Travelers Championship Tee Times: Big Names, Local Storylines, and a Pretty Spicy Afternoon Wave
The Travelers Championship has a way of feeling bigger than its spot on the calendar. Maybe it's the packed galleries at TPC River Highlands. Maybe it's the short, risk-reward layout that turns quiet rounds into chaos in about 20 minutes. Or maybe it's because this year's field has just enough star power, local flavor, and post-major intrigue to make the first two rounds worth circling.
This week marks the final Signature Event of the PGA Tour season, and the pairings reflect it. Wyndham Clark arrives fresh off his U.S. Open win and gets a fitting opening draw alongside Tommy Fleetwood at 2:05 p.m. ET on Thursday. Just one group ahead, Scottie Scheffler tees off with Sam Burns at 1:55 p.m. ET, giving the afternoon wave a clear don't leave your desk early unless you've got the stream ready feel.
Keegan Bradley will also have plenty of attention on him. The defending champion and New England favorite goes out with Jordan Spieth at 1:45 p.m. ET Thursday, a pairing that should have one of the better gallery vibes of the day. Bradley has built a special relationship with this tournament, and coming back to Connecticut as the reigning champ only adds to it.
One of the more interesting local storylines is Ben James, the Connecticut-born rookie who recently turned pro. He opens with Tony Finau at 9:05 a.m. ET Thursday, which is not a bad way to begin life in a PGA Tour Signature Event. That pairing should be especially fun for fans who like tracking the next wave of young American talent.
Rory McIlroy is the notable absence this week, with his attention already shifting toward The Open Championship. Still, the Travelers field is hardly lacking. Collin Morikawa and Xander Schauffele go together at 10:55 a.m. ET Thursday, while Matt Fitzpatrick and Justin Thomas tee off at 10:40 a.m. ET. Ludvig Aberg, Hideki Matsuyama, Patrick Cantlay, Viktor Hovland, Jordan Spieth, and Adam Scott are all in the mix as well.
Friday flips the draw, which means the Clark-Fleetwood group gets an earlier slot at 10:55 a.m. ET, while Scheffler and Burns go at 10:40 a.m. ET. Bradley and Spieth tee off at 10:30 a.m. ET, so the late-morning window on Friday might be the best stretch of the first two days.
TPC River Highlands usually rewards players who can stay aggressive without getting reckless. That's what makes these pairings interesting. Scheffler is the obvious measuring stick. Clark is riding major-winning momentum. Fleetwood is still chasing that long-awaited PGA Tour breakthrough. Bradley has the home-region energy. Spieth can make a normal Thursday feel like a coin flip. And Aberg remains one of those players you don't want to look up and suddenly see five under through 11.
The Travelers rarely needs much help creating drama, but this year's opening tee sheet gives it a nice head start.
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