The First Look: THE CJ CUP @ NINE BRIDGES

Bubba Watson defends his title and seeks to join the late Billy Casper as the only four-time winner of Connecticut’s annual PGA TOUR stop, as the circuit switches coasts back from Pebble Beach for its 36th visit to TPC River Highlands. Brooks Koepka is slated to make the trek one week after his quest for a historic third consecutive U.S. Open title, while Phil Mickelson is set to end a 15-year absence from a place where he became the tournament’s only back-to-back winner in 2001 and ’02. FIELD NOTES: Patrick Cantlay, whose first visit to Greater Hartford as a 2011 amateur featured a 60, is back for his fifth appearance. He’s just three weeks removed from winning the Memorial Tournament for his second TOUR win. … Paul Casey, who couldn’t close out a four-shot lead heading to last year’s final round, is back in search of an elusive Hartford win. He also was a playoff loser to Watson in 2015. … England’s Tommy Fleetwood will get his first look at TPC River Highlands. … Outgoing U.S. Amateur champ Viktor Hovland and Oklahoma State teammate Matthew Wolff are set to make their professional debuts. Two other freshly minted pros accepted invites – Collin Morikawa makes his third pro start and Justin Suh his second. FEDEXCUP: Winner receives 500 points. STORYLINES: Watson, who preceded last year’s victory with playoff wins in 2010 and ’15, now sets his sights on Casper’s Hartford standard. Casper captured what was then the Insurance City Open in 1963, following with victories in ’65, ’68 and ’73. … A Watson triumph also would lift him alongside Mickelson as the event’s only back-to-back winner. … Mickelson sets foot at River Highlands for the first time since 2003, when he tied for 58th in his bid for a three-peat. That’s when the event was played in August, rather than following the U.S. Open. … Each of the past five Travelers champions has won after playing the U.S. Open, though Russell Knox’s 2016 victory gets an asterisk. An Olympic shakeup that year moved the Travelers back to August. … Just four New Englanders have won in Hartford, though two came back-to-back in 2005 (Brad Faxon) and 2006 (J.J. Henry). The others are Paul Azinger (1987, ’89) and Bob Toski (1953). … The Travelers has gone to a playoff in each of the previous three odd-year editions – 2017 (Jordan Spieth), 2015 (Watson), 2013 (Ken Duke). COURSE: TPC River Highlands, 6,841 yards, par 70. Located about midway between Hartford and New Haven, River Highlands is the third course to occupy the property and enters its 36th year as a PGA TOUR venue. Pete Dye oversaw a complete redesign of the former Edgewood Country Club in 1982, and Dye protégé Bobby Weed offered an upgrade nine years later in consultation with former TOUR pros Roger Maltbie and Howard Twitty. The spotlight falls on Nos. 15-17, which play around a four-acre lake and create a finish considered among the most thrilling on TOUR. River Highlands is the site of the TOUR’s only 58, when Jim Furyk reeled off 10 birdies and holed out for eagle at the par-4 No.3. For those visiting Greater Hartford, must-play courses include Lyman Orchards GC (Middlefield, Conn.) and Richter Park GC (Danbury, Conn.). Book your reservations via TeeOff.com. 72-HOLE RECORD: 258, Kenny Perry (2009). 18-HOLE RECORD: 58, Jim Furyk (4th round, 2016). LAST YEAR: Watson wiped out a six-shot deficit for the second time at River Highlands, chasing down Casey with a 7-under-par 63 for his third victory of the 2017-18 season. After posting 33 on the front side, the lefty heated up with five birdies after the turn. A birdie at the drivable par-4 15th lifted Watson into a tie with Casey, and he moved in front when his second shot at No.18 stopped 3 feet from the flagstick for a closing birdie. Casey followed up a Saturday 62 with a 72, falling into a share of second with Stewart Cink (62), Beau Hossler (66) and J.B. Holmes (67). Watson also overcame a six-shot deficit to win in 2010, eventually capturing a playoff with Corey Pavin and Scott Verplank for his first PGA TOUR victory. HOW TO FOLLOW TELEVISION: Thursday-Friday, 3-6 p.m. ET (Golf Channel). Saturday-Sunday, 1-2:45 p.m. (GC), 3-6 p.m. (CBS). PGA TOUR LIVE: Thursday-Friday, 7 a.m.-6 p.m. (featured groups). Saturday-Sunday, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. (featured groups), 3-6 p.m. (featured holes). International subscribers (via GOLF.tv): Thursday-Friday, 11:030 to 22:00 GMT. Saturday-Sunday, 13:00 to 22:00.  RADIO: Thursday-Friday, noon-6 p.m.; Saturday-Sunday, 1-6 p.m. (PGA TOUR Radio on SiriusXM and PGATOUR.com).

