SPIETH COMMITS
Three-time major winner to play in Travelers Championship.
Jordan Spieth, responsible for one of the most iconic moments in the event’s history, will be returning to the Travelers Championship for a third straight year, the tournament announced Monday.
Spieth won the 2017 title in dramatic fashion, holing out from a green-side bunker on the first playoff hole. The moment, punctuated by its highf l ying celebration, has become a staple of PGA Tour highlight reels in the years since.
“Nobody will ever forget what Jordan accomplished two years ago at TPC River Highlands,” said Travelers Championship Tournament Director Nathan Grube. “The way he won — his reaction, and the reaction from the crowd around the 18th hole — shows the type of excitement he can bring to the event. We’re thrilled that he’ll be playing this year.”
As exciting as 2017 was and how proud tournament organizers were to announce Spieth’s return for 2018, the chances of landing a commitment from him this year appeared slim. Before leaving Cromwell last year, Spieth said “Next year will be a tough go for this tournament to get players in general.”
Last year’s U.S. Open, held the week before Trav2017 champ to play in Travelers Championship
elers, was at Shinnecock Hills on Long Island and just a short drive away in comparison to this year’s major tournament. The 2019 U.S. Open begins this week at Pebble Beach in California, while the Travelers begins next week.
It wouldn’t have been surprising for Spieth, one of the most well-known and most popular golfers on tour, to sit Travelers week out and rest after the major. The fact his name was not announced in the lead-up led many to assume he wouldn’t be part of the 2019 tournament.
But the addition of Speith, ranked No. 28 in the world, adds to an already impressive field. Along with world No. 1 Brooks Koepka, other top-10 players including Francesco Molinari, Justin Thomas, Patrick Cantlay and Bryson DeChambeau are all scheduled to tee it up in Cromwell. Defending champion Bubba Watson and two-time winner Phil Mickelson are in the field as well.
“Jordan authored one of the iconic moments in Travelers Championship and PGA Tour history,” Andy Bessette, executive vice president and chief administrative officer at Travelers, said in a statement.
“He’s a great friend of the tournament, he’s done great things at our event and the fans will be excited to hear that he’s coming back. His presence is a fantastic addition to what promises to be an amazing tournament week.”
Spieth entered the Travelers No. 6 in the world last year, but finished tied for 42nd. He struggled in early 2019 dropping his ranking as low as 39. He has turned things around the last three tournaments, tying for third at he PGA Championship, tying for eighth at the Charles Schwab Challenge and tying for seventh at the Memorial Tournament.
The Travelers Championship kicks off next Monday and runs through June 23.