Season: Won the Arnold Palmer Invitational; finished third in the WGC Match Play; tied for fifth at the Masters World Rank: No. 6
FedEx Cup Rank: 22 Victories: 3
Previous Travelers appearances: 2 Best finish: T25 (2015)
Career Majors (1): 2018 Open Championship
Career highlights: Won the 2016 Italian Open and the 2018 BMW PGA Championship; has played on three Ryder Cups for Europe, including the last one when he went 5-0.
Morelli’s take: Been a whirlwind year starting with a win at the now-defunct Quicken Loans National the week after last year’s Travelers. Hasn’t been as sharp since blowing a final-round lead at the Masters in April. Probably not a contender this week.
JORDAN SPIETH
Age: 25 Country: United States 2018-19 Season: Three consecutive Top 10 finishes heading into the U.S. Open. World Rank: No. 28
FedEx Cup Rank: 66
PGA Tour victories: 11 Previous Travelers appearances: 2 Best finish: Won (2017)
Career Majors (3): 2015 Masters, 2015 U.S. Open, 2017 Open Championship
Career highlights: 2013 PGA Tour Rookie of the Year ... 2015 PGA Player of the Year ... 2015 FedEx Cup Champion ... Vardon Trophy winner (2015, 2017) ... Byron Nelson Award winner (2015, 2017)
Morelli’s take: Hit the shot of the year on the PGA Tour in 2017, holing a bunker shot to beat Daniel Berger in a sudden-death playoff. It’s hard to believe how far his game has fallen off since he was last at TPC River Highlands. Still, if he can get his putter right, he could be in contention on Sunday.
JUSTIN THOMAS
Age: 26 Country: United States 2018-19 Season: Five top-four finishes, the best being runner-up at the Genesis Open. World Rank: No. 7
FedEx Cup Rank: 13
PGA Tour victories: 9 Previous Travelers appearances: 5 Best finish: Tie for third in 2016 Career Majors (1): 2017 PGA Career highlights: 2017 FedExCup champion; took over world’s top ranking for first time in May; tied the U.S. Open single-round scoring record with a 63 in 2017 third round; played for the United States in last fall’s Ryder Cup.
Morelli’s take: Each round got progressively worse last year, leading to a tie for 56th place. Missed close to two months with a right wrist injury. If he is right, Thomas can contend.
BUBBA WATSON
Age: 40 Country: United States 2018-19 season: Tied for fourth at both the Waste Management Phoenix Open and the Valspar Championship. His next-best finish is a tie for 12th at the Masters. World Rank: No. 20
FedEx Cup Rank: 69
PGA Tour victories: 12 Previous Travelers appearances: 12 Best finish: Won (2010, 2015 and 2018) Career Majors (2): 2012 and 2014 Masters
Career highlights: First PGA Tour win was at the 2010 Travelers Championship ... member of the 2011, 2015 Presidents Cup, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2018 Ryder Cup teams and 2016 Summer Olympics.
Morelli’s take: Watson shot a 63 In the final round to overtake Paul Casey and win his first Travelers without needing a sudden-death playoff. Hasn’t won since last year and has never gone backto-back in Cromwell. Still, give him a chance on Sunday and he will have the crowd behind him.
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DARKHORSE PICK CHARLEY HOFFMAN
Age: 42
Country: United States
2018-19 season: Three top-15 performances in his last seven starts.
World Rank: No. 75
FedEx Cup Rank: 57
PGA Tour victories: 4
Previous Travelers appearances: 9
Best finish: T2
Career Majors: 0
Career highlights: Among his wins was the 2010 Deutsche Bank Championship in the FedExCup playoffs. Represented the United States on the 2017 Presidents Cup team.
Morelli’s take: Probably should have won this event somewhere along the way, especially with three top-10 finishes. Shot a career-best 61 in the opening round in 2013, so he can go low at TPC River Highlands. A couple of more low rounds and Hoffman just might find himself on Sunday’s leaderboard.