TRAVELERS CHAMPIONSHIP TO ALLOW NEARLY 10,000 FANS PER DAY JUNE 23-27
Nathan Grube referred to the 2020 Travelers Championship as "the beginning of bringing sports back, being a part of that journey" while the world went through the COVID-19 pandemic. Grube, the Travelers Championship tournament director, said this year's tournament will represent life getting back to normal. Normal at sporting events means having spectators in attendance.
The Travelers Championship will have spectators this year. Grube said Thursday that the tournament will allow just under 10,000 fans per day June 23-27 at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell.
There will be two categories of tickets, grounds and courtyard, which will go on sale beginning May 25.
"This is my 17th tournament and I'm as excited about a tournament as I have ever been," Grube said. "I feel like we will be on the road to normal when the tournament comes back in June."
There were no fans at the 2020 event. Travelers was the third tournament when the PGA Tour resumed its season last June after three months off due to the pandemic.
Grube said he was confident back in February, when world No. 1 Dustin Johnson committed to defend his title, that fans would be allowed on the grounds. He just didn't know how many.
"I feel good, optimistic about having some people back. We don't have an exact timeline," said Grube back in February. "We were able to help bring the sport back in a safe way (in 2020), something we were very proud of. But it was tough walking around on Sunday afternoon. I had never seen the 18th green look like that (with no fans during tournament week). It was hard for the fans, hard for the players, hard for the sponsors. There was something very bittersweet about it. It was very, very strange to not have all of the crowds there. Everybody is excited to move in a different direction."
Travelers and the Travelers Championship have been in lockstep with both the state and the PGA Tour to come to this decision. The state is lifting most of its outdoor restrictions by Saturday.