Travelers Championship
 |
|
| Tournament information | |
|---|---|
| Location | Cromwell, Connecticut |
| Established | 1952 |
| Course(s) | TPC at River Highlands |
| Par | 70 |
| Length | 6,844 yards |
| Tour(s) | PGA Tour |
| Format | Stroke play |
| Prize fund | $6,000,000 |
| Month played | June |
| Tournament record score | |
| Aggregate | 258 Kenny Perry (2009) |
| To par | -25 Tim Norris (1982) |
| Current champion | |
| Fredrik Jacobson | |
The Travelers Championship is a golf tournament on the PGA Tour. It is the second most attended PGA Tour event annually only behind the Waste Management Phoenix Open.[1] In 2011, the tournament attracted 240,000 fans for the week and 70,000 fans on Sunday. In 2002 the tournament set a record attendance with close to 400,000 fans for the week. The tournament has been played annually in Cromwell, Connecticut since 1984, and since 1991 the tournament has been held on the course at the TPC at River Highlands. Its position on the calendar has varied; in 2005 it was played in late August but in 2006 it was played in late June. Part of the FedEx Cup, the Travelers Championship has been played in late June, the week after the U.S. Open, in both 2007 and 2008.
For the tournament's first three decades, it was played at Wethersfield Country Club. In 1984, after the PGA Tour bought and redesigned Edgewood Country Club, the event moved to the new TPC of Connecticut in Cromwell. In 1991, the course was substantially redesigned with a completely new back nine holes and renamed the TPC at River Highlands. This TPC property was the third PGA Tour owned/managed championship golf course in what would grow to a network of over 30 TPC Clubs (2010).
The tournament was founded in 1952 as the Insurance City Open; in 1967 it was renamed the Greater Hartford Open, a title that was retained through 2003. From 1973–88, the GHO also bore the name of entertainer Sammy Davis, Jr., who would often play in the pro-ams. Canon was a title sponsor from 1985 to 2002, and their employees would often take vacation time during tournament week to volunteer at the event. Buick was title sponsor from 2004 to 2006 and The Travelers Companies took over sponsorship in 2007.
The purse for the 2006 tournament, under Buick's sponsorship, was $4.4 million, with $792,000 going to the winner. From 2007 to 2010, the purse under Travelers' sponsorship was $6 million, with $1,080,000 going to the champion.
Over the last decade, longer hitters have done well at the tournament, with Stewart Cink, Hunter Mahan, J. J. Henry, Phil Mickelson, and Bubba Watson combining for six victories over a ten year span. Mahan also finished tied for second in 2006 and 2008.[2]
The Insurance City Open was founded by the Greater Hartford Jaycees as a means to raise funds to support their philanthropic causes. The Jaycees are international leadership development organization for men and women ages 21–40. In 1971, The Greater Hartford Jaycees Foundation, Inc. was established as a grant-giving entity by the Greater Hartford Jaycees, Inc. with the help of Bob Murphy, who donated part of his winnings as 1970 Greater Hartford Open champion.
