Furyk makes good on promise

Mr. 58 is returning to play in the Travelers Championship as promised.

Jim Furyk, who set the PGA Tour record when he shot a 12-under-par 58 in the final round of last year’s Travelers Championship, committed to play in this year’s event on Thursday, the tournament announced. It will be held June 22-25 at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell.

Furyk, recently named the U.S. Ryder Cup captain for 2018, had

promised Jay Fishman, the former CEO at Travelers who had become the tournament’s Executive Chairman of the Board by the time last year’s tournament began in early August, than he would return. Furyk has only played the Travelers twice since 2001.

Furyk pledged $58,000 to two charities: half went to the Jim & Tabitha Furyk Foundation, the other half to the Bruce Edwards Foundation for ALS Research. Fishman passed away less than two weeks after Furyk’s record-setting round of ALS.

Six players held the previous record of 59, including Furyk, 46. He set the course record at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell by two shots, which included an eagle at the par-4 third hole. He finished in sixth place.

“You don’t wake up on a Sunday morning with an 8:41 tee time thinking that anything exciting is going to happen,” Furyk said following that round. “The most exciting thing that can happen is the group in front of you plays quick and your flight takes off a little early. ... To get out there and make a bunch of birdies and get the juices flowing and feel like I was in the hunt in a golf tournament was kind of cool.”

Furyk hit 13 of 14 fairways and all 18 greens in regulation.