Travelers Championship: Daily Fantasy Picks and Helper

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Travelers Championship: Daily Fantasy Picks and Helper

After a thrilling week at Pinehurst No 2. that ended with Bryson DeChambeau capturing the second major -- and second U.S. Open -- of his career, the focus returns to the PGA Tour for the eighth and final signature event of the season: the Travelers Championship at TPC River Highlands in Connecticut.

Here's all you need to know for PGA DFS on FanDuel for the Travelers Championship.

PGA Daily Fantasy

Travelers Championship Info

Recent Winning Scores: -23, -19, -13, -19, -17
Recent Cut Lines: -4, E, E, -4, -2

TPC River Highlands Course Info

All course data from GCSAA unless otherwise noted.

Par: 70
Distance: 6,835 yards (280 yards shorter than an average Par 70)
Average Fairway Width: 37.6 yards (74th of 86 courses)
Average Green Size: 5,000 (small)
Green Type: Bentgrass/Poa Mix
Stimpmeter: N/A

TPC River Highlands Key Stats

Travelers Championship DFS Top Plays

These picks stand out relative to their FanDuel daily fantasy golf salary. All stats cited below originate at datagolf and reference ranks relative to the field over the past 50 rounds unless otherwise noted. All betting odds come from the golf betting odds at FanDuel Sportsbook.

Travelers Championship Daily Fantasy Studs

Scottie Scheffler ($13,200 | +400)

For the first time since October of 2022, Scottie Scheffler finished outside the top 40 in a golf tournament last week. His T41 finish at the U.S Open was his first time finishing worse than T17 this season and just his second time finishing worse than T23 in his last 25 starts.

Outside of the first round, Scheffler was good off the tee (31st in strokes gained: off the tee) at Pinehurst No. 2, his approach play (4th) was solid all week, and he had good and bad rounds around the greens (29th). His putting, however, was poor for the entire event -- he finished 70th among 74 cut-makers in strokes gained: putting, losing 1.49 strokes per round.

To say the least, things should be a bit easier at TPC River Highlands this week, a course that demands accuracy off the tee but is one of the shortest on the PGA Tour. Scheffler finished T4 here last season and checks several key boxes this week.

Strokes gained approach? First in the field. Birdie or Better Rate -- first on the PGA Tour (28.18%) by a significant margin (2.74%). Proximity from 175 yards or less? In 2024, according to data golf, Scheffler is in the 98th percentile in proximity from 50-100 yards and the 99th percentile in proximity and strokes gained per shot from both 100-150 yards and 150-200 yards.

Given his history with the flat stick, Scheffler's struggles putting last week were a bit concerning, but that one data point, at an extremely difficult golf course, doesn't change his outlook. At a course that perfectly fits his approach game, I'm expecting a bounce back.

Xander Schauffele ($12,100 | +800)

Looking at past winning scores, it's going to take a low number to take down the tournament this week -- which will require good approach play and great putting, two things Xander Schauffele has.

Schauffele is the only golfer in the field that ranks inside the top 10 in both strokes gained: approach (third) and strokes gained: putting (third). He is third on the PGA Tour this season in Birdie or Better Rate (25.05%).

One potential concern for Schauffele is that, unlike Scheffler, his approach game this season has been better from longer distances. In 2024, he is in the 74th percentile in proximity from 150-200 yards, 38th from 100-150, and 53rd from 50-100. Increasing the sample size to the last two years improves those numbers across the board.

Schauffele's putting can make up for those slightly worse approach numbers -- he gained +1.64 strokes putting per round here in 2023 and +2.01 per round in 2022 when he won the event.

Others to Consider:

Ludvig Åberg ($11,800 | +1600)
Collin Morikawa ($11,500 | +1200)
Tommy Fleetwood ($10,400 | +4000)
Brian Harman ($10,000 | +4000)

Travelers Championship Daily Fantasy Mid-Range Plays

Christiaan Bezuidenhout ($9,200 | +9000)

Christiaan Bezuidenhout finished T32 at the U.S. Open last week, extending his excellent form on and around the greens. He was closer to average on strokes gained off the tee (+0.07) and on approach (-0.01) due to a lack of distance. This week at TPC River Highlands, his lack of distance won't hurt him as much off the tee or on approach.

On approach shots from 150-200 yards in 2024, Bezuidenhout is in the 68th percentile in proximity. From 100-150, his proximity jumps up to the 96th percentile, and his strokes gained per shot is in the 98th percentile. From 50-100 yards, he is in the 89th percentile in proximity and 91st in strokes gained per shot. Off the tee, he is 70th in the field in distance but 30th in accuracy.

