The 2012 Travelers Championship - A Lot to Look Forward To

Red umbrellas were everywhere yesterday at TPC River Highlands. It was media day for the 2012 Travelers Championship and a light rain fell on the hills and valleys of central Connecticut, making the insurance company's iconic logo particularly apropos.

The tournament's defending champion Frederick Jacobson spoke about winning his first PGA Tour title almost a year ago and surmised that the event's timing... just after US Open week... makes it more relaxing than most. Among today's top golf stars, Bubba Watson and Hunter Mahan ... world number four and five, respectively... have also captured their maiden PGA Tour wins at TPC River Highlands.

The tournament, which this year turns 60, is all about giving back.  With 100 percent of net proceeds going charity, Connecticut's biggest sporting event has donated over to $30 million thus far. Tournament director Nathan Grube spoke about this focus... and about the entertainment experience a visit to the Travelers Championship provides, not only for golf fans, but also for those not familiar with the game.  That's something I've definitely noticed over the past several years as more and more non-traditional golf activities... for children and adults... have been incorporated into the event.

The course at TPC River Highlands is laid out over a bucolic slice of undulating Connecticut countryside and features what two time winner Stuart Cink called "four of the most exciting finishing holes in the world".  Playing there yesterday afternoon... even in the chill gray mist of spring... I could feel the excitement of the many Sunday's I've spent at the fan-friendly venue during the championship. (A steady supply of coffee... laced with ample quantities of Baily's... added requisite warmth).

An awesome field of players has already committed, including... for the first time... GGD favorite Ryo Ishikawa.  I'd been hearing rumors from my friends in Japan, and was happy to have them confirmed in Cromwell yesterday.  We'll be writing more about the 2012 Travelers Championship in the weeks to come.  In the mean time keep up-to-date on the latest news, get ticket info and peruse photos and videos of past tournaments at travelerschampionship.com