The United Sates Open provided golf fans with all they could ask for and more. It is unfortunate the our guys struggled on the weekend, but I think everyone can agree that was still exciting. Jordan Spieth has now won the first two majors of the season, and has everyone talking about the possibility of a 2015 Gland Slam. We now move onto the 2015 Travelers Championship, as the Tour heads to Connecticut this week. TPC River Highlands will be the host venue for the PGA Professionals, and should provide plenty of great golf. Let's look a little closer into this short but extremely entertaining golf course.
THE COURSE
TPC River Highlands is one of the shortest courses the players play on Tour, measuring only 6841 yards. The course plays to a Par 70 but the average scoring was still well under par last year at this championship. The course attempts to utilize smaller fairways and a plethora of bunkers (119) to help defend against the talented golfers that will be attacking it. I will have to side with the golfers taking advantage of the golf course and going extremely low once again this year though.
With rain expected in the forecast before the tournament (Tuesday it will pour), it should make for very soft greens over the first few days. Hopefully the storm on Tuesday does not do too much damage to the course as they are calling for possible hail and tremendously strong winds. Rain is also expected on Friday and Sunday, meaning scoring conditions will be prime all week.
My favourite hole on the golf course is the Par 4 15th Hole. At only 296 yards the hole can be reached by just about everyone in the field. You will see most people go for the green if it is not a windy day (which should be the case as winds are expected to stay calm to moderate throughout the week). Look for scores to range from eagles to double bogeys on this very compelling hole.
THE PLAYERS
A long list of young talent will be congregating, as many of the Tours top players are taking the week off following the US Open. That being said, we have past champions such as Kevin Streelman(2014) Ken Duke (2013) Marc Leishman (2012) Bubba Watson (2010) Stewart Cink (2008) and Hunter Mahan (2007) and JJ Henry (2006), who will be joining the likes of Sregio Garcia, Brandt Snedeker, Patrick Reed, and Zach Johnson in the field.
This week we will be looking for players who enter the event playing well. There will be plenty of young players teeing it up at TPC River Highlands, meaning current form is the number one attribute we will look for. We also want players who have the ability to go very low, as this figures to be a birdie barrage week. Lets get right to the picks now.
STEVE'S 6-Pack System Picks
FRANCESCO MOLINARI 42 TO 1 - We go back with the Italian Molinari this week based on his terrific recent form and his accuracy. We explained to everyone last week that Francesco is the straightest hitter in the world, something that will help out drastically on this short course. Molinari fell off at the US Open after being T5 following round 1 (ends up T27), but he still has three Top 5 finishes in his last five starts. Molinari has yet to win on the PGA Tour (65 events) but seems primed to break out with his first trophy. It would not however be his first trophy worldwide, as he has 3 European Tour wins to his name. This will be Francesco’s first start at this event.
CHRIS STROUD 145 TO 1 - Stroud has enjoyed great success at TPC River Highlands over the past 4 years (2014 - T18, 2013 - 2nd, 2012 - T37, 2011 - T17). The Texas native does not fit our playing well lately category, but his success here has to overshadow that (especially based on the run of players coming out of no where to win recently). Stroud is one of the shorter hitters on Tour but he does manage to keep the ball in the fairway. He also possesses a strong short game (especially out of the bunkers), which will come in handy this week. We really like Chris to have good feelings this week in Connecticut and to vie for his first career PGA Tour win.
MATT JONES 100 TO 1 - Jones placed T3 in his last start (St Jude), and should be in great form this week. The 35 year old from Australia picked up his first career win last year at the Shell Houston Open in dramatic fashion when he chipped in against Matt Kuchar in a playoff. Jones is known as one of the Tours best putters (2nd in Overall Putting Average), and this helps him rank 16th in Birdie Average. Back in 2010 Jones placed T13 here, and he has had some solid rounds here since. He will need to avoid the big number this week, but based on his recent play/love for this course, we like his chances.
CAMERON SMITH 100 TO 1 - Smith made a splash last week at the US Open by finishing T4 (actually qualifies him not only for Special Temporary membership on the PGA Tour but also for the 2016 Masters tournament). Smith is an up and coming star from Australia, and someone you will be hearing plenty about not only this year but well into the future. In his last 7 starts world wide he has 4 finishes inside the Top 15, and 3 of those are actually Top 4’s. Smith has all the tools to go extremely low this week, and you know he will be excited after a great week at the US Open.
BUBBA WATSON 14 TO 1 - Not going to get too in-depth with this one. Bubba loves this course and has enjoyed tons of success here (4 Top 6 finishes in his last 7 starts here). Watson won here in 2010 and will once again be in the thick of everything on Sunday.
HUDSON SWAFFORD 125 TO 1 - Swafford has immense talent and it is just a matter of time before he breaks through on the PGA Tour. The Georgia grad is coming off a T29 at the St Jude Classic and should be confident based on his only previous start at this tournament (T24). Last year Hudson hit over 70% of his fairways and Greens in Regulation at this event. He ranks 7th on Tour in Total Driving and this leads Swafford to plenty of birdies (16th on Tour in Birdie Average). I was also very pleased and impressed that the youngster ranks 30th in Total Putting, something that should help him go low this week.
