Sometimes things don’t go as planned, but the outcome isn’t always bad. Brian Campbell’s last-minute withdrawal from the Travelers Championship, due to a shoulder injury, paved the way for a new player to step in and compete in the $20 million event at TPC River Highlands. Campbell’s troublesome shoulder couldn’t heal in time, but the lucky replacement was ready to seize the opportunity. The field still boasts big names like Rory McIlroy, Scottie Scheffler, and Jordan Spieth, and with luck on his side, this one golfer is ready to shine.
Speaking at the latest Travelers Championship presser, Davis Riley, Campbell’s replacement in the Travelers Championship field, shared the thrilling sequence of events that led to him snagging a spot in the $20 million event after the pro’s unexpected withdrawal. “I arrived on property around 6:30. I just wanted to make sure I gave myself plenty of time because if I do get in, I want to be somewhat prepared; I don’t want to be scrambling and wasting an opportunity,” Riley explained. His patience paid off when he received a text around 7:15 AM confirming his tee time. Riley had been in a similar situation at the Memorial, where he wasn’t as prepared, but this time he was ready to seize the opportunity.
Riley credited the TOUR competitions for reaching out to him about potential withdrawals from the pro-am. “There were actually three withdrawals from the pro-am, so that honestly was a big — I was kind of teetering whether I was going to come or not,” he said. When Brian Campbell’s withdrawal secured his spot, Riley was thrilled. “Just to get a tee time was awesome,” he beamed. Riley had booked two flights, one at 1:45 PM and another at 7:00 PM, “just in case,” and fortunately, the earlier flight worked out perfectly.
May 26, 2024; Fort Worth, Texas, USA; Davis Riley hits his tee shot on #9 during the final round of the Charles Schwab Challenge golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Dieb-USA TODAY Sports
With his quick thinking and preparedness, Riley turned an unexpected chance into a valuable opportunity, and he is not the only golfer to do so.
Corey Conners’s withdrawal from the Travelers Championship opened doors for one golfer
Jhonattan Vegas is trading in his alternate status for a spot in the Travelers Championship, courtesy of Corey Conners’s withdrawal. The Canadian golfer had been nursing a wrist injury since the US Open, where he heroically gutted out the final round despite the pain. As Michael Kim, Conners’s playing partner, recounted, “Corey Conners deserves a full page on his own today… The dude STRIPES it… But then he plugged his bunker shot and while trying to hit out of it, hurt his wrist. He was obviously in some pain as soon as he hit it and I didn’t think he’d play more honestly.”
Kim also wasn’t impressed with the physio response, saying, “It took like 20 minutes for his physio to get to the green (don’t get me started on that terrible process).” Conners’s wrist injury will keep him sidelined for the $20 million event. Conners has had an impressive year so far, with 10 top 25s in 16 starts, earning him 10th place in the FedEx Cup standings.
Last year, he showed his prowess at the Travelers Championship, firing back-to-back rounds of 66 to finish in a tie for 27th. Vegas, on the other hand, has already made waves in the 2025 season, finishing in the top 15 not once but three times – including a stellar T5 at the PGA Championship. With his skills on display, the Venezuelan golfer is definitely one to look out for. Can he capitalize on this chance and shine in the final Signature Event? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below!
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