The annual migration from Augusta National Golf Club to Harbour Town Golf Links transports golfers who experienced the fervor of the Masters through a decompression corridor promising calm at the RBC Heritage in the Lowcountry of South Carolina.

For 63 of the 72 golfers in the field at this week’s Travelers Championship, they’re just flat-out relieved that they’ve moved on from the trials and tribulations of the U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club, but to land at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, Connecticut, is the well-timed bonus to which all already were looking forward.

The stock par 70 hosts the last of eight Signature Events, and there is no cut, but it’s a more welcome reward than those perks. Continue reading below for details and much more.

When you see a PGA TOUR member smiling at TPC River Highlands this week, there’s an exceptional chance that it’ll be someone other than J.J. Spaun, who likely hasn’t been able to quit grinning since his career achievement at the U.S. Open on Sunday. Aside from the predictably relaxing and familial environment of the tournament, the five dozen who made the trip from western Pennsylvania will have moved on from the hardest par 70 since Shinnecock Hills hosted the 2018 U.S. Open to the easiest par 70 of last season.

Oakmont averaged 74.178 and only Spaun finished under par at 1-under 279, which, and of course, required his walk-off birdie conversion from outside 64 feet to secure. Last year at TPC River Highlands, where Scottie Scheffler prevailed in a playoff with Tom Kim after both concluded regulation in 22-under 258, the field established the lowest clip in tournament history at 67.629. And that’s saying something given that the only 58 in PGA TOUR history was carded by Jim Furyk on the course in 2016, although Cameron Young did contribute a 59 in his third round here a year ago.

TPC River Highlands is hosting the Travelers for the 42nd time. It’s as familiar as any test to which the PGA TOUR returns annually, but there is a new tee on the par-4 third hole that can extend it by 9 yards to 440 yards. As a result, the bump in overall yardage matches the increase for a maximum of 6,844 yards.

That doesn’t mean that it’s a pitch-and-putt; it’ll only feel that way in spots fresh off the pressures of finding fairways at Oakmont, although the sharpest eyes will notice that the lushest of the combination fescue-bluegrass rough at TPC River Highlands is taller by at least a half-inch than previous editions. It’s been allowed to exceed 4 1/2 inches.

Still, splitting fairways and hitting greens in regulation does not constitute heavy lifting, but to contend, it’ll make things that much easier to pile up the scoring opportunities. That’s the foundation of the classic one-two punch that ends with converting putts on these Poa annua greens ready to run 12 feet using the Stimpmeter. It’s what every shootout requires to prevail.

The weather will cater to another year of fantastic scoring. Thursday’s opening round could be the most challenging as varying degrees of rain, wind and perhaps a storm could influence some decisions at times, all the while the field deals with a daytime high likely to eclipse 90 degrees. Calm conditions should take over for the remainder with cooler air stirred by light breezes.

Among the customary spoils, the champion will bank 700 FedExCup points.

ROB BOLTON’S SCHEDULE

PGATOUR.com’s Rob Bolton previews and recaps every tournament. Refer to the timing of his contributions below. He’s also active as @RobBoltonGolf on X where you can connect with him.

• MONDAY: Power Rankings
• TUESDAY*: Fantasy Insider; Sleepers
• SUNDAY: Points and Payouts; Qualifiers

*Rob is a member of the panel for PGATOUR.COM’s Expert Picks for PGA TOUR Fantasy Golf presented by PGA TOUR Superstore, which publishes on Tuesday.