The Travelers Championship set a tournament-record for charities of more than $3 million in its first go-round as one of the PGA Tour’s “Signature Events” in 2023.
Tournament officials are confident that they will surpass that mark this year when Connecticut’s biggest sporting event is again one of the PGA Tour’s prestigious showcases with new amenities added to TPC River Highlands in Cromwell and a field of 70-80 players established by eligibility criteria for Signature Events based on performance competing for all four rounds.
“People, especially our sponsors, have said they love that there won’t be a cut so they don’t have to worry about not seeing some of their favorite players because they’ll be there for the entire tournament,” tournament director Nathan Grube said. “It’s part of another tremendous milestone for our tournament, and we couldn’t have become a Signature Event without the commitment of our title sponsor, Travelers, and everyone in the community who supported us along the way – from our corporate partners to volunteers and charities.
Players will be challenged by a TPC River Highlands course that has undergone a half-dozen competitive enhancements to select holes, with new tee boxes, narrower fairways and smaller greens. There will also be improvements to the onsite experience for fans with upgraded venues and new concession areas.
“From day one, we’ve pledged to make this a world-class event on the PGA Tour so that our fans, volunteers, sponsors and the community can have a memorable experience and be proud of the Travelers Championship,” said Andy Bessette, Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer at Travelers. “The tournament has generated significant money for hundreds of charities and made a positive impact on all those who benefit from it.”
The championship has generated more than $28 million for more 900 local charities since Travelers became title sponsor in 2007. In 2023, more than $3 million was distributed to over 180 organizations, including two local Boys & Girls Clubs, animal shelters and a wide range of charities focusing on everything from food insecurity to mental and physical health.
Keegan Bradley, who was born in Woodstock, Vermont and is a life-long Boston sports fanatic, won the 2023 Travelers with a spectacular score of 23-under par and is returning to defend his title June 20-23.
“New England sports fans are true fanatics, and when you are leading a tournament, they motivate you to be better,” said Bradley. “Every member of the staff goes the extra mile to make the tournament a special event for the players and the fans.”
“This is a really, really special place for me. It would have still been if I hadn’t won”, continued Bradley. “When I come here, I feel a lot of pressure. I really do. I think of the New England kid out here watching and wanted to win for them.
“My wins as a younger player were always from behind, chasing, and I felt the best in there. But winning here my last two wins I’ve won from being in front, which is a much different, much different animal. It’s different from the moment you wake up, like I said. It’s different from being on the first hole with a lead to the last hole. “
“We have these traditions now of just from the Travelers Championship. My mom cooks on Tuesday night. Then the next night, another family member cooks. This has become a family reunion for us, and then there’s a tournament on the side. Everyone is having a great time while I’m nervous and freaking out.”
“So I have these memories of decades, a decade of playing, and now to cap it off here, I have this trophy and it’s special.”
The Travelers Championship will also have the winners of the first two major championships this year.
Xander Schauffele, the 2022 Travelers winner, committed to Connecticut’s biggest sporting event June 20-23 at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell after winning his first major championship in the PGA Championship on Sunday. Top-ranked Scottie Scheffler, whose four victories in five starts in March and April included the Masters, was the first player to commit to the Travelers.
Schauffele had had 12 Top-10 finishes, including two seconds, before finally winning one of golf’s biggest prizes in his 28th start by shooting 21-under-par 263 at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Ky. He made a gutsy 6-foot birdie putt on the final hole to edge 2022 U.S. Open champion Bryson DeChambeau by a stroke, set the record for most under par in a major championship and end a frustrating winless streak that had reached 22 months.
“Adding the reigning PGA Championship winner and Olympic gold medalist certainly builds upon the impressive list of players already in our field,” Travelers Executive Vice President Andy Bessette said in a release. “I know our fans will enjoy watching Xander, especially with how well he’s been playing and fresh off winning a major championship. As a past Travelers Championship winner, Xander is part of an exclusive club. I know he wants to contend once again at TPC River Highlands.”
Scheffler and Schauffele join a field that also already includes defending champion Keegan Bradley, No. 3 Rory McIlroy, No. 5 Viktor Hovland (the reigning FedExCup champion who was third in the PGA Championship), No. 6 Ludvig Abert, No. 8 Patrick Cantlay, No. 9 Collin Morikawa, No. 10 Max Homa and crowd favorite Rickie Fowler.
The tournament is again one of the PGA Tour’s Signature Events with a $20 million purse and $3.6 first prize. There will be 70-80 players with no cut and several course enhancements and amenities for spectators.
