5 Big Names To Watch At The Travelers Championship

It's time for one of the most loved PGA Tour events to return as the Travelers Championship gets set to begin in Hartford, Connecticut at TPC River Highlands.

The event is always well attended by many of the PGA Tour's finest but this year is slightly different as it has been elevated as one of the tour's 'designated' events, meaning it carries a huge $20m purse and a field made up of nearly all of the top players on the tour.

The event dates back to 1952 and has been played at TPC River Highlands since 1984.

After the thrilling US Open last week at Los Angeles Country Club, a number of big names will be arriving in Connecticut in great form, especially some notable TaylorMade players including Rory McIlroy, Rickie Fowler, Scottie Scheffler and Rickie Fowler, who were all inside the top five at Los Angeles Country Club.

Here we take a look at why they might be able to continue their form into this week and get their name on the Travelers Championship trophy on Sunday evening...

Travelers Championship Key Info

5 Players To Watch At The Travelers Championship

Rory McIlroy

• World Ranking: 3
• PGA Tour wins: 23

View Rory McIlroy What's in the bag?

McIlroy arguably played the best golf of anyone last week, leading the field in greens in regulation at LACC. Unfortunately his bogey on the par 5 14th ultimately cost him a chance of a playoff but a 2nd place finish shows that his game is in great shape for the rest of the summer.

The Northern Irishman was top-20 here last year so clearly likes the course and will surely be towards the upper echelons of the leaderboard as he looks to pick up his first PGA Tour win of 2023 and second victory in total after winning the Dubai Desert Classic in January.

Scottie Scheffler

• World Ranking: 1
• PGA Tour wins: 6

View Scottie Scheffler What's in the bag?

The World No.1 simply can't stop featuring near the top of leaderboards, with his T5 at the US Open incredibly being his ninth top-five of 2023 already (which includes two victories as well!)

Scheffler was 3rd in LA and, like McIlroy, looks destined to be challenging for another win this week.

The Texan ranks 1st in the PGA Tour's strokes gained category for off tee tee, tee to green, approach and total this season but is down in 138th for putting - although he ranked T21st on the greens at LA Country Club so perhaps his fortunes are beginning to turn with the flat stick.

A good putting week for the 26-year-old will make him almost impossible to beat.

Rickie Fowler

• World Ranking: 35
• PGA Tour wins: 5

View Rickie Fowler What's in the bag?

Rickie so nearly won his maiden Major title last week in what was one of his career-best performances through three days in LA. He made more birdies than anyone at the US Open (23) and ranked T3rd in putting for the week.

The five-time PGA Tour winner and two-time DP World Tour victor became the first man in history to shoot 62 in a US Open and is now one of three men to have carded the magic number in Major championships.

His T5 was his best Major finish in over five years and his world ranking continues to climb. It's now up to 35th, having been outside the top 100 at the end of 2022. 

He'll surely fancy his chances to win his first PGA Tour title since February 2019 this week.

Tommy Fleetwood

• World Ranking: 20
• DP World Tour wins: 6

View Tommy Fleetwood What's in the bag?

After his agonising playoff defeat at the RBC Canadian Open, Fleetwood followed it up with some more brilliant golf at the US Open with a T5th.

The Englishman shot a 63 in the final round at LACC to become the first man in history to shoot multiple 63s in US Open final rounds, after also doing it at Shinnecock Hills in 2018.

Fleetwood really is looking back, or at least very close, to his best this year with a T5 at the US Open, 2nd at the RBC Canadian Open, T5 at the Wells Fargo Championship and T3 in the Valspar Championship over the past few months.

Surprisingly he still hasn't won on the PGA Tour yet, but it's surely only a matter of time. 

Collin Morikawa

• World Ranking: 19
• PGA Tour wins: 5

View Collin Morikawa What's in the bag?

Morikawa got off to a slow start in the US Open and looked close to missing the cut on Friday but he rallied with three birdies in his final four holes to card a 69 and comfortably make it into the weekend.

He then shot back-to-back 69s on Saturday and Sunday to rise up the leaderboard and post a T14 finish.

The two-time Major champion has had an average start to the year by his very high standards but his impressive finish at the US Open could be the catalyst for a win this week and a glorious summer as he looks to book his spot in his second Ryder Cup later this year.

For more on all of TaylorMade's Tour Staff and the company's products, visit the TaylorMade Golf website