Travelers Championship power rankings: Top 10 at TPC River Highlands

Yes, Rory McIlroy added the Travelers Championship to his schedule basically because the Tour told him he had to. However, just because he needed to add a tournament he hadn’t played in the previous four seasons, doesn’t mean he made that decision lightly.

McIlroy, announcing this addition to his schedule back in February, said that TPC River Highlands should set up well for his game, and that he was excited to be playing it for the first time. Putting aside the PR speak for a moment, if McIlroy is healthy, there really aren’t any courses that don’t fit his all-world game.

That’s the only question as it relates to Rory, though. In his first four stroke-play events of the year, McIlroy finished in the top ten in all four. However, he’s been battling a rib injury lately, and even though he’s ostensibly recovered, the results haven’t come back yet. McIlroy limped to a T-35 finish at The PLAYERS Championship, took a month off before the U.S. Open, and promptly missed the cut at Erin Hills.

River Highlands should suit his recovery well, though. A shorter track that places a heavy premium on accuracy and putting will work in McIlroy’s favor, as long as the rib doesn’t continue to nag at him.