2023 Travelers’ Championship
TPC River Highlands
Welcome back, DFS Army! Josh Thomas here, your trusted DFS expert better known as DFSUpNorth. With the 2023 Travelers Championship next up, it’s time to start strategizing for the next big showdown at the stunning TPC River Highlands. This course, with its rich history and challenging layout, is a player and fan favorite, promising high-octane golf action week in, week out.
From Pete Dye’s signature design elements to Bobby Weed’s thoughtful modifications, TPC River Highlands tests the skill and resolve of the PGA Tour’s best. In this preview, we’ll delve deep into strokes gained statistics, key design influences, and historical data points. Moreover, we’ll pay homage to iconic moments, like Jim Furyk’s legendary 58, and how these reflections might inform your DFS strategy.
So, without further ado, let’s dive into this in-depth course preview, equip ourselves with crucial insights, and build those winning lineups for the 2023 Travelers Championship.
The Course:
TPC River Highlands, located in Cromwell, Connecticut, is a par-70 course that stretches over a relatively short 6,852 yards. The course’s history dates back to 1928 when it was originally known as Middletown Golf Club, and later as Edgewood Country Club.
In the early 1980s, the course underwent a significant redesign under the guidance of the legendary golf architect Pete Dye, who is renowned for his innovative and challenging designs. In 1989, Bobby Weed, a protégé of Dye, conducted further modifications to the course layout, including the addition of an amphitheater around the 18th green, enhancing the spectator experience and creating one of the most exciting finishing holes on the PGA Tour.
Holes 15-17, known as the ‘Golden Triangle,’ provide a thrilling conclusion to the round. These holes are a real risk-reward proposition and can lead to substantial leaderboard movement late in the day. Players who can navigate these holes successfully will have a significant advantage.
Historically, TPC River Highlands has rewarded aggressive play. It has one of the lowest scoring averages on tour, so we want to target aggressive players who will capitalize on birdie opportunities. Past champions like Dustin Johnson, Bubba Watson, and Jordan Spieth have shown the value of being bold on this course.
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Historical Highlight:
Jim Furyk’s 58
On August 7, 2016, during the final round of the Travelers Championship, Jim Furyk made PGA Tour history by shooting the lowest round ever recorded – an astounding 12-under-par 58.
Furyk’s remarkable round included ten birdies, an eagle, and seven pars. Even more impressive is that Furyk’s record-setting performance came just three years after he shot a 59 at the BMW Championship, making him the only player in PGA Tour history to break 60 twice in official events.
Furyk’s 58 is a testament to the potential low scores at TPC River Highlands, but it also speaks volumes about Furyk’s skill and precision. The round showed the importance of approach play and putting on this course, as Furyk found 18 of 18 greens in regulation and needed only 24 putts.
Cantlay’s 60
Patrick Cantlay made his breakthrough on the PGA Tour at this very event in 2011 as an amateur, shooting a 60 in the second round, which is the lowest round ever recorded by an amateur in a PGA Tour event.
There are low scores available here when the conditions are right, but it’s still a tough test golf with the winning score typically ending up around the mid teens below par.
Tournament Set-up:
TPC River Highlands
Par: 35-35–70
Yardage: 6,852
Architect (year): Pete Dye (1982)
Renovation Architect (year): Bobby Weed (1989)
Golf Course Dog: Shea, 2 1/2-year-old Labrador retriever
Average Green Size: 5,000 sq. ft.
Total Property Acres: 197
Acres of Fairway: 28
Acres of Rough: 110
Number of Sand Bunkers: 69
Number of Water Hazards: 4
Number of Holes Water is in Play: 5
Greens: Bentgrass / Poa annua .115”
Collars: Bentgrass / Poa annua .375”
Approaches: Bentgrass / Poa annua .375”
Tees: Bentgrass / Poa annua .375’
Fairways: Bentgrass / Poa annua .375’
Rough: Kentucky bluegrass / fescue 4”-plus
Links to DFS Army Tools
- PGA Research Station – Every single stat you could want for this week’s event!
- PGA Cheatsheets – Notes on all the viable players in the field
- PGA Domination Station – One-click Optimized Lineups in Seconds
Important Statistics
Strokes Gained: Key Statistics
To succeed at TPC River Highlands, players need to excel in the following areas:
- Strokes Gained: Approach (SG:APP): This stat is particularly crucial due to the course’s small greens, which place a premium on iron play.
- Strokes Gained: Off-the-Tee (SG:OTT): While the course isn’t long, it does require strategic shot placement off the tee due to numerous doglegs and well-placed hazards.
- Strokes Gained: Putting (SG:P): With smooth, fast greens, players who excel in putting can gain a significant advantage.
Key Factors Impacting Course Design
- Course Layout: TPC River Highlands is known for its unique, risk-reward layout. The closing stretch from holes 15 to 17 – dubbed the “Golden Triangle” – features a par-3, par-4, and par-5, providing an exciting finish.
- Pete Dye and Bobby Weed Influence: Dye’s influence can be seen in the course’s strategic bunkering and small, undulating greens. Weed’s modifications added an extra layer of strategic decision-making, and his amphitheater around the 18th green has only added to the excitement.
- Small Greens: The greens at TPC River Highlands are smaller than the average PGA Tour course, putting a premium on accuracy with iron shots, but also, potentially a premium on around the green play as well.
These key stats can serve as a starting point for evaluating a golfer’s potential success at TPC River Highlands. When building DFS lineups or making predictions, consider each player’s current form, tournament history, and how their skill set aligns with these crucial areas.
Golfers coming in 🔥🔥🔥
Scottie Scheffler: 64.13 SGT
Rory McIlroy: 47.13 SGT
Viktor Hovland: 42.49 SGT
Tommy Fleetwood: 33.6 SGT
Eric Cole: 32.47
Scheffler just with another top 5. Standard every week. Actually putted better this past week. Rory coming off another disappointing Sunday at a Major. Fleetwood went bonkers to back door top 10 and is really knocking on the door of a win.
Golfers with 🔥🔥🔥 Travelers History
Brian Harman: 36.92 SGT
Patrick Cantlay: 36.79 SGT
Chez Reavie: 31.82 SGT
Kevin Streelman: 29.85 SGT
Xander Schauffele: 22.85 SGT
Xander is the defending champion, and while he faded on the weekend, had a really solid US Open. Chez Reavie is WAY too cheap this week given his outstanding history here and current form.
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Weather:
We’ve been really lucky so far the last few months with the weather and this is another week where the weather looks great. No real crazy wind or rain, just 4 solid days of golf.
Final Thoughts:
As an elevated event in 2023, the Travelers Championship has an elite field. While the field is normally good because they treat the players, and the caddies, great here, It’s going to be fun to see the best of the best navigate this course. By understanding the course’s unique characteristics and tailoring our DFS strategy accordingly, we can put ourselves in a prime position to succeed. I will break it all down for our VIPs with my weekly PGA Cheatsheets! This is DFSUpNorth, Josh Thomas, signing off. Best of luck to everyone in their DFS contests this week. Let’s get those green screens!
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