Golf can be a challenging sport, even for the world’s top players. J.T. Poston experienced this firsthand during the Travelers Championship. Ranked 32nd in the Official World Golf Ranking, Poston faced a daunting moment on the 13th hole.
Initially, Poston saw an opportunity for a low score after reaching the greenside in two shots. However, his hopes quickly unraveled when he posted a score of 12, significantly impacting his performance and ranking for the day.
During the first round at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, Connecticut, Poston struggled to stay away from the bottom of the leaderboard, finishing the tournament at 6-over. This placed him in 69th position out of 72 golfers who managed to make the cut.
J.T. Poston plays a shot from the first tee during the first round of the Travelers Championship at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, Conn., on June 25, 2026. (Jordan Bank/Getty Images)
The 13th hole started positively for Poston with a well-placed tee shot in the middle of the fairway. His second shot landed in a greenside bunker—a situation professional golfers often manage well due to their short game skills. A decent bunker shot could have easily led to a birdie opportunity.
Unfortunately, Poston’s bunker shot fell short, leaving him to chip onto the green. Despite being a common scenario for professionals, his chip from the rough sent the ball across the green and into the water.
The trouble escalated as Poston had to drop the ball multiple times; each time, his chip rolled back into the water. After his tenth stroke, he finally got the ball into a position where he could putt. His eleventh stroke missed, leading him to finish with a tap-in for a score of 12.
J.T. Poston stands on the first tee box during the second round of the Travelers Championship at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, Conn., on June 26, 2026. (Ben Jared/PGA Tour)
Regarding the difficulties near the water, Poston mentioned, “It’s not really rough, where you can kind of blast it out. It’s into the grain, but it looks like you can get enough golf ball on it.” He continued trying to chip, expecting he could make a solid shot.
He considered the option of putting instead of chipping, saying, “I feel like it’s just going to hop and that takes all the speed out of it. And you’ve got this big false front you have to get it over.” His concern was that putting would lack the necessary speed.
J.T. Poston plays a tee shot on the first hole during the second round of the Travelers Championship at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, Conn., on June 26, 2026. (Ben Jared/PGA Tour)
The subsequent 14th hole didn’t offer any relief for Poston. He carded a double bogey on the par-4, further worsening his position. He completed the day with a score of 76.
Meanwhile, the Travelers Championship is set for an exciting conclusion. Viktor Hovland and Scottie Scheffler are gearing up for a playoff. Both players achieved a score of 21-under, with Scheffler forcing the playoff with a crucial putt. Hovland’s chance to win remained elusive as his putt narrowly missed its target.
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