Contents |
[edit] Winners
| Year | Player | Country | Score | To par | 1st Prize ($) | Purse ($) | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Travelers Championship | |||||||
| 2011 | Fredrik Jacobson |  Sweden |
260 | -20 | 1,080,000 | 6,000,000 | |
| 2010 | Bubba Watson |  United States |
266PO | -14 | 1,080,000 | 6,000,000 | |
| 2009 | Kenny Perry | United States |
258 | -22 | 1,080,000 | 6,000,000 | |
| 2008 | Stewart Cink | United States |
262 | -18 | 1,080,000 | 6,000,000 | |
| 2007 | Hunter Mahan | United States |
265PO | -15 | 1,080,000 | 6,000,000 | |
| Buick Championship | |||||||
| 2006 | J. J. Henry | United States |
266 | -14 | 792,000 | 4,400,000 | |
| 2005 | Brad Faxon | United States |
266PO | -14 | 774,000 | 4,300,000 | |
| 2004 | Woody Austin | United States |
270PO | -10 | 756,000 | 4,200,000 | |
| Greater Hartford Open | |||||||
| 2003 | Peter Jacobsen | United States |
266 | -14 | 720,000 | 4,000,000 | |
| Canon Greater Hartford Open | |||||||
| 2002 | Phil Mickelson | United States |
266 | -14 | 720,000 | 4,000,000 | |
| 2001 | Phil Mickelson | United States |
264 | -16 | 558,000 | 3,100,000 | |
| 2000 | Notah Begay III | United States |
260 | -20 | 504,000 | 2,800,000 | |
| 1999 | Brent Geiberger | United States |
262 | -18 | 450,000 | 2,500,000 | |
| 1998 | Olin Browne | United States |
266PO | -14 | 360,000 | 2,000,000 | |
| 1997 | Stewart Cink | United States |
267 | -13 | 270,000 | 1,500,000 | |
| 1996 | D. A. Weibring | United States |
270 | -10 | 270,000 | 1,500,000 | |
| 1995 | Greg Norman |  Australia |
267 | -13 | 216,000 | 1,200,000 | |
| 1994 | David Frost |  South Africa |
268 | -12 | 216,000 | 1,200,000 | |
| 1993 | Nick Price |  Zimbabwe |
271 | -9 | 180,000 | 1,000,000 | |
| 1992 | Lanny Wadkins | United States |
274 | -6 | 180,000 | 1,000,000 | |
| 1991 | Billy Ray Brown | United States |
271PO | -9 | 180,000 | 1,000,000 | |
| 1990 | Wayne Levi | United States |
267 | -13 | 180,000 | 1,000,000 | |
| 1989 | Paul Azinger | United States |
267 | -17 | 180,000 | 1,000,000 | |
| Canon Sammy Davis Jr.-Greater Hartford Open | |||||||
| 1988 | Mark Brooks | United States |
269PO | -15 | 126,000 | 700,000 | |
| 1987 | Paul Azinger | United States |
269 | -15 | 126,000 | 700,000 | |
| 1986 | Mac O'Grady | United States |
269PO | -15 | 126,000 | 700,000 | |
| 1985 | Phil Blackmar | United States |
271PO | -13 | 108,000 | 600,000 | |
| Sammy Davis Jr.-Greater Hartford Open | |||||||
| 1984 | Peter Jacobsen | United States |
269 | -15 | 72,000 | 400,000 | |
| 1983 | Curtis Strange | United States |
268 | -16 | 54,000 | 300,000 | |
| 1982 | Tim Norris | United States |
259 | -25 | 54,000 | 300,000 | |
| 1981 | Hubert Green | United States |
264 | -20 | 54,000 | 300,000 | |
| 1980 | Howard Twitty | United States |
266PO | -18 | 54,000 | 300,000 | |
| 1979 | Jerry McGee | United States |
267 | -17 | 54,000 | 300,000 | |
| 1978 | Rod Funseth | United States |
264 | -20 | 42,000 | 210,000 | |
| 1977 | Billy Kratzert | United States |
265 | -19 | 42,000 | 210,000 | |
| 1976 | Rik Massengale | United States |
266 | -18 | 42,000 | 210,000 | |
| 1975 | Don Bies | United States |
267PO | -17 | 40,000 | 200,000 | |
| 1974 | Dave Stockton | United States |
268 | -12 | 40,000 | 200,000 | |
| 1973 | Billy Casper | United States |
264 | -20 | 40,000 | 200,000 | |
| Greater Hartford Open Invitational | |||||||
| 1972 | Lee Trevino | United States |
269PO | -15 | 25,000 | 125,000 | |
| 1971 | George Archer | United States |
268PO | -16 | 22,000 | 110,000 | |
| 1970 | Bob Murphy | United States |
267 | -17 | 20,000 | 100,000 | |
| 1969 | Bob Lunn | United States |
268PO | -16 | 20,000 | 100,000 | |
| 1968 | Billy Casper | United States |
266 | -18 | 20,000 | 100,000 | |
| 1967 | Charlie Sifford | United States |
272 | -12 | 20,000 | 100,000 | |
| Insurance City Open Invitational | |||||||
| 1966 | Art Wall, Jr. | United States |
266 | -18 | 20,000 | 100,000 | |
