The 2025 Travelers Championship kicked off on Thursday, June 19, at the TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, Connecticut, marking the final signature event of the PGA Tour season. With a hefty $20 million purse and 700 FedEx Cup points on the line, this tournament attracted a star-studded field of 72 players, including 28 of the top 30 in the FedEx Cup standings and five former Travelers champions: Scottie Scheffler, Keegan Bradley, Xander Schauffele, Harris English, and Jordan Spieth.
Just four days earlier, J.J. Spaun had captured his first major title at the 2025 U.S. Open, pocketing $4.3 million after a thrilling final-round charge at Oakmont. Now, Spaun returned to the course with momentum and confidence, teeing off alongside World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler at 1:45 p.m. ET. The Travelers Championship offered another lucrative prize of $3.6 million to the winner, setting the stage for fierce competition among the sport's elite.
The opening round began bright and early, with tee times starting at 8:00 a.m. ET. Players like Brian Campbell and Bud Cauley kicked off the action, while marquee names such as Rory McIlroy and Keegan Bradley teed off mid-morning, and the final featured groups of Spaun and Scheffler, followed by Jordan Spieth and Luke Clanton, wrapped up the day.
Scottie Scheffler, the defending champion and a favorite to claim his second consecutive Travelers title, wasted no time asserting his dominance. After a strong start of five birdies in his first nine holes, Scheffler electrified the crowd with a birdie-eagle sequence on holes 12 and 13, soaring to 8 under par and tying for the lead with just five holes remaining. However, a bogey on the 17th hole dropped him back to 8 under, sharing the lead with Austin Eckroat, who finished the round at 8 under, holding a narrow two-shot advantage early on.
Austin Eckroat’s performance was a highlight of the day, as he birdied the par-5 13th and maintained steady play to finish with an impressive 8-under-par round. Meanwhile, Wyndham Clark, who had a rocky moment at the U.S. Open, bounced back with a stellar 6-under 64, including four birdies in his final six holes, signaling a return to form and a strong contention position.
Davis Riley also made waves early, opening with three straight birdies and reaching 5 under through 12 holes. Riley, who captured the 2024 Charles Schwab Challenge just miles from TPC River Highlands and the 2023 Zurich Classic alongside teammate Nick Hardy, showed he’s a player to watch as the tournament progresses.
Not all stories were positive, however. Jordan Spieth, a five-time major champion and former Travelers winner, withdrew from the tournament due to a neck injury sustained during warmups. Despite attempts to push through, Spieth’s discomfort was evident, and he eventually decided to bow out, a significant blow to the field given his past success and competitive spirit.
Weather conditions added an extra layer of challenge on Thursday, with gusty southwest winds sustained at 14 miles per hour and gusts reaching up to 25 miles per hour by afternoon. These gusts made scoring difficult, especially for afternoon groups like Collin Morikawa and Xander Schauffele, who teed off at 1:35 p.m. Morikawa, who finished T23 at the U.S. Open with strong tee-to-green play but struggled on the greens, looked to improve his putting to mount a serious challenge. Schauffele, the 2022 Travelers champion and two-time major winner last season, showed signs of returning to form with a T12 finish at the U.S. Open and several top-25 finishes recently.
Max Homa and Jason Day, starting their rounds at 9:10 a.m., offered contrasting narratives. Homa, struggling this season with six missed cuts and ranking 119th in the FedEx Cup standings, sought a turnaround. Day, ranked 45th and coming off a solid T23 at the U.S. Open, appeared healthier and more confident, though his putting lagged behind his usual standards. Their pairing was one to watch for fans hoping to see a spark from Homa and consistent play from Day.
The tournament’s broadcast coverage was extensive, ensuring fans could follow every moment. Golf Channel aired the first-round television coverage from 3 to 6 p.m. ET, with early streaming coverage available via PGA Tour Live on ESPN+ starting at 7:30 a.m. The NBC Sports app simulcast Golf Channel’s coverage for cable subscribers. Coverage continues throughout the week, with CBS joining broadcasts for the third and final rounds, and streaming options including Disney+, ESPN+, Hulu + Live TV, and Paramount+ providing multiple ways for viewers to stay connected.
As the tournament progresses, all 72 players will continue without a cut, battling through four rounds to claim the coveted title and the $3.6 million winner’s share. The field’s depth, combined with challenging weather and the high stakes of the FedEx Cup points, promises an exciting and unpredictable finish.
With a rich history of dramatic finishes—like last season’s sudden-death playoff where Scheffler edged Tom Kim—and tournament records such as Keegan Bradley’s 257 aggregate score in 2023, the 2025 Travelers Championship is shaping up to be another memorable chapter. Fans and analysts alike are eager to see if Spaun’s recent major victory will spark a hot streak or if Scheffler can defend his crown against a loaded field including McIlroy, Schauffele, Morikawa, and others.
As the sun sets on day one, Austin Eckroat and Scottie Scheffler share the lead at 8 under, with Wyndham Clark and Davis Riley close behind. The battle at TPC River Highlands is just heating up, and with three more rounds to go, the question remains: who will seize the moment and lift the trophy come Sunday?
