Travelers Championship Preview

[Bag Chatter]

By taylormadefan

<p align="justify"><img width="130" height="92" align="right" alt="Travelers Championship" src="http://www.golfwrx.com/BagChatter/wp-content/uploads/Travelers_Championship_logo.JPG" /><strong>With Oakmont's tilted greens, thick rough, and narrow fairways happily in their rear view mirror, the PGA Tour moves on to the TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, Connecticut for the <a href="http://www.travelerschampionship.com/">newly named Travelers Championship</a>. </strong></p>
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<p align="justify">Last year's champion J. J. Henry returns to defend his title; however, a total of fifteen players from the U. S. Open are looking to shake off the Oakmont blues from their game by winning the Travelers Championship. The <a href="http://www.tpcatriverhighlands.com/">TPC River Highlands</a> will be playing to par 70 at just over 6800 yards and many players are looking forward to the strategy of go low to win rather than last week's grind to par. J. J. Henry said, "The rough [here] is normally pretty high, but at the same time you can still miss the shot and still try to maneuver it, if not on the green, somewhere around it so you can still make par. The greens, not to say they're flat, but they are a heck of a lot flatter than last week."<!--more--></p>
<p align="justify">With a six million dollar purse and a number of top players in the field, the Travelers Championship has become a true success story on the PGA Tour's schedule. However, earlier this year things were not quite so optimistic. With the PGA Tour looking to shorten its schedule and launch the new FedEx Cup points race, this tournament looked be on the verge of contraction after losing its title sponsor, a couple of years ago. However, once the 84 Lumber company decided not to continue their event in Pennsylvania, the Travelers Insurance company stepped in and committed to four years sponsorship of the event. In addition to a new title sponsor, tournament director Nathan Grube and his staff have worked hard to prove to players that the increased purse is not the only reason to make the trip to Hartford. Services such as a charter plane from Oakmont to Connecticut and free laundry for caddies along with major improvements to the TPC River Highlands's practice facilities all have attracted one of the best fields this event has ever seen. "In the past we've had reasons for someone like a Tiger not to come. What we've done is try to attack every one of those things for every player, not just Tiger. But it's going to be very soon where there is going to be no reason for someone like Tiger not to come," said Grube.</p>
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<p align="justify">Phil Mickelson had committed to playing in the event, he formally withdrew yesterday due to his injured wrist. Tournament director Nathan Grube informed the media, "<span id="ctp_sitecss">His doctor recommended, from what it sounded like, that he could not play, and he's not going to play for a couple of weeks." Although Mickelson will not play, the field still remains very strong with stars like Vijay Singh, David Toms, Charles Howell III, and Stewart Cink the event will be an exciting one for the PGA Tour.</span></p>
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<p align="justify"><strong><span id="ctp_sitecss">Television Times:</span></strong><br />
Thursday: 3-6 PM ET GOLF<br />
Friday: 3-6 PM ET GOLF<br />
Saturday: 3-6 PM ET CBS<br />
Sunday: 3-6 PM ET CBS<span id="ctp_sitecss"><br />
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