Travelers Championship 2012: Contenders Who Will Come on Strong in Final Round

Reigning Travelers Championship winner Fredrik Jacobson is just three strokes back and in contention for back-to-back championships at TPC River Highlands this weekend. 

Roland Thatcher (-12) and Brian Davis are tied for the lead at the 2012 Travelers Championship in Cromwell, Connecticut heading into Sunday's final round of play.

Both are legitimate contenders, as is Jacobson who knows what it's like to be towards the top of the leaderboard late in the weekend.

Here are some contenders poised to come on strong in the final round of the 2012 Travelers Championship:

Stuart Appleby

Stuart Appleby (-10) has hit just five bogeys through the first 54 holes at TPC River Highlands, and sits just two strokes out heading into the final round on Sunday. The 41-year-old Australian has yet to crack the Top 10 at any tournament this season. 

Appleby failed to finish in the Top 10 at any tournament in 2011, and his last tournament win came at The Greenbrier Classic in August 2010. At 10-under, though, Appleby has an excellent shot at notching his first top-10 finish of 2012, and perhaps his first victory in nearly two years. 

Matt Kuchar

After scoring an eagle on hole No. 13 in the first round, American Matt Kuchar (-9) posted a double bogey on No. 13 in Round 2. In the third round, however, Kuchar would birdie the hole, setting up a streak of five consecutive birdies to round out his first 54 holes in Cromwell.

The fifth-ranked Matt Kuchar is just three strokes out of the lead heading into Sunday's final round action, which means he is someone to keep an eye on. Kuchar, who finished third at The Masters, has six top-10 finishes and one win in 16 tournament appearances in 2012. The 34-year-old has come on strong this season and will look to add to his resume with a win at TPC River Highlands this weekend. 

Padraig Harrington

Irish golfer Padraig Harrington (-9) shot an impressive eight birdies in Saturday's third round to pull within striking distance of the leaders. Harrington is just six shots back at the Travelers Championship, and in solid position to pick up his sixth top-10 finish of 2012 and maybe his first tournament win of the season.

Harrington finished fourth at last week's U.S. Open Championship at Olympic and has rode that momentum to an incredible three-round start to this weekend's PGA tournament. Like Kuchar, Harrington is tied for sixth place with just 18 holes left to be played.

Given his experience and superb play at majors this season, one would have to expect Harrington to come on strong at a low stress tournament like the Travelers Championship. 

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