The Travelers Championship is a professional golf tournament on the PGA Tour in Cromwell, Connecticut, a suburb south of Hartford. Since 1984 the tournament has been held at TPC River Highlands. It is managed by The Greater Hartford Community Foundation. In 2018 the Travelers Championship earned the Players Choice Award for the second consecutive year, which is voted on by PGA Tour members for its services, hospitality, attendance and quality of the course.
 | |
| Tournament information | |
|---|---|
| Location | Cromwell, Connecticut |
| Established | 1952 |
| Course(s) | TPC at River Highlands |
| Par | 70 |
| Length | 6,844 yards (6,258 m) |
| Organized by | Greater Hartford Community Foundation |
| Tour(s) | PGA Tour |
| Format | Stroke play |
| Prize fund | US$20,000,000 |
| Month played | June |
| Tournament record score | |
| Aggregate | 257 Keegan Bradley (2023) |
| To par | −25 Tim Norris (1982) |
| Current champion | |
 Keegan Bradley | |
| Location map | |
  TPC at River Highlands Location in United States  TPC at River Highlands Location in Connecticut | |
The 2016 tournament was played in August due to the Summer Olympics,[1] but in 2017 the tournament returned to June.
History edit
The tournament was founded 72 years ago in 1952 as the Insurance City Open;[2] It was renamed the Greater Hartford Open in 1967, a title that was retained through 2003. From 1973 through 1988, the GHO also bore the name of entertainer Sammy Davis Jr., who would often play in the pro-ams. Canon was a title sponsor from 1985 to 2002, and their employees would often take vacation time during tournament week to volunteer at the event. Buick was title sponsor from 2004 to 2006 and The Travelers Companies took over sponsorship in 2007.
For the tournament's first three decades, it was played at Wethersfield Country Club, about five miles (8 km) north. In 1984, after the PGA Tour bought and redesigned Edgewood Country Club, the event moved to the new TPC of Connecticut in Cromwell. In 1991, the course was substantially redesigned with a completely new front nine holes and renamed the TPC at River Highlands. This TPC property was the third PGA Tour owned/managed championship golf course in what would grow to a network of over 30 TPC Clubs (2010).
When Canon announced it would not renew its sponsorship after the 2002 season, organizers feared the tournament would lose its spot on the tour for the 2003 season if a new sponsor could not be found. A fundraising campaign, followed by Buick signing a three year sponsorship agreement, allowed the tournament to continue under the title Buick Championship. When Buick did not renew its sponsorship after the 2006 season, the tournament briefly lost its spot on the tour schedule, and a "less prestigious" spot on the Champions Tour was considered. However, a spot opened on the tour, and Travelers signed on to sponsor the tournament starting 2007.[3]
The purse for the 2006 tournament, under Buick's sponsorship, was $4.4 million, with $792,000 going to the winner. From 2007 to 2010, the purse under Travelers' sponsorship was $6 million, with $1,080,000 going to the champion.
Over the last decade, longer hitters have done well at the tournament, with Stewart Cink, Hunter Mahan, J. J. Henry, Phil Mickelson, and Bubba Watson combining for six victories over a ten-year span. Mahan also finished tied for second in 2006 and 2008.[4]
Its position on the calendar has varied; in 2005 it was played in late August but in 2006 it was played in late June. Part of the FedEx Cup, the Travelers Championship has been played in late June, the week after the U.S. Open, since 2007.
For the 2020 season, it is part of the Open Qualifying Series providing up to two spots in the Open Championship for the top two non-exempt finishers in the top 8.
