PGA Tour Travelers Championship is a Wide Open Affair
The PGA Tour’s 2025 season reaches its crescendo with the Travelers Championship. It is the final Signature Event of the year. The tournament tees off on Thursday, June 19, at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, Connecticut. Following a grueling U.S. Open at Oakmont, this no-cut, 72-player field promises a birdie-fest, a stark contrast to last week’s punishing major.
The Travelers Championship has a $20 million purse—$3.6 million for the winner—and 700 FedEx Cup points up for grabs. The world’s elite golfers are set to battle on one of the Tour’s most beloved stops. Among them are 45 of the top 50 in the Official World Golf Ranking. Here’s what you need to know about the 2025 Travelers Championship. Learn about the course and favorites. Discover longshots, history, viewing options, and weather.
Course Description: TPC River Highlands
TPC River Highlands is a par-70 layout stretching 6,844 yards. It is the shortest course on the PGA Tour this season. It makes it a haven for precision over power. Designed by Pete Dye, the course emphasizes accurate iron play. It requires deft putting on its small, Bentgrass greens. These greens are the third smallest on Tour in 2025.
Tight fairways and tree-lined holes demand positional play. Reachable par-4s, like the drivable 15th, and two par-5s offer scoring opportunities. The closing stretch—15 through 18—is iconic. The par-3 16th and tough par-4s at 17 and 18 often decide the outcome. Historically, low scores dominate. Scottie Scheffler won at -22 in 2024. Keegan Bradley won at -23 in 2023. Jim Furyk holds the PGA Tour record with a 58 in 2016. Cameron Young’s 59 last year underscores the course’s scorable nature, but its small greens punish errant approaches.
Travelers Championship Tournament History
Since 1952, the Travelers Championship has been a PGA Tour staple, hosted at TPC River Highlands since 1984. Originally the Insurance City Open, it evolved into a marquee event, gaining Signature Event status in 2023. Past champions include legends like Arnold Palmer, Phil Mickelson, and Bubba Watson, who won three times.
Recent years have seen dramatic finishes. Jordan Spieth’s bunker hole-out in 2017 was memorable. Harris English’s playoff victory in 2021 added excitement. Scheffler’s playoff win over Tom Kim in 2024 was another highlight. The event is a player and fan favorite. Its electric Northeast crowds and absence of a 36-hole cut ensure four days of star-studded action.
Five former champions are returning for the 2025 field. They include Scheffler (2024), Xander Schauffele (2022), Keegan Bradley (2023), Jordan Spieth (2017), and Harris English (2021).
Updated Odds to Win (via MyBookie Sportsbook, June 18, 2025)
- Scottie Scheffler: +290
- Rory McIlroy: +1275
- Xander Schauffele: +1550
- Collin Morikawa: +1600
- Ludvig Åberg: +2400
- Patrick Cantlay: +2200
- Justin Thomas: +2800
- Viktor Hovland: +3000
- Tommy Fleetwood: +3200
- Sam Burns: +3400
- Keegan Bradley: +3400
- J.J. Spaun: +5000
- Robert MacIntyre: +3800
- Ben Griffin: +4900
- Brian Harman: +7000
- Tom Kim: +8500
- Andrew Novak: +1100
***Full Odds to Win are at the end of the article
Favorites to Win and Why
Scottie Scheffler (+290): The World No. 1 and defending champion is the prohibitive favorite, and for good reason. Scheffler’s 2025 season includes three wins, including the PGA Championship, and a T-7 at the U.S. Open despite a cold putter. His tee-to-green dominance—leading the Tour in strokes gained: approach and total—suits TPC River Highlands’ premium on precision. Last year’s playoff victory over Tom Kim marked his sixth win of 2024, and his post-major form (wins after the 2024 Masters and U.S. Open) suggests he’s primed to join Phil Mickelson as the only back-to-back Travelers champion. Scheffler’s consistency and course fit make him the man to beat.
Xander Schauffele (+1550): The 2022 Travelers champion, Schauffele brings a strong track record to Cromwell, with five top-20s in six starts here. Despite no wins since last year’s Open Championship, his all-around game thrives on shorter courses. He ranks top-20 in strokes gained: tee-to-green and putting. A T-7 at the U.S. Open shows he’s peaking, but his 126th ranking in strokes gained: putting could be a concern in a birdie-fest. Schauffele’s familiarity with TPC River Highlands and Signature Event pedigree make him a serious contender.
