Travelers Championship 2026 First-Round Leader Tips: Dave Tindall's three to back up to 100/1

Travelers Championship weather forecast for Thursday

There's hardly a jot of wind for the early starters (first two-ball out at 08:15).

It picks up to around 10mph by 11am and could gust at 15 after that.

Temperatures begin in the mid-to-high 60s and are set to peak at 85 in mid-afternoon.

Denny McCarthy opened with a 60 in 2023 while in 2022, 2024 and 2025 the first-round lead was secured with rounds of 62 so a low one is required.

The final two-ball hit away at 2:25 so, despite the reducecd 72-man field, tee-times are fairly spread.

First Round Leader Bet 1: Eric Cole @ 50/151.00

It's tempting to play very early starters given that lack of almost any wind for the first few hours and Eric Cole fits the bill.

The 38-year-old is enjoying a great run of form after four top eights in his last six starts and comes in fresh having not qualified for the US Open.

Cole actually didn't make the weekend in Canada last time out but at least he joined that cult club of players who held the first-round lead but missed the cut (64-76).

But it's that day one score that interests us most and we have to go back fewer than 20 starts to find Cole's previous first-round lead.

That came at the Sanderson Farms and it was his second FRL of the 2025 season after he'd set the pace with a 64 in the Sony Open.

At this week's course, TPC River Highlands, Cole was fifth after 18 holes (and fourth after 36) on debut in 2023 while he also sat ninth at halfway last year before withdrawing after round three.

First Round Leader Bet 2: Tom Hoge @ 100/1101.00

The other early starter I like is Tom Hoge and he heads out in the second group of the day at 08:25.

Hoge isn't winning awards for consistency but there a couple of notable spikes when sifting through his course and current form.

At TPC River Highlands he was third two years ago and his lap scores included a 62 (R4) and a 63 (R2).

Let's combine that with a more recent 62, the one he shot in last month's CJ Cup Byron Nelson. Hoge is a player who isn't afraid to go low.

Put those 62s together and a three-figure price looks interesting.

Hoge also has some excellent form on other Pete Dye tracks so let's add in the opening 61 he and Billy Horschel produced in the Zurich Classic pairs event at TPC Louisiana (Cole actually fired a 60 alongside Hank Lebioda).

First Round Leader Bet 3: Ben James @ 60/161.00

A Ben James fact: "He learned to play golf at the age of four after his father, Don, took him to Great River Golf Club, where his grandfather had worked for several years."

Great River GC is a 40-mile drive to TPC River Highlands so the rising star has a local angle that could make a difference.

James was actually given a first start here back in 2022 (missed cut by three) but the man who got his PGA Tour card by topping the 2026 University Rankings is a far better player now.

Indeed, in his pro debut he took the halfway lead in the Canadian Open a fortnight ago.

He fell away there but before teeing it up at TPC Toronto he'd come through US Open qualifying and at Shinnecock last week James closed with a 67 to finish a very creditable tied 23rd.

"It means a lot to be in my home state, being back here," he said in Tuesday's press conference. "It was nice to sleep in my own bed last night. Just really looking forward to the week, seeing family and friends, and it's nice to play some golf in front of them."

James, who tees of at 09:05, completes a hat-trick of morning starters.

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