Attendance edit
It is the second-most-attended PGA Tour event annually, behind only the Waste Management Phoenix Open.[5] In 2011, the tournament attracted 240,000 fans for the week and 70,000 fans on Sunday. The tournament set a record attendance in 2002 with nearly 400,000 fans for the week. In 2017 about 290,000 fans attended, the most since Travelers started hosting the tournament.[6]
Course edit
| Hole | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Out | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | In | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yards | 434 | 341 | 431 | 481 | 223 | 574 | 443 | 202 | 406 | 3,535 | 462 | 158 | 411 | 523 | 421 | 296 | 171 | 420 | 444 | 3,306 | 6,841 |
| Par | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 35 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 35 | 70 |
Source:[7]
Winners edit
| Year | Winner | Score | To par | Margin of victory |
Runner(s)-up | Purse (US$) |
Winner's share ($) |
Ref. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Travelers Championship | |||||||||
| 2023 | Keegan Bradley |
257 | −23 | 3 strokes | Zac Blair Brian Harman |
20,000,000 | 3,600,000 | ||
| 2022 | Xander Schauffele |
261 | −19 | 2 strokes | J. T. Poston Sahith Theegala |
8,300,000 | 1,494,000 | ||
| 2021 | Harris English |
267 | −13 | Playoff | Kramer Hickok |
7,400,000 | 1,332,000 | ||
| 2020 | Dustin Johnson |
261 | −19 | 1 stroke | Kevin Streelman |
7,400,000 | 1,332,000 | ||
| 2019 | Chez Reavie |
263 | −17 | 4 strokes | Keegan Bradley Zack Sucher |
7,200,000 | 1,296,000 | ||
| 2018 | Bubba Watson (3) |
263 | −17 | 3 strokes |  Paul Casey Stewart Cink J. B. Holmes Beau Hossler |
7,000,000 | 1,260,000 | ||
| 2017 | Jordan Spieth |
268 | −12 | Playoff | Daniel Berger |
6,800,000 | 1,224,000 | ||
| 2016 |  Russell Knox |
266 | −14 | 1 stroke | Jerry Kelly |
6,600,000 | 1,188,000 | ||
| 2015 | Bubba Watson (2) |
264 | −16 | Playoff | Paul Casey |
6,400,000 | 1,152,000 | ||
| 2014 | Kevin Streelman |
265 | −15 | 1 stroke |  K. J. Choi Sergio García |
6,200,000 | 1,116,000 | ||
| 2013 | Ken Duke |
268 | −12 | Playoff | Chris Stroud |
6,100,000 | 1,098,000 | ||
| 2012 |  Marc Leishman |
266 | −14 | 1 stroke | Charley Hoffman Bubba Watson |
6,000,000 | 1,080,000 | ||
| 2011 |  Freddie Jacobson |
260 | −20 | 1 stroke | Ryan Moore John Rollins |
6,000,000 | 1,080,000 | ||
| 2010 | Bubba Watson |
266 | −14 | Playoff | Corey Pavin Scott Verplank |
6,000,000 | 1,080,000 | ||
| 2009 | Kenny Perry |
258 | −22 | 3 strokes | Paul Goydos David Toms |
6,000,000 | 1,080,000 | ||
| 2008 | Stewart Cink (2) |
262 | −18 | 1 stroke | Tommy Armour III Hunter Mahan |
6,000,000 | 1,080,000 | ||
| 2007 | Hunter Mahan |
265 | −15 | Playoff | Jay Williamson |
6,000,000 | 1,080,000 | ||
| Buick Championship | |||||||||
