From the Director’s Desk – May 21, 2013

On Thursday of the HP Byron Nelson Championship, Keegan Bradley shot a remarkable, course record round of 60. In the last 53 years, Bradley is the first player to shoot 60 or better with multiple bogeys (on holes 1 and 18). With that said, what are your thoughts on Keegan’s current play, and his ability to shoot 12-under par in just 16 holes?

He is one of the more talented young players on TOUR. He said he was making every putt that day and felt like it was a practice round with his buddies. It was pretty impressive to see because it was such a rare accomplishment. We are looking forward to seeing him try it again this summer at Travelers!

Media Day, held on May 14, brought Marc Leishman back to the site of his first PGA TOUR victory.  Does returning to the site of a nostalgic win help with a player’s confidence level, or does it build pressure to perform come tournament time?

I have seen it do both. For some, the commitments of a defending champion during tournament week can break them out of their usual preparation and it becomes too much to manage. Others take the confidence and turn it into a positive feeling they can ride all week. I think the majority of players would rather feel the confidence that would come with defending a title!

This year, the PowerStations Concert Series will take place on Friday and Saturday night of tournament week.  What can you tell us about the talent that will be performing this year?

The concerts have taken on a life of their own over the last few years and the fans have really started looking forward to them. I have had a number of sponsors be more interested in the bands than in the player commitments. This year, we have Edwin McCain coming on Friday  and Three Dog Night for Saturday. Both are great bands for our crowds and they will close out a great day of golf on the course with some enjoyable entertainment in the evening.

What other new events can fans look forward to at the 2013 Travelers Championship?

In addition to the 5k, the Junior Pro-Am, the Celebrity Pro-Am, Women’s Day, the concerts, Military Appreciation and the Fan Zone…we have added a celebrity Mini-Golf tournament this year. 18 teams will be competing for a $5,000 donation to the charity of their choice. It should be a lot of fun for the fans to watch.