Power Rankings: Travelers Championship

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Aaahh ... That breeze you feel is the collective exhale of the PGA TOUR professionals jetting across the country, leaving Pebble Beach and the grind of the U.S. Open behind.

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TPC River Highlands offers the ideal soft landing, as the last 16 champions have finished double-digits under par. Kenny Perry's 22-under 258 last year is a tournament record.

There are three objectives this week: 1. Ball-striking, 2. Putting from 10-15 feet; and 3. Putting from 15-20 feet. With birdie opportunities the primary goal, guys putting themselves into position the most will contend. And while the track is one of the tamest on the PGA TOUR, it ranked ninth-most difficult in both aforementioned putting ranges. Proficiency here will help separate the field.

Mid-week rain and occasional boomers might bleed into the opening round, but the long-range forecast looks great for late Thursday, Friday and Saturday. The risk of inclement weather returns for the final round. The temperature will rise into the 80s every day, and the wind is not expected to be a major issue.

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Power Rankings: Travelers Championship

Rank Player   Comment Scott VERPLANK One of five to own the course record of 61. Capped last year's T9 with a 62. Played the two Dallas-Fort Worth area events T5-T5 before a T47 at the U.S. Open. He's 13th on TOUR in fairways hit, seventh in putting and 22nd in putting from 15-20 feet. Bo VAN PELT Recovered from a third-round 82 at Pebble Beach with a Sunday 68. Leads the PGA TOUR in ball-striking and ranks 18th in putting from 10-15 feet. Finished T9 here last year and T6 in 2007. One of the most consistent players at the moment. Hunter MAHAN Last four years: T2-1st-T2-T4. All-time money leader here. This is the first time since 2005 that he enters after a missed cut, and he's strung three of them together through the U.S. Open. Still, comfort level here is invaluable. Also fourth in ball-striking. Bubba WATSON With a T14 here in 2009 and T6 in '08, the TOUR leader in distance off the tee has proven that he can finesse, too. Currently 21st in ball-striking, second in birdie average and sixth in birdies or better on par4s. Shot 63 in final round last year. Justin ROSE Rested since his breakthrough at the Memorial, where he led the field in putting and birdies. Has three top 20s in six starts at the Travelers, including T19 in 2008. Ranks 19th in ball-striking and putting from 15-20 feet. Bryce MOLDER Gets the nod above the bottom three here since he didn't play the U.S. Open. Finished T19 here last year. Comes in T5 at Colonial and T23 at the Memorial. Currently 30th in putting from 10-15 feet and 15th from 15-20 feet. Fifth in birdies or better on par 4s. Stewart CINK Game is starting to come around with three top-25s in four weeks. Two time champ (1997, 2008) is third in all-time earnings at this event. Finished T40 at the U.S. Open. Leads the TOUR in putting from 10-15 feet and ranks 16th in ball-striking. Ryan MOORE Had just three bogeys en route to T4 here last year. Also finished T2 in 2006. Thirteenth in ball-striking. Sits inside the top 45 in putting from 10-15 feet and 15-20 feet. Before T33 at U.S. Open, placed T5 at the Memorial. Brandt SNEDEKER Has found something, with 69-71 weekend at Pebble Beach. Buoyed by feel-good T8 in the major, which clinches exemptions into next year's Masters and U.S. Open, thus avenging his four-putt at Cog Hill in the 2009 FedExCup Playoffs. Bill HAAS Cashed three of four times at this event, including a personal best T19 in his last start in 2008. Ranks eighth in ball-striking and putts well enough to breeze into another weekend.