Travelers Championship: Fantasy Expert Picks

What: Travelers Championship
When: June 22^nd -€” 25^th
Where: TPC River Highlands
2016 Winner: Russell Knox (-14)
Purse: $6.8MM ($1.2MM to winner)

Course: TPC River Highlands. Designed in 1928 (Robert Ross and Maurice Kearney) and later remodeled by Pete Dye (1982) and Bobby Weed (1989), this 6,841, par 70 course recently went through a makeover with some modifications to bunkers, tee boxes and greens. This might appear as a different course for golfers where they will see bigger greens with more pin positions, improved bank edges and drainage through the course. The course has a mixture of length, short, bunkers, rolling hills and lakes spread throughout, to sum it up, it's a bit of everything. The final four holes stretch across a four acre lake and serve as the make or break holes for this course.

A Golfer.
Jason Day. 4^th in the Official World Golf Rankings, 1^st in strokes gained around the green and 29^th in strokes gained total. His 2017 season has oscillated from Missed Cuts to top 15 finishes often in back to back weeks. This is important as he has he has the following results off his last 5 missed cuts: MC, 9^th, 11^th, 5^th and 60^th (he missed the cut at the US Open last week) Beyond his strong rebounds after a missed cut, his last play here netted a 18^th place finish.

B Golfers:
Charley Hoffman. He is quietly sneaking up as one of the more consistent golfers this year. He's made 7 straight cuts with 3 top 25 finishes during that time. He is 36^th in strokes gained tee to green, 12^th in strokes gained off the tee. He finished 25^th in 2016, 26^th in 2014 and 7^th in 2013.

Bubba Watson. Here are his last 7 tournaments, tell me if you see a trend in every other tournament:
Arnold Palmer Invitational -€” 34^th
World Golf Championship -€” Dell Technologies -€” 9^th
Masters Tournament -€” Missed Cut
Zurich Classic of New Orleans -€” 5^th
The Players Championship -€” Missed Cut
The Memorial Tournament -€” 6^th
US Open -€” Missed Cut
Travelers Championship -€” Top ten finish??
It's not just the trend that has me thinking this, it's also his solid record here with a 25^th place finish in 2016, 1^st in 2015, 31^st in 2014 and 4^th in 2013.

C Golfer.
Graham Delaet. A tumultuous last 10 tournaments for the Boise State grad who has 4 missed cuts and 3 top ten finishes over that time. His driving and putting have been excellent as he sits 16^th in strokes gained off the tee and 20^th in strokes gained putting. He finished 4^th here in 2015, 51^st in 2014 and 3^rd in 2013.

Dark Horse:
Byeong Hun An. Much like Bubba Watson, he has a good track record after Missed Cuts. The first tournament after his last 5 missed cuts: 2^nd, Missed Cut, 11^th, 11^th and 8^th.  Prior to missing the cut at the US Open he had 3 consecutive top 25 finishes. He is 20^th in strokes gained off the tee, 15^th ins trokes gained approaching the green, 15^th in strokes gained tee to green and 30^th in strokes gained total.

Current Stats on picks so far this season:
A Golfers: Avg finish 44^th (34^th percentile)
B Golfers: Avg finish: 46th (34th percentile)
C Golfers: Avg finish: 54^th (41^st percentile)
Sleepers: Avg finish 46^th (35th percentile)
2017 average 133 golfers per tournament.