Bezuidenhout is second in the field this week in strokes gained: putting -- he has gained strokes with the flat stick in 11 of his last 12 events and is averaging +0.77 strokes gained: putting per round in 2024 -- tied with 2020 for a career-best. If he can pair his usual putting with an improved tee to green game thanks to the shorter yardages at TPC River Highlands, Bezuidenhout can have an excellent week.

Denny McCarthy ($9,000 | +9000)

Denny McCarthy finished T32 at Pinehurst last week, gaining strokes in every category except approach, where he was incredibly close (-0.01) to the field average.

McCarthy's skill with the flat stick is well documented: he is first in the field in strokes gained: putting and is consistently one of the best, if not the best, putters on tour. Even by his own high standards, he is having an excellent season, his +0.95 strokes gained: putting per round is the second-highest mark of his career and highest since 2020 (+1.02).

Given his prowess with the putter, any time we get a course that helps mitigate McCarthy's weaknesses from tee-to-green, he deserves to be in consideration. That is exactly what we have at the Travelers this week. McCarthy is more accurate (32nd) than long (66th), and his lack of distance won't hurt him this week. On proximity from 150 yards plus, McCarthy is in the 41st percentile from 150-200 and 10th percentile from 200 plus. From 100-150 that jumps to the 76th percentile and from 50-100 it sits in the 61st percentile.

In six appearances here McCarthy has only finished better than T47 once -- his T7 finish last year. It was also the only time McCarthy has ever gained strokes on approach at the event. He arrives at this week in the middle of the best strokes gained: approach season (+0.12) of his career.

Others to Consider:

Russell Henley ($9,900 | +3500)
Corey Conners ($9,700 | +4500)
Sepp Straka ($9,600 | +5000)

Travelers Championship Daily Fantasy Value Plays

Tom Hoge ($8,900 | +10000)

Tom Hoge missed the cut at the U.S. Open due to some struggles around the green (-1.85 strokes: around the green per round), but he gained strokes in every other category. He has poor course history at TPC River Highlands, with no finishes better than T35 and three missed cuts in nine appearances, but there are some reasons for optimism this week.

Hoge is fourth in the field in strokes gained: approach, and his strokes gained approach average (+1.08 per round) is the best of his career. His approach game is elite from a key distance this week. In 2024, from 100-150 yards he is in the 99th percentile in strokes gained per shot and 98th in proximity -- behind only Scottie Scheffler in this week's field.

Hoge is 61st in the field in driving distance but 16th in accuracy. He is also sixth on tour this season in Birdie or Better Rate. Though Hoge isn't an exceptional putter, he is having the best season of his career with the flat stick (+0.29 strokes gained: putting). He has performed decently at the seven signature events this season with four finishes of T18 or better, including two top 10 finishes.

J.T. Poston ($8,900 | +10000)

J.T. Poston has started to find some form again after an excellent start to 2024 which was followed by a slump. After finishing T11 or better in four of his first six events, he had just once finish better than T30 in seven starts from March through the PGA Championship. In his three events since, he finished T12 (Charles Schwab Challenge), T22 (the Memorial Tournament), and T32 (U.S. Open).

Poston finished T2 at the Travelers in 2022 but has missed the cut here in each of his five other appearances, usually due to poor approach play. He is 50th in the field in strokes gained approach but is much better from 100-150 yards (86th percentile in proximity) and 150-200 yards (72nd in proximity). Outside of those ranges in either direction, Poston's approach game falls off significantly, but 67.3% of approach shots at the 2023 Travelers Championship came from 100-200 yards -- above the PGA Tour average for every range bucket except 175-200.

Poston is 35th in the field in strokes gained: putting, 26th in strokes gained: around the green, and 9th in driving accuracy. He is also 38th on the tour this season in Birdie or Better Rate.

It's been an up and down season for Poston so far, but overall, he is playing the best golf of his career, with a total strokes gained average (+1.06) that is a fourth of a stroke better than his previous best (+0.81 strokes in 2023).

Others to Consider:

Taylor Pendrith ($8,700 | +15000)
Emiliano Grillo ($7,300 | +30000)
Andrew Putnam ($7,200 | +30000)

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Looking to use your knowledge to build some daily fantasy golf lineups? Check out all of this week's contests over at FanDuel and all golf betting odds and markets at FanDuel Sportsbook.

The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.

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