| 1965 | Billy Casper | United States |
274PO | -10 | 11,000 | 70,000 | |
| 1964 | Ken Venturi | United States |
273 | -11 | 7,500 | 50,000 | |
| 1963 | Billy Casper | United States |
271 | -13 | 6,400 | 40,000 | |
| 1962 | Bob Goalby | United States |
271PO | -13 | 5,300 | 35,000 | |
| 1961 | Billy Maxwell | United States |
271PO | -13 | 4,300 | 30,000 | |
| 1960 | Arnold Palmer | United States |
270PO | -14 | 3,500 | 30,000 | |
| 1959 | Gene Littler | United States |
272 | -12 | 3,500 | 25,000 | |
| 1958 | Jack Burke, Jr. | United States |
268 | -16 | 3,500 | 25,000 | |
| 1957 | Gardner Dickinson | United States |
272 | -12 | 2,800 | 22,000 | [3] |
| Insurance City Open | |||||||
| 1956 | Arnold Palmer | United States |
274PO | -10 | 4,000 | 20,000 | [4][5] |
| 1955 | Sam Snead | United States |
269 | -15 | 4,000 | 20,000 | [6] |
| 1954 | Tommy Bolt | United States |
271PO | -13 | 2,500 | 15,000 | [7] |
| 1953 | Bob Toski | United States |
269 | -15 | 2,400 | 15,000 | [8] |
| 1952 | Ted Kroll | United States |
273 | -11 | 2,400 | 15,000 | [9] |
PO Indicates a win in a playoff
Note: Green highlight indicates scoring records.
Main sources[10][11][12]
[edit] Multiple winners
Six men have won the Travelers Championship more than once through 2011.
- 4 wins
- Billy Casper: 1963, 1965, 1968, 1973
- 2 wins
- Arnold Palmer: 1956, 1960
- Paul Azinger: 1987, 1989
- Phil Mickelson: 2001, 2002
- Peter Jacobsen: 1984, 2003
- Stewart Cink: 1997, 2008
[edit] Highlights
- 1952: Ted Kroll wins the inaugural tournament. He beats Skee Riegel by four shots.[13]
- 1956: Arnold Palmer makes the Insurance City Open his first United States based PGA Tour victory by beating Ted Kroll in a playoff. Afterwards Palmer said "Ted is a great guy—he even gave me the putter that beat him."[14]
- 1962: Bob Goalby defeats Art Wall, Jr. on the seventh hole of a sudden death playoff after Wall misses an 18-inch putt for par on the 72nd hole.[15]
- 1967: African American golfer Charlie Sifford wins his first PGA Tour event. He beats Steve Opperman by one shot.[16]
- 1968: Billy Casper becomes the tournament's first and so far only three-time winner. He beats Bruce Crampton by two shots. [17]
- 1972: Lee Trevino defeats Lee Elder in a sudden death playoff. If Elder had won, he would have become qualified for The Masters.[18]
- 1973: Billy Casper shoots a final round 64 to win for the fourth time at Hartford. He beats Bruce Devlin by one shot.[19]
- 1974: Dave Stockton wins by four shots over Raymond Floyd. After the tournament, Stockton gets a congratulatory call from then President Gerald Ford. Stockton also arranges to donate his entire $40,000 winnings check to charity.[20]
- 1977: Billy Kratzert beats Curtis Strange, Larry Nelson, and Grier Jones by three shots. Two years earlier, Kratzert had quit golf and gone to work as a forklift operator.[21]
- 1982: Tim Norris sets tournament records for aggregate (259) scoring and under par (−25) as he wins by six shots over Hubert Green and Raymond Floyd.[22]
- 1986: Mac O'Grady shoots a final round 62 to catch Roger Maltbie, then defeats him on the first hole of sudden death.[23]
- 1989: Paul Azinger chips it in on the 72nd hole to beat Wayne Levi by one shot.[24]
- 1992: Lanny Wadkins, who had last played in Hartford in 1978, shoots a final round 65 to win by two shots over Dan Forsman, Nick Price, and Donnie Hammond.[25]
- 2000: Notah Begay III wins for the second week in succession after he makes birdie on the 72nd hole to edge Mark Calcavecchia by one shot.[26]
- 2002: Phil Mickelson becomes the first winner to successfully defend his title. He beats Jonathan Kaye and Ernie Els by one shot.[27]
- 2003: Nineteen years after his first triumph in Hartford, Peter Jacobsen wins again, beating Chris Riley.[28] Jacobsen's $720,000 winner's check was ten times what he earned in 1984.[29]
- 2011: Patrick Cantlay, an amateur golfer from UCLA, set a course-record of 10-under 60 and tied the tour record[30].
