Baker happy to see Travelers going stronger than ever
Dan Baker took in the final round of last year’s Travelers Championship at TPC River Highlands like he had several times in the past, even before Travelers took over title sponsorship in 2007.
“The build-out is fantastic. There were a lot more fan amenities,” Baker said. “It’s great to see. We kept it alive. I’m happy it’s going stronger than ever.”
Before Travelers, the event was known as the Canon Greater Hartford Open, from its early days at Wethersfield Country Club, to the Tournament Players Club in Cromwell, then the redesign now known as TPC River Highlands.
Baker, a 1984 Newtown High graduate, was the tournament director of the Canon GHO beginning in 2000. Canon dropped its title sponsorship after the 2002 tournament. The tournament lacked a title sponsor in 2003 — a number of companies helped piece that year together, a bridge plan to maintain a spot on the PGA Tour calendar.
Baker stayed on for the first year under Buick’s three years as title sponsor in 2004 before moving on.
“I smile every time see it on TV. I smile and think how we were close to going under. I think about the bridge year in 2003 when everyone bought in,” Baker said.
Nathan Grube took over as tournament director in 2005 and remains in that position today
“Dan and I talked at the beginning. We’ve bounced ideas off each other. He made himself available,” Grube said. “We both felt the responsibility to take care of this tournament.”
Baker, 53, has been the senior director of of partnership development for the PGA of America for the past 13 years. He oversees golfrelated companies sponsoring events, tournaments and programs for the approximate 29,000 PGA professionals across the country.
Now living in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, Baker also oversees the PGA Merchandise shows in Orlando, Florida, and Las Vegas and the PGA golf retirement plus annuity program and PGA member benefits.
His current boss — the president of the PGA of America — is Suzy Whaley, a former state resident. Back in 2003, Baker was the tournament director when Whaley played in the GHO, the first woman to qualify for a PGA Tour event.
“Sometimes, the golf world is such a small world,” Baker said. “Sometimes, things come full circle. She is a terrific leader of people. She always had tons of great ideas. I always feel like I can take anything to her. She is incredibly creative and has a great pulse on the golf industry.”
Baker will join everyone else watching the Travelers Championship on TV next week — the tournament will have no fans on site due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He will think back to the large crowds the tournament had during the GHO days and think about how the tournament has grown since.
“You see Nathan and Andy Bessette (the executive vice president and chief administrative officer), it’s a team,” Baker said. “I have a lot of respect for them. They are always out there trying to make the tournament better.”
TRAVELERS QUALIFIERS
The Connecticut Section PGA will open its golf season this week with a pair of Travelers Championship pre-qualifiers at Ellington
Ridge CC.
There are 183 golfers teeing it up either Tuesday or Wednesday. The low 19 and ties each day will advance to the Travelers open qualifier on June 22.
According to Dennis Dungee, the tournament operations director for the Connecticut Section, no spectators will be allowed, no scoreboards or leaderboards will be on site and the number of section volunteers at the course will be limited, all due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Masks will be worn when social distancing cannot take place. Dungee said hand sanitizer will be available on every tee for both players and caddies. Carts can be used at the pre-qualifers, but it’s just one person per unit.
“Our goal has really been to not make it seem too different because it’s still about the competition for an opportunity to play in the Travelers Championship,”
Dungee said. “However, this year, it ultimately comes down to operating the event responsibly with everyone’s health and safety in mind. We have been working closely with the PGA Tour and updating participants with guidelines, so we certainly feel like we are ready to go.”
For the second straight year, golfers and caddies can wear shorts at the qualifiers.
Among the notables competing on Wednesday are: Max Theodorakis from Danbury, Eric Dietrich from Cheshire and Ben James from Milford. Brian Carlson from Madison, reigning Connecticut Open champion Rasmey Kong of West Haven, Chris Fosdick of Middlefield and Alex Aurora of Hamden are among the notables attempting to qualify Thursday.