Scottie Scheffler Shoots 64, One Back at 2026 Travelers Championship
BetspertsGolf
20 hours ago
Scottie Scheffler opened the 2026 Travelers Championship with a bogey-free 6-under 64 on Thursday, leaving the world number one one shot behind leader Eric Cole at TPC River Highlands. Scheffler made six birdies and no bogeys in the morning calm, and he sits in a tie for second at 6 under as he chases another title at the soft, scorable Cromwell course.
How Scottie Scheffler played Round 1 at the Travelers
Scheffler did his early damage on the front nine, where he made four of his six birdies, then added two more at the 13th and 15th on the way in. He was clean inside 10 feet and never made a bogey, the kind of tidy, mistake-free round that fits a precision course where there is little trouble to protect par when the wind is down.
Eric Cole set the early pace with a 7-under 63 to take the Round 1 lead by a single stroke. Scheffler shares second place at 6 under with a crowded group, and the leaderboard tightened all day as the field attacked a receptive setup softened by midweek rain.
The forgotten belt that almost tripped up Scheffler
Scheffler arrived at the course without a belt, having left it at home, and his playing partner Sam Burns came to the rescue with a spare during the round. Scheffler made light of the slip afterward, saying it was an all-time week to forget his belt given how short the trip is from the house to the course at the Travelers. The oversight did nothing to slow him down.
Travelers Championship 2026 leaderboard after Round 1
Cole leads, with Scheffler and a deep group of accurate iron players one back. Here is the top of the board after Thursday.
| Position | Player | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eric Cole | -7 (63) |
| T2 | Scottie Scheffler | -6 (64) |
| T2 | Matt Fitzpatrick | -6 |
| T2 | Ben Griffin | -6 |
| T2 | Nico Echavarria | -6 |
| T2 | Kristoffer Reitan | -6 |
| T2 | Bud Cauley | -6 |
| T8 | Patrick Cantlay, Viktor Hovland, Justin Rose, Corey Conners, Aaron Rai, Brandt Snedeker | -5 |
Scottie Scheffler betting and DFS outlook for the Travelers
Scheffler entered the week as the heavy favorite around +440 to +450, and that number figures to shorten after a bogey-free opening 64 put him a shot off the lead. The math is simple at TPC River Highlands. It is a no-cut signature event on one of the shortest, most gettable courses on tour, the best player in the world is already in position, and there are 54 holes left for him to run away from a bunched field. He is a past champion here, having won in 2024, so the course history is on his side too.
For DFS, Scheffler was the consensus cash anchor at the top of the salary tier coming in, and the clean, putter-hot 64 only validates that. When the world number one posts a bogey-free round at a birdie-fest course where he checks every box, the price of leaving him out of a lineup goes up. The accurate iron names tied for second with him, including Matt Fitzpatrick, Ben Griffin, and Bud Cauley, fit the same wedge-and-approach profile that travels well at this venue.
You can see how the full board shaped up in our 2026 Travelers Championship odds and picks, and our Scottie Scheffler Travelers preview breaks down his course fit in detail.
See what the numbers say before you bet. The Rabbit Hole gives you the strokes gained PGA data to build your own model, and code BSG26 gets you 25% off any plan.
What to watch in Round 2
With light winds forecast again and a soft course, low scoring should continue, so Scheffler likely needs to keep making birdies rather than play safe to stay near the top. The names tied with him are precision players who thrive on this layout, so the pressure to go low does not let up. Watch whether the leaders separate on Friday or whether the bunched leaderboard stays tight into the weekend.
Has Scottie Scheffler won the Travelers Championship before?
Yes. Scheffler won the Travelers Championship in 2024, beating Tom Kim in a playoff at TPC River Highlands. That past success at the course adds to his case as the favorite this week as he tries to add a second Travelers title.
Is the 2026 Travelers Championship a cut event?
No. The Travelers is a signature event with a limited 72-player field and no 36-hole cut, so every player who started Thursday is guaranteed all four rounds. That format lets contenders like Scheffler play aggressively from the front without cut-line worry.
How much is the Travelers Championship purse in 2026?
The 2026 Travelers Championship carries a 20 million dollar purse, with 3.6 million dollars and 700 FedExCup points going to the winner. It is one of the richest signature events on the PGA Tour schedule.
21+. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER. Responsible Gaming Resources