[edit] References
- ^ Inside the course: TPC River Highlands
- ^ "PGATour.com Past Winners". http://www.pgatour.com/tournaments/r034/winners.html. Retrieved June 17, 2008.
- ^ "Dickinson Takes Insurance Golf". The Modesto Bee. United Press (Modesto, California): p. 17. September 3, 1957. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=yUchAAAAIBAJ&sjid=mX8FAAAAIBAJ&pg=5206,193620&dq=insurance-city+golf&hl=en. Retrieved June 26, 2010.
- ^ "Littler Listed Insurance City Golf Favorite". The Deseret News. United Press (Salt Lake City, Utah): p. 2D. June 28, 1956. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=7EEvAAAAIBAJ&sjid=eEgDAAAAIBAJ&pg=7087,5751949&dq=insurance-city+golf&hl=en. Retrieved June 26, 2010.
- ^ "Weather Rated Big Factor In Insurance Open". The Tuscaloosa News. Associated Press (Tuscaloosa, Alabama): p. 11. June 28, 1956. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=4PkcAAAAIBAJ&sjid=35kEAAAAIBAJ&pg=5244,7838362&dq=insurance-city+golf&hl=en. Retrieved June 26, 2010.
- ^ "Sammy Snead Takes Berth". Prescott Evening Courier. Associated Press (Prescott, Arizona): p. 5. September 6, 1955. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=E9YKAAAAIBAJ&sjid=5U8DAAAAIBAJ&pg=4642,3239450&dq=insurance-city+golf+snead&hl=en. Retrieved June 26, 2010.
- ^ "Bolt and Stewart Play Off For Wethersfield Golf Cash". The Day. Associated Press (New London, Connecticut): p. 19. June 28, 1954. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=V_UgAAAAIBAJ&sjid=33MFAAAAIBAJ&pg=1801,5068170&dq=insurance-city+golf&hl=en. Retrieved June 26, 2010.
- ^ "Toski Nabs $15,000 Insurance City Go". Daytona Beach Morning Journal. Associated Press (Daytona Beach, Florida): p. 7. August 31, 1953. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=VnkoAAAAIBAJ&sjid=acgEAAAAIBAJ&pg=4799,1370585&dq=insurance-city+golf&hl=en. Retrieved June 26, 2010.
- ^ "Ted Kroll Wins First Tiournament". Ottawa Citizen. Associated Press (Ottawa, Canada): p. 18. September 2, 1952. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=8M8wAAAAIBAJ&sjid=8d0FAAAAIBAJ&pg=5992,222283&dq=insurance-city+golf+kroll&hl=en. Retrieved June 26, 2010.
- ^ Travelers Championship – Winners – at pgatour.com
- ^ Travelers Championship – Winners – at golfobserver.com (since 1970)
- ^ Sal Johnson and Dave Seanor, ed. (2009). The USA Today Golfers Encyclopedia. New York, New York: Skyhorse Publishing. ISBN 978-60239-302-8.
- ^ Ted Kroll Cops Storm-Hindered Insurance Open
- ^ Palmer Uses Foe's Putter for Playoff Win
- ^ 18-inch putt costs Wall $1,900
- ^ Charles Sifford Wins Hartford Tourney
- ^ Casper Grabs Hartford Win
- ^ Trevino Tops Elder To Cop Hartford Open
- ^ Billy Casper Leaves Mob to Capture Hartford Crown
- ^ Stockton Claims Hartford Win
- ^ Kratzert outduels Strange, wins Greater Hartford Open
- ^ Norris wins in Hartford by 6 strokes
- ^ Controversial Mac 'Grady wins Hartford Open
- ^ Azinger of a chip keys Hartford win
- ^ Lanny Wadkins wins his 21st title at the Hartford Open
- ^ Long Putt Gives Begay Back-to-Back Victories
- ^ Golf; Mickelson Earns Repeat Title at Greater Hartford Open
- ^ Hartford triumph for Jacobsen
- ^ Tournament History
- ^ Patrick Cantlay's 60 is amateur record on PGA Tour, Associated Press via San Francisco Chronicle, June 25, 2011
