Travelers Championship preview

The PGA Tour heads for Connecticut this week and the Travelers Championship at TPC River Highlands. Bubba Watson defends a title he won last year in a playoff against Scott Verplank and Corey Pavin.

Bubba Watson defends
Fergus Bisset
By
published

Lowdown: The PGA Tour heads for Connecticut this week and the Travelers Championship at TPC River Highlands. Bubba Watson defends a title he won last year in a playoff against Scott Verplank and Corey Pavin. TPC River Highlands was originally laid out in 1928 by Robert J. Ross and Maurice Kearney. At that time it was known as Edgewood Country Club. The course was redesigned by Pete Dye in 1982 and again by Bobby Weed in 1989. At just 6,841 yards it's one of the shorter layouts on the PGA Tour circuit. In fact, in 2011 only two courses on the schedule are shorter than River Highlands. The Travelers Championship has had a number of different guises since it was first contested in 1952. It began life as the Insurance City Open and, for a time, was hosted by Sammy Davis Jnr. Over the years there have been some famous winners of the event including Arnold Palmer, Charles Sifford, Lee Trevino and Greg Norman. Last season Bubba Watson came from six shots behind to force a playoff against Scott Verplank and 2010 Ryder Cup captain Corey Pavin. Watson secured the win at the second extra hole - his first PGA Tour victory. Phil Mickelson is the only man to have won the tournament in consecutive years, a feat he accomplished in 2001 and 2002. Watson will be looking to alter that fact when he tees it up tomorrow.

Venue: TPC River Highlands, Cromwell, Connecticut Date: Jun 23-26 Course stats: par 70, 6,841 yards Purse: $6,000,000 Winner: $1,080,000 Defending Champion: Bubba Watson (-14)

TV Coverage: Thursday 23 - Live on Sky Sports 3 from 8pm Friday 24 - Live on Sky Sports 3 from 8pm Saturday 25 - Live on Sky Sports 3 from 8pm Sunday 26 - Live on Sky Sports 2 from 8pm

Player Watch: David Toms - He's faltered a little in the last few weeks but he was on incredible form at the end of May, winning at Colonial and finishing runner-up in The Players. A shorter course tends to suit Toms and he was second here in 2009.

Zach Johnson - The former Masters champion looks to be coming back into form. He threatened to threaten last week at Congressional and has two top-10s on Tour since the start of May.

Bubba Watson - The defending champion will be looking for a good result here. He hasn't played well since winning in New Orleans but returning to this event could give him a little kick-start.

Key hole: 13th. A relatively short par 5 at just 523 yards. Everyone in the field should have the opportunity to get home in two, however, water waits short and a dangerous bunker lies over the back. It's a real risk and reward hole. Where next? European Tour: BMW International Open preview

Fergus Bisset
Fergus Bisset
Contributing Editor

Fergus is Golf Monthly's resident expert on the history of the game and has written extensively on that subject. He has also worked with Golf Monthly to produce a podcast series. Called 18 Majors: The Golf History Show it offers new and in-depth perspectives on some of the most important moments in golf's long history. You can find all the details about it here.

He is a golf obsessive and 1-handicapper. Growing up in the North East of Scotland, golf runs through his veins and his passion for the sport was bolstered during his time at St Andrews university studying history. He went on to earn a post graduate diploma from the London School of Journalism. Fergus has worked for Golf Monthly since 2004 and has written two books on the game; "Great Golf Debates" together with Jezz Ellwood of Golf Monthly and the history section of "The Ultimate Golf Book" together with Neil Tappin , also of Golf Monthly.

Fergus once shanked a ball from just over Granny Clark's Wynd on the 18th of the Old Course that struck the St Andrews Golf Club and rebounded into the Valley of Sin, from where he saved par. Who says there's no golfing god?

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