| 2006 | J. J. Henry |
266 | −14 | 3 strokes | Hunter Mahan Ryan Moore |
4,400,000 | 792,000 | ||
| 2005 | Brad Faxon |
266 | −14 | Playoff |  Tjaart van der Walt |
4,300,000 | 774,000 | ||
| 2004 | Woody Austin |
270 | −10 | Playoff | Tim Herron |
4,200,000 | 756,000 | ||
| Greater Hartford Open | |||||||||
| 2003 | Peter Jacobsen (2) |
266 | −14 | 2 strokes | Chris Riley |
4,000,000 | 720,000 | ||
| Canon Greater Hartford Open | |||||||||
| 2002 | Phil Mickelson (2) |
266 | −14 | 1 stroke | Jonathan Kaye Davis Love III |
4,000,000 | 720,000 | ||
| 2001 | Phil Mickelson |
264 | −16 | 1 stroke | Billy Andrade |
3,100,000 | 558,000 | ||
| 2000 | Notah Begay III |
260 | −20 | 1 stroke | Mark Calcavecchia |
2,800,000 | 504,000 | ||
| 1999 | Brent Geiberger |
262 | −18 | 3 strokes | Skip Kendall |
2,500,000 | 450,000 | ||
| 1998 | Olin Browne |
266 | −14 | Playoff | Stewart Cink Larry Mize |
2,000,000 | 360,000 | ||
| 1997 | Stewart Cink |
267 | −13 | 1 stroke | Tom Byrum Brandel Chamblee Jeff Maggert |
1,500,000 | 270,000 | ||
| 1996 | D. A. Weibring |
270 | −10 | 4 strokes | Tom Kite |
1,500,000 | 270,000 | ||
| 1995 | Greg Norman |
267 | −13 | 2 strokes | Dave Stockton Jr. Kirk Triplett Grant Waite |
1,200,000 | 216,000 | ||
| 1994 | David Frost |
268 | −12 | 1 stroke | Greg Norman |
1,200,000 | 216,000 | ||
| 1993 |  Nick Price |
271 | −9 | 1 stroke | Dan Forsman Roger Maltbie |
1,000,000 | 180,000 | ||
| 1992 | Lanny Wadkins |
274 | −6 | 2 strokes | Dan Forsman Donnie Hammond Nick Price |
1,000,000 | 180,000 | ||
| 1991 | Billy Ray Brown |
271 | −9 | Playoff | Rick Fehr Corey Pavin |
1,000,000 | 180,000 | ||
| 1990 | Wayne Levi |
267 | −13 | 2 strokes | Mark Calcavecchia Brad Fabel Rocco Mediate Chris Perry |
1,000,000 | 180,000 | ||
| 1989 | Paul Azinger (2) |
267 | −17 | 1 stroke | Wayne Levi |
1,000,000 | 180,000 | ||
| Canon Sammy Davis Jr.–Greater Hartford Open | |||||||||
| 1988 | Mark Brooks |
269 | −15 | Playoff |  Dave Barr Joey Sindelar |
700,000 | 126,000 | ||
| 1987 | Paul Azinger |
269 | −15 | 1 stroke | Dan Forsman Wayne Levi |
700,000 | 126,000 | ||
| 1986 | Mac O'Grady |
269 | −15 | Playoff | Roger Maltbie |
700,000 | 126,000 | ||
| 1985 | Phil Blackmar |
271 | −13 | Playoff | Jodie Mudd Dan Pohl |
600,000 | 108,000 | ||
| Sammy Davis Jr.-Greater Hartford Open | |||||||||
| 1984 | Peter Jacobsen |
269 | −15 | 2 strokes | Mark O'Meara |
400,000 | 72,000 | ||
| 1983 | Curtis Strange |
268 | −16 | 1 stroke | Jay Haas Jack Renner |
300,000 | 54,000 | ||
| 1982 | Tim Norris |
259 | −25 | 6 strokes | Raymond Floyd Hubert Green |
300,000 | 54,000 | ||
| 1981 | Hubert Green |
264 | −20 | 1 stroke | Bobby Clampett Fred Couples Roger Maltbie |
300,000 | 54,000 | ||
| 1980 | Howard Twitty |
266 | −18 | Playoff | Jim Simons |
300,000 | 54,000 | ||
| 1979 | Jerry McGee |
