The Travelers Championship is well underway as the likes of Scottie Scheffler and Rory Mcilroy look to play their way into form and win the title.
Rory McIlroy talked about hitting his best form at the Travelers (Image: Getty Images)
The Travelers Championship is in full swing, bringing with it a fresh wave of golfing drama. Following last weekend’s US Open, which tested many of the sport’s leading figures thanks to the notoriously challenging Oakmont Country Club course, attention has now shifted to TPC River Highlands. Despite US Open champion J.J. Spaun currently finding the going tough in Connecticut, several of the game’s big names appear to be hitting their stride at the event.
Rory McIlroy, still smarting from a difficult outing at Oakmont, has confessed he’s aiming to regain his form at the Travelers. Scottie Scheffler is in the running for the tournament title, although he has expressed his dislike for the course with a strong snub. And while Colin Morikawa has resorted to extreme measures to clinch the PGA competition, Jordan Spieth endured a disappointing first – and final – day. Let’s delve into the latest golf news as the game’s finest look to pocket a tidy £2.7million ($3.6m) prize fund.
Jordan Spieth misses out
Spieth was compelled to withdraw mid-round from the Travelers Championship due to an ongoing neck and upper back injury. Thursday marked the 31-year-old’s first career withdrawal in an impressive 297 PGA Tour starts.
The injury occurred on the range before tee-off, and despite the American star soldiering on for 12 holes, he ultimately had to heed his body’s warning and retire from the day’s play.
Despite receiving treatment and using a massage gun, Spieth – who even roared in agony – was unable to alleviate his discomfort. “I just can’t do it man,” he said. “I just can’t finish a backswing.”
Jordan Spieth had to withdraw from a PGA Tour event for the first time (Image: Alex Goodlett/Getty Images)
Scottie Scheffler’s snub
When discussing his feelings about the TPC River Highlands, where the Travelers Championship is taking place, Scheffler did not hold back.
In response to whether he would welcome a course with less rough along the fairways, the world No. 1, and 2024 Travelers champion, gave a clear answer.
“No. I mean, with the way I play golf, the more rough typically is going to be better for me. I hit a lot of fairways, and a course like Oakmont I thought suited me really well just in terms of good ball-striking was going to be rewarded there for sure. I just wasn’t able to do it,” he said.
“I’ve always had a preference for the tougher tests that we have. That’s always been my preference since I was a young kid. I like the challenge of playing difficult golf courses, and I like the challenge of playing against really good fields, as well.”
Yet, Scheffler doesn’t seem to be having any trouble so far, as he is currently tied for the lead with Austin Eckroat at eight under.
Scottie Scheffler has discussed his preference for a tougher course (Image: Getty Images)
Rory McIlroy speaks out
McIlroy has emphatically stated “there’s no point” in fixating on winning the Travelers this weekend, as he aims to prioritise returning to peak form and showing consistency across the coming days.
Since clinching the Masters in April, it hasn’t been smooth sailing for the Northern Irish star. Setbacks at the RBC Canadian Open and PGA Championship were followed by a vexing performance at the US Open last weekend, where the infamously challenging fairways of Oakmont Country Club proved to be a tough obstacle.
However, the 36-year-old showcased a brilliant bogey-free round at the Travelers, notching up a series of birdies that propelled him to T3. Having previously shunned the press after his recent outings, McIlroy was open about his current objective: honing his game back into top shape.
“Yeah, it was good,” he said on his opening day in Connecticut. “I said yesterday, this is a nice tonic compared to last week in terms of it’s a slightly more benign golf course and the penalty for missing isn’t quite as severe.”
While there is a prize pot of £2.7m on the line, he added: “I just want to see some good golf and see some better shots. I think if you concentrate on that and you’re concentrating on your quality of golf and concentrating on just trying to play to the best of your ability, the result will take care of itself.
“There’s no point in thinking about the result right now. I’m just trying to play as good as I can and make good swings, and if I do that enough, more than likely I’ll find myself in a position to have a chance to win.”
Collin Morikawa has been experimenting with his gloves (Image: Getty Images)
Collin Morikawa’s drastic tactic
Collin Morikawa began his 2025 Travelers with a 3-under 67, tying for 15th. Yet fans couldn’t help but notice the star’s ever-changing glove routine during the first round, wearing it for some holes and going without for others.
The two-time major winner revealed on Thursday that he’s been experimenting in a bid to claim the perfect feel. He now looks to claim the hefty winner’s purse, that’s an offer to the winner, using the unique tactic.
“Look, our hands are what make us great,” Morikawa said. “There’s a feeling element to this, and for some reason, going without the glove helped this week. (The) problem is it’s really hot and it’s sweaty. Look, we’re crazy. Honestly, we’re crazy because we try a lot of things. But that’s what makes us really good; we’re trying to find the little things.”