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Round 3 of the PGA Championship takes place Saturday from Kiawah Island. Phil Mickelson and Louis Oosthuizen share the lead at 5 under with two-time PGA champion Brooks Koepka one behind. Reigning Masters champ Hideki Matsuyama is T4 at 3 under along with a pair of South Africans in Branden Grace and Christiaan Bezuidenhout. Here’s everything you need to follow the action. Leaderboard Tee times HOW TO FOLLOW (All times ET) Television: Thursday-Friday, 7 a.m.-1 p.m. (ESPN+), 1 p.m.-7 p.m. (ESPN). Saturday-Sunday, 8 a.m.-10 a.m. (ESPN+), 10 a.m.-1 p.m. (ESPN), 1 p.m.-7 p.m. (CBS) Bonus: Thursday-Friday, Featured Group #1, 7 a.m.-7 p.m. (ESPN+), Thursday-Friday, Featured Group #2, #3, #4, 8 a.m.- 7 p.m. (ESPN+). Saturday-Sunday, Featured Group #1, #2, 8 a.m.-7 p.m. (ESPN+), Featured Group #3, #4, 8 a.m.-1 p.m. (ESPN+). Radio: Thursday – Sunday, 1 p.m.-7 p.m. ET (on SiriusXM 208, XM 92. Not available on PGA TOUR Digital platforms). NOTE: The PGA of America, who owns and operates the PGA Championship, controls all digital streaming and broadcast rights to this event. For more information on how to watch this week, please visit the PGA Championship website. PGA TOUR LIVE coverage will resume next week at the Charles Schwab Challenge. MUST READS Late carnage spares few at Kiawah Phil Mickelson ‘has the bit in his teeth’ at PGA Championship DJ, JT, Schauffele among those to miss cut Details on Mickelson’s new custom driver Win probabilities: PGA Championship No. 17 provides best theater again at Ocean Course Morikawa’s shot heard ’round the world

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As I explained in the Fantasy Insider on Tuesday, even if you’ve exhausted one start per each of six golfers during every event of Segment 4, you cannot burn through so many starts as to be left without a full lineup for the TOUR Championship. However, who you save and for when still matters. With THE NORTHERN TRUST leading off the FedExCup Playoffs, the focus drifts outside the top 10 to see who your opposition might be reserving for later. Rickie Fowler (11th), defending champion Patrick Reed (14th) and Jason Day (12th) jump off the screen, although with two majors and a World Golf Championship previously in the Segment, it’s possible that gamers are already out of starts on one or more of those guys. Stay tuned. It’s interesting that Hideki Matsuyama paces the field of 120 with less than 50 percent. While that’s a low leader as compared to most weeks, it could become the norm as gamers scramble to fill rosters the rest of the way. PGA TOUR Fantasy Golf presented by SERVPRO NOTE: Rob’s Rating refers to where our Fantasy Insider slotted a golfer in his Power Rankings (“PR”) and other preview material. Golfers in the Power Rankings and outside the top 10 in most owned: Other notables: PGA TOUR Fantasy One & Done presented by SERVPRO Well, here we go. With the potential of 8,000 FedExCup points to be collected, this game takes on an entirely different feel during the FedExCup Playoffs. As a result, and assuming all gamers are aware of how performance is measured for the remainder of the season, we’re going to get a terrific sense of who’s left on the board and who’s already been burned. On cue, we’re treated to the sensible timing of sending Jason Day out as the majority pick for THE NORTHERN TRUST. Of all of the faces of the sport, he’s at the top of the list of guys who misfired more often than not during the PGA TOUR Season, so it stands to reason that he’s the most available right now. If you visit this space again during the last three tournaments, get used to seeing Rickie Fowler, Jordan Spieth and Rory McIlroy outside the top 10. Of the trio, only Spieth presents as a possibility to sneak back inside if not threaten for the top spot at the TOUR Championship. There’s so much to learn about how other gamers plan for the Playoffs. And so much to gain. Other notables:

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