This article is part of our DraftKings PGA DFS Picks series.
TRAVELERS CHAMPIONSHIP
Purse: $6.6M
Winner's Share: $1,118,000
FedEx Cup Points: 500 to the Winner
Location: Cromwell, Conn.
Course: TPC River Highlands
Yardage: 6,841
Par: 70
2015 champion: Bubba Watson
Tournament Preview
The Travelers is one of the annual birdie-fests on the PGA Tour, with winning scores on the short, par-70 track always in double digits, and often well into the teens -- Bubba Watson won at 16-under last year and Kevin Streelman at 15-under the year before. That might still be the case, but keep in mind that there have been course modifications since last year, and they are much more than cosmetic, as has been reported in various circles. Some 50 bunkers were removed, others were amended/repositioned and five greens were altered to allow more pin-placement options. Travelers is signed on as title sponsor through 2024, the course needs to keep up with the modern PGA Tour game and adding significant distance to one of the shortest courses around is not an option. No. 12, a short par-4 at 411 yards, has always had the Connecticut River on the left, but now the three bunkers on the right were reshaped into church-pew-like rows, akin to Oakmont. The 15th provides a fun, risk-reward option at only 296 yards. Normally, the tournament follows a major, as it does this year. But this time, it's the PGA Championship instead of the U.S. Open, thanks to the Olympic-altered schedule. It's a surprisingly strong field, headed by Watson, with 11 of the top 30
TRAVELERS CHAMPIONSHIP
Purse: $6.6M
Winner's Share: $1,118,000
FedEx Cup Points: 500 to the Winner
Location: Cromwell, Conn.
Course: TPC River Highlands
Yardage: 6,841
Par: 70
2015 champion: Bubba Watson
Tournament Preview
The Travelers is one of the annual birdie-fests on the PGA Tour, with winning scores on the short, par-70 track always in double digits, and often well into the teens -- Bubba Watson won at 16-under last year and Kevin Streelman at 15-under the year before. That might still be the case, but keep in mind that there have been course modifications since last year, and they are much more than cosmetic, as has been reported in various circles. Some 50 bunkers were removed, others were amended/repositioned and five greens were altered to allow more pin-placement options. Travelers is signed on as title sponsor through 2024, the course needs to keep up with the modern PGA Tour game and adding significant distance to one of the shortest courses around is not an option. No. 12, a short par-4 at 411 yards, has always had the Connecticut River on the left, but now the three bunkers on the right were reshaped into church-pew-like rows, akin to Oakmont. The 15th provides a fun, risk-reward option at only 296 yards. Normally, the tournament follows a major, as it does this year. But this time, it's the PGA Championship instead of the U.S. Open, thanks to the Olympic-altered schedule. It's a surprisingly strong field, headed by Watson, with 11 of the top 30 in the OWGR in the field as of midday Tuesday. Par-4 scoring will be something to consider strongly, as well as greens in regulation and putting -- after all, if there are lot of birdies, somebody's got to be putting the ball in the cup. And with a relatively slow pace of 10-11 on the Stimpmeter, that's very doable. Weather-wise, temperatures are forecast to be in the mid-80s, with high humidity -- in other words, typical, Northeast summer weather. Neither rain nor wind should be a significant factor.
Key Stats to Winning at TPC River Highlands
• Driving distance
• Greens in regulation
• Par-4 birdie or better
• Strokes gained-putting
Past Champions
2015 - Bubba Watson
2014 - Kevin Streelman
2013 - Ken Duke
2012 - Marc Leishman
2011 - Freddie Jacobson
2010 - Bubba Watson
2009 - Kenny Perry
2008 - Stewart Cink
2007 - Hunter Mahan
2006 - J.J. Henry
Champion's Profile:
A look at the winners the past few years shows there are different ways to win here. Watson was first in distance last year, but Streelman, Duke and Jacobson are not big hitters. Watson was third-to-last in accuracy last year, but it didn't matter, because he kept hitting second-shot wedges. Distance isn't paramount, but it sure does help. We'll see whether the course modifications alter Watson's approach. But, all the recent winners have putted well -- how else to get to 15-, 20-under? Really, it's not rocket science: get the ball on the green (GIR) and then get the ball in the hole (birdie or better, SGP).
DRAFTKINGS VALUE PICKS (Based on Standard $50K Salary Cap)
DraftKings Tier 1 Values
Bubba Watson - $12,300 (Winning odds at golfodds.com: 12-1)
Brooks Koepka - $11,200 (15-1)
Matt Kuchar - $10,600 (20-1)
DraftKings Tier 2 Values
Paul Casey - $9,900 (25-1)
Russell Knox - $8,600 (40-1)
Ryan Moore - $7,800 (50-1)
Kevin Streelman - $7,500 (60-1)
DraftKings Tier 3 Values
Luke Donald - $7,300 (80-1)
Hudson Swafford - $6,900 (Field, 2-1)
Freddie Jacobson - $6,800 (100-1)
Russell Henley - $6,400 (80-1)
DraftKings Long-Shot Values
Chris Stroud - $6,300 (Field, 2-1)
Chez Reavie - $6,200 (Field, 2-1)
Seung-Yul Noh - $6,100 (Field, 2-1)
Jerry Kelly - $6,000 (Field, 2-1)
MY PICKS THIS WEEK
Lower-Risk Cash Game Lineup ($50K Salary Cap)
Bubba Watson - $12,300
Matt Kuchar - $10,600
Ryan Moore - $7,800
Hudson Swafford - $6,900
Chris Stroud - $6,300
Seung-Yul Noh - $6,100
Watson is the chalk of the chalk, but he can also walk the walk and talk the talk and ... okay, we'll stop now. He's won twice here this decade and has made every cut since 2008, with five top-6s. Kuchar missed the cut last week at the PGA, badly, but that's not necessarily a bad thing, providing extra rest. He's among the best on tour playing par-4s. Moore has had a down year, and he's probably our least confident pick among these six, but he's was T5 last year, T7 the year before and with three more top-5s going back to 2006. Swafford missed the cut last year, but was top-25 the prior go-round. He's also made eight straight cuts going back to May, highlighted by some quality putting along the way. Stroud has made eight straight cuts at River Highlands, with a top-10 last year and runner-up in 2014. Noh has made four straight cuts here.
Higher-Risk Tournament Lineup ($50K Salary Cap)
Zach Johnson - $10,200
Russell Knox - $8,600
Brendan Steele - $8,500
Marc Leishman - $8,200
Luke Donald - $7,300
Retief Goosen - $7,000
Not having Watson, who will be highly owned and deservedly so, really is a gamble for any lineup. Johnson likely will be sparsely owned. On a short course, Johnson should have a better history here than he does. But we'll bank on his T6 last year as a sign he's finally figured it out. Likewise, Knox doesn't have great history on the track, but it should suit his precision game. Steele owns four top-25s in the past five Travelers. Leishman is a former champ who hasn't come close to repeating (but that's why this is the high-risk lineup). Donald did well in his tournament debut last year, at T7, and we all know he's much better on shorter tracks. Goosen has not played since missing the cut at the U.S. Open in June, but before that had three straight top-15s and is a great putter, 18th on tour in SGP.