HEAD TO HEAD
3 units - Hudson Swafford (-120) OVER Jason Kokrak
Let’s jump back into the winners circle this week in Connecticut!
Steve (@thegolfbanker)
PO Box 36061 Talbot Village PO
London Ontario n6p 0c4
CANADA
THE COURSE
TPC River Highlands is one of the shortest courses the players play on Tour, measuring only 6841 yards. The course plays to a Par 70 but the average scoring was still well under par last year at this championship. The course attempts to utilize smaller fairways and a plethora of bunkers (119) to help defend against the talented golfers that will be attacking it. I will have to side with the golfers taking advantage of the golf course and going extremely low once again this year though.
With rain expected in the forecast before the tournament (Tuesday it will pour), it should make for very soft greens over the first few days. Hopefully the storm on Tuesday does not do too much damage to the course as they are calling for possible hail and tremendously strong winds. Rain is also expected on Friday and Sunday, meaning scoring conditions will be prime all week.
My favourite hole on the golf course is the Par 4 15th Hole. At only 296 yards the hole can be reached by just about everyone in the field. You will see most people go for the green if it is not a windy day (which should be the case as winds are expected to stay calm to moderate throughout the week). Look for scores to range from eagles to double bogeys on this very compelling hole.
THE PLAYERS
A long list of young talent will be congregating, as many of the Tours top players are taking the week off following the US Open. That being said, we have past champions such as Kevin Streelman(2014) Ken Duke (2013) Marc Leishman (2012) Bubba Watson (2010) Stewart Cink (2008) and Hunter Mahan (2007) and JJ Henry (2006), who will be joining the likes of Sregio Garcia, Brandt Snedeker, Patrick Reed, and Zach Johnson in the field.
This week we will be looking for players who enter the event playing well. There will be plenty of young players teeing it up at TPC River Highlands, meaning current form is the number one attribute we will look for. We also want players who have the ability to go very low, as this figures to be a birdie barrage week. Lets get right to the picks now.
STEVE'S 6-Pack System Picks
FRANCESCO MOLINARI 42 TO 1 - We go back with the Italian Molinari this week based on his terrific recent form and his accuracy. We explained to everyone last week that Francesco is the straightest hitter in the world, something that will help out drastically on this short course. Molinari fell off at the US Open after being T5 following round 1 (ends up T27), but he still has three Top 5 finishes in his last five starts. Molinari has yet to win on the PGA Tour (65 events) but seems primed to break out with his first trophy. It would not however be his first trophy worldwide, as he has 3 European Tour wins to his name. This will be Francesco’s first start at this event.
CHRIS STROUD 145 TO 1 - Stroud has enjoyed great success at TPC River Highlands over the past 4 years (2014 - T18, 2013 - 2nd, 2012 - T37, 2011 - T17). The Texas native does not fit our playing well lately category, but his success here has to overshadow that (especially based on the run of players coming out of no where to win recently). Stroud is one of the shorter hitters on Tour but he does manage to keep the ball in the fairway. He also possesses a strong short game (especially out of the bunkers), which will come in handy this week. We really like Chris to have good feelings this week in Connecticut and to vie for his first career PGA Tour win.
MATT JONES 100 TO 1 - Jones placed T3 in his last start (St Jude), and should be in great form this week. The 35 year old from Australia picked up his first career win last year at the Shell Houston Open in dramatic fashion when he chipped in against Matt Kuchar in a playoff. Jones is known as one of the Tours best putters (2nd in Overall Putting Average), and this helps him rank 16th in Birdie Average. Back in 2010 Jones placed T13 here, and he has had some solid rounds here since. He will need to avoid the big number this week, but based on his recent play/love for this course, we like his chances.
CAMERON SMITH 100 TO 1 - Smith made a splash last week at the US Open by finishing T4 (actually qualifies him not only for Special Temporary membership on the PGA Tour but also for the 2016 Masters tournament). Smith is an up and coming star from Australia, and someone you will be hearing plenty about not only this year but well into the future. In his last 7 starts world wide he has 4 finishes inside the Top 15, and 3 of those are actually Top 4’s. Smith has all the tools to go extremely low this week, and you know he will be excited after a great week at the US Open.
BUBBA WATSON 14 TO 1 - Not going to get too in-depth with this one. Bubba loves this course and has enjoyed tons of success here (4 Top 6 finishes in his last 7 starts here). Watson won here in 2010 and will once again be in the thick of everything on Sunday.
HUDSON SWAFFORD 125 TO 1 - Swafford has immense talent and it is just a matter of time before he breaks through on the PGA Tour. The Georgia grad is coming off a T29 at the St Jude Classic and should be confident based on his only previous start at this tournament (T24). Last year Hudson hit over 70% of his fairways and Greens in Regulation at this event. He ranks 7th on Tour in Total Driving and this leads Swafford to plenty of birdies (16th on Tour in Birdie Average). I was also very pleased and impressed that the youngster ranks 30th in Total Putting, something that should help him go low this week.
HEAD TO HEAD
3 units - Hudson Swafford (-120) OVER Jason Kokrak
Let’s jump back into the winners circle this week in Connecticut!
Steve (@thegolfbanker)
PO Box 36061 Talbot Village PO
London Ontario n6p 0c4
CANADA