KSR Golf: Travelers Championship

After a thrilling U.S. Open week at The Country Club, the PGA Tour will be making the short drive down the road to TPC River Highlands. KSR Golf will look to remain hot.

There is some more significant movement towards LIV Golf in the news, but for now we’re staying focused on the PGA Tour. It’s time to find some winners at the Travelers in what is yearly one of the most underrated tournaments on the schedule.

Course layout

TPC River Highlands (Cromwell, Conn.) is a Par 70 design from Pete Dye that has a very short track. Measuring in at just 6,841 yards, gaining strokes off of the tee will have less value this week. Meanwhile, the layout gets tricky around the green.

Due to this design, this tournament does not usually become a birdie party. Players have to grind to get circles on the scorecard typically. Throughout the history of this event, multiple players with different strengths have been able to record wins.

Last year, Harris English recorded a wild win in a playoff with Kramer Hickok that went on for eight sudden-death holes. There could be numerous different outcomes this weekend.

With a full field of 156 players, the cut line will be the typical 65 plus ties after 36 holes.

Advanced stat of the week

In many ways, this tournament is a wild card as a winner could come from anywhere. For KSR Golf, we’re sticking with the strokes gained approach method as driving won’t have as much value, and the greens can be tricky. Players who create the easiest putts should have the best advantage.

Sam Burns currently ranks No. 4 overall in strokes gained approach on the tour as the 25-year-old is the highest-ranked approach player in the field. The LSU product has climbed into the OWGR top-10 with three wins this season and eight top-10 finishes in 18 starts. Burns will have value again this week at 18/1 to win at DraftKings.

Luckett’s Locks

Xander Schauffele has quietly logged four consecutive top-20 finishes since the Masters and is No. 12 in strokes gained approach. The 28-year-old is still a top-15 player who has begun to regain his old form. Schauffele is due for a win and will be our pick this week at 20/1.

Aaron Wise continues to play some good golf as the 25-year-old has made six consecutive cuts with a pair of top-10 finishes. The Oregon product is inside the top-20 of strokes gained approach to go along with the recent good form. Let’s lock in a top-20 finish (+180).

Tony Finau has not played well at majors but has immediately bounced back to log a pair of top-five finishes after both the Masters and PGA Championship. Thanks to a No. 19 strokes gained approach ranking, the 32-year-old fits this week. KSR Golf is rolling with a top-10 play (4/1).

Austin Smotherman has made six consecutive cuts with a pair of top-40 finishes. At No. 33 in strokes gained approach, the former SMU golfer has value. Let’s lock in a top-40 finish (2/1) for the 28-year-old.