The Travelers Championship Power Rankings: The 10 Best Golfers at TPC River Highlands
By Todd Moser
Last week: Bryson DeChambeau gave us our ninth outright win and second in a row with a huge win at the U.S. Open.
This week, the PGA Tour hosts yet another Signature Event with The Travelers Championship at TPC River Highlands. Last year, we cashed on Keegan Bradley at +8000, and he certainly has a legitimate shot this week.
Other than Rory McIlroy who withdrew, the big guns are in the field for the huge $20 million purse. Let’s look at this week’s Top 10.
Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook
The Travelers Championship at TPC River Highlands Power Rankings
10. Tom Kim +4000
Kim acquitted himself well last week at the U.S. Open finishing a respectable T-26 despite a final round of a six-over 76. He’s shown signs of good play recently with a T-4 at the RBC Canadian. The golf world is waiting for him to break out after such a promising 2023. Maybe this is the week.
9. Russell Henley +2800
I have two guys on my rankings this week that continue to haunt me, Henley being one of them.
Perennial contender; rarely a winner.
With that being said, he comes into this week in good form after a T-7 at Pinehurst. Prior to that, he’s finished T-27, T-23, T-10, T-12, T-38, and T-4. Consistency and steady play are his game.
Can he shoot 15 to 20 under par? His lowest score to par this year is only -10.
8. Ludvig Aberg +1400
As mentioned previously, Aberg is my Fear of Missing Out (FOMO) player.
Aberg disappointed many, including me, with a disappearing act at Pinehurst over the weekend. He went from the lead to T-12 after a triple bogey on the 13th hole in the third round. He’s finished in the Top 15 in six of his last seven events. In his lone start here, he finished T-24.
7. Viktor Hovland +2000
Hovland and Aberg are a threat every week, so it’s hard to keep either out of the rankings. Last week, I thought he had figured out his swing going back to his old coach, but an opening round 78 sealed his fate at the U.S. Open. He rallied with a 68 in round two but missed the cut. Prior to that, he finished T-15 and solo third at the PGA.
Hov’s best finish here is a T-11.
6. Harris English +8000
English is the second guy who haunts me. Interestingly, both he and Henley are Georgia Bulldogs. But I can’t ignore his play at TPC Highlands. He won here in 2021 and finished T-19 the following year. Last week was a so-so T-41 at Pinehurst.
He finished T-18 at the PGA's and has proven he can go low as he finished -22 at The Sentry.
5. Brian Harman +4000
Harman is the third Bulldog on our Top 10. He played well last week finishing T-21. He’s had three other Top 12 finishes this year. At TPC Highlands, Harmon has a remarkable six Top 10 finishes including a T-2 last week.
4. Keegan Bradley +5000
Can lightning strike twice in the same place? I am hoping so.
Bradley won last year’s event in an emotional finish. This is his favorite tournament. He’s got two other Top 10 finishes including a T-2 in 2019. Bradley made the cut at Pinehurst finishing T-32. He played well for two rounds at Memorial before a horrendous 78-80 finish.
Prior to that, he finished T-2 at Colonial, T-18 at the PGA, and T-21 at the Wells Fargo.
3. Scottie Scheffler +400
Obvious pick number one. Scheffler simply could NOT solve Pinehurst finishing at +8 and nowhere near contending.
I think he will be motivated to right the ship this week. He finished T-4 here last year and T-13 in 2022.
2. Xander Schauffele +750
Obvious pick number two. Despite not contending last week, X still finished T-7 without his A-Game. He won here in 2022 and finished T-19 last year. I certainly expect him to finish in the Top 10 worst case.
1. Patrick Cantlay +2000
Cantlay showed signs of life last week battling for the win until late in the fourth round ultimately finishing T-3. His chipping and putting were great, but his driving and iron game still appear to need some work. But hey, he shot a 60 on this course as an amateur way back in 2011. In his last six starts here, his worst finish is a T-15. Hence, he’s our pick to win this week.
Longshot Plays at The Travelers Championship
I suspect the cream will rise to the top in this Signature Event; however, we are taking some shots at a big payday.
MacKenzie Hughes +15000
Like Cantlay, any guy who can shoot a 60 on this course is good enough for me to take a shot with. Hughes shot that in 2020 and finished third. He also has a T-17 in 2017 and finished T-25 in 2022.
Emiliano Grillo +15000
Grillo played ok last week at Pinehurst. He made the cut and finished T-41. He has two Top 20s here including a T-15 last year.
Peter Malnati +50000
This week’s long-long shot is a local who says THIS is his tournament of the year. He doesn’t have a particularly good record here. In six starts, his best finish is a T26, but at these odds it’s worth a pancake bet.
Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.