Travelers Championship power rankings: Top 10 at TPC River Highlands
Jason Day has had a roller coaster of a year in 2017. After a disappointing week at The PLAYERS Championship saw him shoot 80 on Sunday to tie for 60th place, Day came back the following week and finished runner-up at the AT&T Byron Nelson.
A T15 in his home game at the Memorial Tournament had his competitive juices flowing once again, and he headed to the U.S. Open looking like a strong contender. Then Erin Hills bit, and it bit hard. A 7-over round of 79 on Thursday all but eliminated Day from the tournament before it could truly begin, and a 75 on Friday finished the job.
Why, then, after such a disappointing week, should Day be looked at favorably at TPC River Highlands? He’s only played the tournament twice, in 2008 (T27) and 2014 (T18). That’s not a particularly deep record to pull from.
What I’m looking for here is a chance to recharge his competitive batteries. He won’t have to be the longest player off the tee if he’s not feeling it. With an established length advantage over much of the field, Day could pull fairway woods or long irons off the tee, keep the ball in play – something he didn’t do at Erin Hills – and give himself some additional scoring opportunities.
It’s all easier said than done, of course, but we’ve seen Day perform with the mental edge in the past, and he can do it again here.