267 | −17 | 1 stroke | Jack Renner |
300,000 | 54,000 | ||
| 1978 | Rod Funseth |
264 | −20 | 4 strokes | Dale Douglass Lee Elder Billy Kratzert |
210,000 | 42,000 | ||
| 1977 | Billy Kratzert |
265 | −19 | 3 strokes | Grier Jones Larry Nelson |
210,000 | 42,000 | ||
| 1976 | Rik Massengale |
266 | −18 | 2 strokes | Al Geiberger J. C. Snead |
210,000 | 42,000 | ||
| 1975 | Don Bies |
267 | −17 | Playoff | Hubert Green |
200,000 | 40,000 | ||
| 1974 | Dave Stockton |
268 | −16 | 4 strokes | Raymond Floyd |
200,000 | 40,000 | ||
| 1973 | Billy Casper (4) |
264 | −20 | 1 stroke | Bruce Devlin |
200,000 | 40,000 | ||
| Greater Hartford Open Invitational | |||||||||
| 1972 | Lee Trevino |
269 | −15 | Playoff | Lee Elder |
125,000 | 25,000 | ||
| 1971 | George Archer |
268 | −16 | Playoff | Lou Graham J. C. Snead |
110,000 | 22,000 | ||
| 1970 | Bob Murphy |
267 | −17 | 4 strokes | Paul Harney |
100,000 | 20,000 | ||
| 1969 | Bob Lunn |
268 | −16 | Playoff | Dave Hill |
100,000 | 20,000 | ||
| 1968 | Billy Casper (3) |
266 | −18 | 3 strokes | Bruce Crampton |
100,000 | 20,000 | ||
| 1967 | Charlie Sifford |
272 | −12 | 1 stroke | Steve Oppermann |
100,000 | 20,000 | ||
| Insurance City Open Invitational | |||||||||
| 1966 | Art Wall Jr. |
266 | −18 | 2 strokes | Wes Ellis |
100,000 | 20,000 | ||
| 1965 | Billy Casper (2) |
274 | −10 | Playoff | Johnny Pott |
70,000 | 11,000 | ||
| 1964 | Ken Venturi |
273 | −11 | 1 stroke | Al Besselink Paul Bondeson Sam Carmichael Jim Grant |
50,000 | 7,500 | ||
| 1963 | Billy Casper |
271 | −13 | 1 stroke | George Bayer |
40,000 | 6,400 | ||
| 1962 | Bob Goalby |
271 | −13 | Playoff | Art Wall Jr. |
35,000 | 5,300 | ||
| 1961 | Billy Maxwell |
271 | −13 | Playoff | Ted Kroll |
30,000 | 4,300 | ||
| 1960 | Arnold Palmer (2) |
270 | −14 | Playoff | Bill Collins Jack Fleck |
30,000 | 3,500 | ||
| 1959 |  Gene Littler |
272 | −12 | 1 stroke | Tom Nieporte |
25,000 | 3,500 | ||
| 1958 |  Jack Burke Jr. |
268 | −16 | 3 strokes | Dow Finsterwald Art Wall Jr. |
25,000 | 3,500 | ||
| 1957 | Gardner Dickinson |
272 | −12 | 2 strokes | George Bayer |
22,000 | 2,800 | [8] | |
| Insurance City Open | |||||||||
| 1956 | Arnold Palmer |
274 | −10 | Playoff | Ted Kroll |
20,000 | 4,000 | [9][10][11] | |
| 1955 | Sam Snead |
269 | −15 | 7 strokes | Fred Hawkins Mike Souchak |
20,000 | 4,000 | [12] | |
| 1954 | Tommy Bolt |
271 | −13 | Playoff | Earl Stewart |
15,000 | 2,500 | [13] | |
| 1953 | Bob Toski |
269 | −15 | 1 stroke | Jim Ferrier |
15,000 | 2,400 | [14] | |
| 1952 | Ted Kroll |
273 | −11 | 4 strokes | Lawson Little Skee Riegel Earl Stewart |
15,000 | 2,400 | [2] | |
Note: Green highlight indicates scoring records.
Sources:[4][15][16]
Multiple winners edit
Seven men have won the Travelers Championship more than once through 2018.
