Inside the Field: RBC Heritage

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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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Here are nine tidbits from the final round of the 118th United States Open that gamers can use tomorrow, this weekend or down the road. Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in Southampton, N.Y., is hosting for the fifth time in history and plays 7,440 yards to a Par-70. National Champion Again Brooks Koepka fired a final round 68 to post 281 to win his second consecutive United States Open. The podium was rounded off by Englishman Tommy Fleetwood (282) and 2016 champion Dustin Johnson (283). There were plenty of questions about the selection and set-up of Erin Hills last year. Koepka couldn’t care less about those questions as he beat that Par-72 windless layout into oblivion. The course with wide fairways and huge greens with four Par-5 holes didn’t resemble a “true” U.S. Open layout or challenge. Koepka’s winning score of 16-under tied the record in relation to par and people grumbled. He returned as the reigning champion this year, hustling to get into form because of a wrist injury suffered late last year, to a course that was the quintessential opposite of the one he defeated, rather easily, last year. The beast that is Shinnecock Hills would test his wrist, mettle and entire bag and he passed again with flying colors. Koepka finished second in driving distance yet just T55 in fairways. He found 49 of 72 GIR, the fourth-best effort of the week. He circled 14 birdies, also the fourth-best effort. His final round in the penultimate group with buddy Dustin Johnson saw him circle five birdies against just one bogey before his safety-first approach on the final green with a two-shot lead. I can hear the gamers screaming “where were you last week in Memphis” as he was the most-selected player in both PGA TOUR games. Given the choice of last week versus this week, I can’t argue with you. Only six previous players have defended their title so winning this week would be some feat at just 28. With Koepka winning on a “new” school course followed by a historical classic, it’s clear he’s worthy of a look regardless of the event. His last 11 majors have included two titles and nothing worse than T21 as he cements his place as one of the young studs on TOUR. Know Thy Enemy These were the top-10 selected golfers, plus one, in the PGA TOUR Fantasy Golf game presented by SERVPRO. Rickie Fowler’s weekend of 84-65 was interesting so hopefully gamers played him on the right day! Based on the above, some might have been stuck, like I was, using him in both rounds. Luckily for me I had Mickelson with him on Saturday and they earned me MINUS FIVE points. Not awesome. PAIN OR GAIN These were the top-10 selected golfers (plus one) in the PGA TOUR Fantasy One & Done presented by SERVPRO: Tough week for Johnson’s investors but a podium finish is a little easier to take than a few of the results on the table above. Only one guy can win but it’s evident this THE major to play Johnson. Tommy, Boy! Tommy Fleetwood adds his name to the list of players who have signed for 63 in a major championship. He also adds his name to the list of players that didn’t win while doing so. His eight birdies, after making zero during a 78 in Round 3, were cancelled out by just one bogey. He had an eight-footer on the last to tie the major championship record of 62 set just last summer at Royal Birkdale by Braden Grace. Fleetwood backed up his fourth-place money at Erin Hills last year with solo second Sunday, his best finish in a major. Just Missed, Again Dustin Johnson’s U.S Open history is colorful, pitiful and filled with plenty of “what if” and this edition adds to this novel. He was magnificent over the first 36 holes on the more difficult side of the draw, leading by four at the half-way point. His weekend saw him post 77 in Round 3 and yet began the final round tied for first. His final round of 70, even par, wasn’t good enough to win, force a playoff or even take home second place alone. Yeah, it was a strange week to say the least. Captain America Patrick Reed improved every round and his 68 on Sunday was the best of the bunch. He birdied five of his first seven holes to ignite the grand slam conversation. He ran out of magic as he came home in 37 but his last three finishes in a major are stout. He was T2 at the PGA Championship, picked up his first major at Augusta and solo fourth, his best finish and first top-10 payday at the U.S. Open. Drive for Dough Entering the week Tony Finau (5th) checked in at No. 2 in driving distance and No. 195 in driving accuracy. The first number was a plus but the second surely had to be a hindrance. Nope. He found just enough fairways (T51) and GIR (T12) that led to 17 birdies, the most in the event. Playing with Daniel Berger in the final group after his outstanding 66 Saturday morning, his 72 led to his second consecutive top-10 payday in the majors. This one did not involve a dislocated ankle though! Finau has a top 10 at every major with the exception of the Open Championship. Length travels. Sunday Silence Playing in his first final group in a major Daniel Berger signed for 73 and shared sixth. He’s now cashed at Pinehurst, Oakmont and Shinnecock Hills while just missing at Erin Hills. His worst finish in three Masters is T32. These are clues folks! This experience will be stored away in the memory bank for next time. He’ll be in play for gamers this week at the Travelers Championship as he lost in a playoff to Spieth last year. … Justin Rose was stalking the lead entering the weekend but 73-73 in the final 36 holes knocked him back to T10. That’s four top 10’s in just seven of 13 made cuts for the Englishman in this event. This one stings for gamers as he was one out of the lead on the first tee Sunday. … Jim Furyk began the day T7 and shot 80 to finish T48. Study Hall The final round scoring average was 72.180 (+2.180), the easiest round of the week by almost 1.5 shots. After the uproar on Saturday I don’t think many gamers were surprised to see birdies and lack of others in the final round. … The scoring average for the week was 74.650 as 67 players who made the cut finished worse than par. … There were zero bogey-free rounds recorded for the round and for the week. … LSU rising senior Luis Gagne and Mid Amateur champ Matt Parziale shared the low amateur (T48).

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