Collin Morikawa (+1600): Morikawa’s winless 2025 campaign belies his elite form, with three top-25s in his last four starts. His iron play—seventh in strokes gained: approach over his last 16 rounds—is tailor-made for TPC River Highlands’ small greens. A T-13 here last year, despite a final-round 71, suggests room for improvement. Morikawa’s accuracy off the tee and short-game skills position him well. He is poised for a breakthrough seventh PGA Tour title. This is especially possible if his putter cooperates after a frustrating U.S. Open.
Longshots to Watch
Viktor Hovland (+3000): Hovland’s boom-or-bust 2025 season—two top-3s but three missed cuts—makes him a high-risk, high-reward bet. His third-place finish at the U.S. Open, powered by sixth-ranked strokes gained: approach (0.748), signals a resurgence. Although he finished outside the top-10 at TPC River Highlands four times, his seven PGA Tour wins demonstrate his skill. His birdie-making ability (20th in birdie average) also offers value at 35-1. If his putter heats up, Hovland could surprise.
Tommy Fleetwood (+3200): Fleetwood’s consistency in Signature Events—three top-7s in his last five—makes him a compelling longshot. Ranking 11th in strokes gained: approach (0.608) and 21st in putting average (1.728), he’s built for TPC River Highlands’ demands. A missed cut at the U.S. Open followed three top-7s in five starts, suggesting a bounce-back is likely. At 40-1, Fleetwood’s iron play and course fit offer big upside.
Brian Harman (+7000): The 2025 Valero Texas Open winner has a stellar Travelers history, with seven top-10s in the last 10 years, including a T-9 last year with a final-round 62. His T-3 at Harbour Town, a comparable Pete Dye design, highlights his fit for TPC River Highlands. At 80-1, Harman’s short-game wizardry and course comfort make him a dark horse for a second 2025 win.
How to Watch
The 2025 Travelers Championship will be broadcast across Golf Channel and CBS, with streaming available on ESPN+ and Peacock:
- Thursday, June 19: 3 p.m.–6 p.m. ET (Golf Channel)
- Friday, June 20: 3 p.m.–6 p.m. ET (Golf Channel)
- Saturday, June 21: 1 p.m.–3 p.m. ET (Golf Channel), 3 p.m.–6:30 p.m. ET (CBS)
- Sunday, June 22: 1 p.m.–3 p.m. ET (Golf Channel), 3 p.m.–6 p.m. ET (CBS)
Live streaming will be available on ESPN+ from morning to evening each day. Featured group coverage is also provided. Peacock offers simulcasts of Golf Channel’s broadcasts.
Weather Forecast
The forecast for Cromwell, Connecticut, looks favorable for low scoring. Thursday and Friday will bring partly cloudy skies. Look for highs of 82°F and a light 5-10 mph breeze, which is ideal for attacking pins. Saturday may see a slight chance of afternoon showers, with temperatures around 80°F and winds at 10-15 mph. Sunday should clear up, with sunny conditions, highs of 84°F, and minimal wind. Soft greens from recent rain could enhance scoring, but players must navigate potential gusts on exposed holes like the 16th.
Final Thoughts
The 2025 Travelers Championship promises a thrilling conclusion to the PGA Tour’s Signature Event slate. Scottie Scheffler aims to repeat his success. The field is loaded with talent. Xander Schauffele and Collin Morikawa loom as threats. Meanwhile, longshots like Viktor Hovland and Tommy Fleetwood could steal the show. TPC River Highlands’ scorable layout and rich history ensure drama, with the no-cut format keeping stars in contention all week. Tune in to witness golf’s best battle for glory in Connecticut’s summer sun.
Odds to Win the 2025 Travelers Championship
Sources: CBSSports.com, SportsLine.com, PGATour.com, GolfMonthly.com, MyBookie.ag
Please read our Review of MyBookie and pick out one of our solid options. Don’t pass on our Professional Handicappers as well. All Your Sports Picks in One Place!!