- 4 wins
- Billy Casper: 1963, 1965, 1968, 1973
- 3 wins
- Bubba Watson: 2010, 2015, 2018
- 2 wins
- Arnold Palmer: 1956, 1960
- Paul Azinger: 1987, 1989
- Phil Mickelson: 2001, 2002
- Peter Jacobsen: 1984, 2003
- Stewart Cink: 1997, 2008
Highlights edit
- 1952: Ted Kroll wins the inaugural tournament. He beats Lawson Little, Skee Riegel, and Earl Stewart by four shots.[2][17]
- 1955: Amateur Bill Whedon becomes the first player in PGA Tour history to record two holes-in-one in the same round.[18]
- 1956: Arnold Palmer makes the Insurance City Open his first United States based PGA Tour victory by beating Ted Kroll in a playoff.[11] Afterwards Palmer said "Ted is a great guy—he even gave me the putter that beat him."[19]
- 1962: Bob Goalby defeats Art Wall Jr. on the seventh hole of a sudden death playoff after Wall misses an 18-inch putt for par on the 72nd hole.[20]
- 1967: African American golfer Charlie Sifford wins his first PGA Tour event. He beats Steve Oppermann by one shot.[21]
- 1968: Billy Casper becomes the tournament's first three-time winner. He beats Bruce Crampton by three shots.[22]
- 1972: Lee Trevino defeats Lee Elder in a sudden death playoff. If Elder had won, he would have become qualified for The Masters.[23]
- 1973: Billy Casper shoots a final round 64 to win for the fourth time at Hartford. He beats Bruce Devlin by one shot.[24]
- 1974: Dave Stockton wins by four shots over Raymond Floyd. After the tournament, Stockton gets a congratulatory call from then President Gerald Ford. Stockton also arranges to donate his entire $40,000 winnings check to charity.[25]
- 1977: Billy Kratzert beats Grier Jones and Larry Nelson by three shots. Two years earlier, Kratzert had quit golf and gone to work as a forklift operator.[26]
- 1981: Ninety-one players made the 36-hole cut, a PGA Tour record.
- 1982: Tim Norris sets tournament records for aggregate (259) scoring and under par (−25) as he wins by six shots over Hubert Green and Raymond Floyd.[27]
- 1986: Mac O'Grady shoots a final round 62 to catch Roger Maltbie, then defeats him on the first hole of sudden death.[28]
- 1989: Paul Azinger chips it in on the 72nd hole to beat Wayne Levi by one shot.[29]
- 1992: Lanny Wadkins, who had last played in Hartford in 1978, shoots a final round 65 to win by two shots over Dan Forsman, Nick Price, and Donnie Hammond.[30]
- 2000: Notah Begay III wins for the second week in succession after he makes birdie on the 72nd hole to edge Mark Calcavecchia by one shot.[31]
- 2002: Phil Mickelson becomes the first winner to successfully defend his title. He beats Jonathan Kaye and Davis Love III by one shot.[32]
- 2003: Nineteen years after his first triumph in Hartford, Peter Jacobsen wins again, beating Chris Riley.[33] Jacobsen's $720,000 winner's check was ten times what he earned in 1984.[34] The tournament was also notable when Suzy Whaley became the first woman in 58 years to play in a PGA Tour event, though her appearance was controversial after playing from shorter tees during her qualifying tournament, the Connecticut PGA Championship.
- 2011: Patrick Cantlay, an amateur golfer from UCLA, set a course-record of 10-under 60, the lowest round ever shot on the PGA Tour by an amateur.[35]
- 2014: Kevin Streelman birdies the last seven holes in the final round, a PGA Tour record for an event winner.[36]
- 2016: Jim Furyk shot a 12-under-par 58 in the final round, becoming the first player to shoot 58 in a PGA Tour event.[37]
- 2017: Jordan Spieth wins in a playoff against Daniel Berger by holing his bunker shot for birdie on the first playoff hole. Berger had a chance to advance the playoff, but missed his long birdie putt.
- 2021: Harris English wins a sudden-death playoff against Kramer Hickok on the 8th hole, a playoff which tied for the second longest sudden-death playoff in PGA Tour history.[38]
References edit
- ^ Wacker, Brian (July 23, 2015). "Travelers Championship announces new date". PGA Tour.
- ^ a b c "Ted Kroll wins first tournament". Ottawa Citizen. Associated Press. September 2, 1952. p. 18.
