Field will be a formidable one
The Travelers Championship already had a formidable field lined up before this week started.
Then with one more fell swoop, Travelers landed one more player in the top
10, in addition to two other former U.S. Open champions to give the tournament arguably its best field since Travelers took over title sponsorship starting with the 2007 tournament.
Both Jordan Spieth, the defending champion, and Rory McIlroy, said at last year’s tournament that they would return and both honored their commitment. McIlroy committed near the end of January while Spieth did the same in May.
Ironically, both played together the first two rounds of the U.S. Open this week.
The addition of reigning U.S. Open champion Brooks Koepka, ranked No. 9 in the world, gives the Travelers field five in the top 10: Justin Thomas (2), Spieth (4), McIlroy (6) and Jason Day
(8).
Add in Paul Casey (11), Patrick Reed (13), Marc Leishman (14), two-time Travelers champion Bubba Watson (19), along with Webb Simpson (21), one of the additions earlier this week along with Graeme McDowell, both former U.S. Open champs, and the field looks quite formidable.
“This is one of our deepest fields we have had,” Travelers tournament director Nathan Grube said. “I think what helps is the guys who play here regularly or guys who come for the first time and talk about coming back, it helps when players have a good experience.”
The Travelers Championship begins next Thursday and will be held through June 24 at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell. The last four major champions are playing next week: Koepka, Spieth (2017 Open championship), Thomas (2017 PGA) and Reed (2018 Masters).
There were three key additions at Friday’s deadline, according to Grube: Daniel Berger, who lost in the playoff to Spieth last year, Billy Haas and Pat Perez.
The sponsor’s exemptions went to: Jim Furyk, who shot 58 at TPC River Highlands two years ago, 2007 champion Hunter Mahan, Padraig Harrington, Dylan Meyer from the University of Illinois, his teammate Nick Hardy and Doug Ghim, the No. 1 ranked amateur from the University of Texas who will turn pro at the Travelers.
Among the withdrawals were former champion Freddie Jacobson, Brian Gay and Aaron Wise, who won the AT&T Byron Nelson last month.
Travelers champions in addition to Watson, Spieth and Leishman playing next week will be Kevin Streelman, Stewart Cink and J.J. Henry.
“There is as much buzz about the tournament as I have ever seen,” Grube said.
There are four climatecontrolled venues being added for spectators to view the action at the ninth green, the 15th tee, the 17th green and the 18th fairway. There will also be upgraded restrooms, free Wi-fi and charging stations for cell phones.
Travelers has won the PGA Tour’s “Most FanFriendly” event four times.
“The fan experience will be different as soon as they pull in the parking lot,” Grube said. “We’ve added more shuttles and added more gates so lines will be shorter. The fans are what make this tournament. They invest in us, so we want to invest back in them.”
Tickets are still available by visiting travelerschampionship.com.