2024 Travelers Championship: Top 10 power rankings at TPC River Highlands

It’s hard to believe, but last year was Hideki Matsuyama’s Travelers Championship debut.

He’s no prude at playing a wide variety of events, but for some reason, TPC River Highlands eluded his schedule until it earned Signature Event status.

Matsuyama looked plenty comfortable in his first-go round in Cromwell, carding 69-64-65-66 for T-13th. He was ninth in the field in Strokes Gained: Approach (4.93) and 12th in SG: Off-the-Tee (2.357). Matsuyama hit 83.33% of greens in regulation (T-5th) but couldn’t get enough putts to roll in.

Sound familiar?

Matsuyama’s downfall is usually with the flat stick. Ironically, his putting was actually pretty good last week at the U.S. Open, ranking 24th (.75) in SG. His short game was nifty, too, ranking fourth (1.25) in SG. Those factors helped him to a sixth-place finish at Pinehurst.

After a 2-over-par 72 in round one at Pinehurst No. 2, Matsuyama was stellar the rest of the way in closing 66-70-70. It’s his second straight top-10 to go with T-8th the previous week at the Memorial Tournament.

Matsuyama already owns a Signature Event victory this season at the Genesis Invitational. That stirring Sunday 62 is hard to forget. It’s quietly been a great season for Asia’s top golfer. He owns five top-10s as well as T-12th at the Players and top-40s at all three majors.

On the season, the 32-year-old ranks first on the PGA Tour in SG: Around-the-Green (.807), fourth in SG: Total (1.405), and 15th in SG: Approach (.503).

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