- ^ "In 2002, the Greater Hartford Open nearly went broke; here's how organizers, with help from Phil Mickelson, kept it afloat". The Hartford Courant. June 16, 2019. Retrieved July 3, 2022.
- ^ a b "Travelers Championship – Past Winners". PGA Tour. Retrieved June 16, 2014.
- ^ Inside the course: TPC River Highlands Archived 2011-06-04 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Spieth's Playoff Win Caps Record Attendance For PGA Tour Travelers Championship". www.sportsbusinessdaily.com. Retrieved 2017-07-25.
- ^ "Course map" (PDF). Travelers Championship. May 2012. Retrieved June 8, 2012.
- ^ "Dickinson Takes Insurance Golf". The Modesto Bee. California. United Press. September 3, 1957. p. 17. Retrieved June 26, 2010.
- ^ "Littler Listed Insurance City Golf Favorite". The Deseret News. Salt Lake City, Utah. United Press. June 28, 1956. p. 2D. Retrieved June 26, 2010.
- ^ "Weather Rated Big Factor In Insurance Open". The Tuscaloosa News. Alabama. Associated Press. June 28, 1956. p. 11. Retrieved June 26, 2010.
- ^ a b "Palmer takes Insurance Open after playoff with Ted Kroll". Montreal Gazette. Associated Press. June 2, 1956. p. 16.
- ^ "Sammy Snead Takes Berth". Prescott Evening Courier. Arizona. Associated Press. September 6, 1955. p. 5. Retrieved June 26, 2010.
- ^ "Bolt and Stewart Play Off For Wethersfield Golf Cash". The Day. New London, Connecticut. Associated Press. June 28, 1954. p. 19. Retrieved June 26, 2010.
- ^ "Toski Nabs $15,000 Insurance City Go". Daytona Beach Morning Journal. Florida. Associated Press. August 31, 1953. p. 7. Retrieved June 26, 2010.
- ^ Travelers Championship – Winners Archived 2011-06-29 at the Wayback Machine – at golfobserver.com (since 1970)
- ^ Johnson, Sal; Seanor, Dave, eds. (2009). The USA Today Golfers Encyclopedia. New York, New York: Skyhorse Publishing. ISBN 978-1-60239-302-8.
- ^ Ted Kroll Cops Storm-Hindered Insurance Open
- ^ Staats, Wayne (October 29, 2018). "These are the only three golfers to make two holes-in-one in same PGA Tour round". PGA of America. Retrieved February 26, 2019.
- ^ Palmer Uses Foe's Putter for Playoff Win
- ^ 18-inch putt costs Wall $1,900
- ^ Charles Sifford Wins Hartford Tourney
- ^ Casper Grabs Hartford Win
- ^ Trevino Tops Elder To Cop Hartford Open
- ^ Billy Casper Leaves Mob to Capture Hartford Crown
- ^ Stockton Claims Hartford Win
- ^ Kratzert outduels Strange, wins Greater Hartford Open
- ^ Norris wins in Hartford by 6 strokes
- ^ Controversial Mac 'Grady wins Hartford Open
- ^ Azinger of a chip keys Hartford win
- ^ Lanny Wadkins wins his 21st title at the Hartford Open
- ^ Long Putt Gives Begay Back-to-Back Victories
- ^ Golf; Mickelson Earns Repeat Title at Greater Hartford Open
- ^ "Hartford triumph for Jacobsen". The Age. 2003-07-28. Archived from the original on 2012-11-06.
- ^ Tournament History Archived 2011-05-04 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Patrick Cantlay's 60 is amateur record on PGA Tour". San Francisco Chronicle. Associated Press. June 25, 2011. Retrieved June 18, 2013.
- ^ "Streelman sets birdie record in win". ESPN. Associated Press. June 22, 2014.
- ^ Sobel, Jason (August 7, 2016). "Jim Furyk notches record for best PGA Tour round". ESPN.
- ^ "Longest Sudden-Death Playoff". PGA Tour. Retrieved 2021-06-28.
