TRAVELERS CHAMPIONSHIP INCREASES FAN EXPERIENCE
MILITARY APPRECIATION AND ENHANCED FAN ZONE HIGHLIGHT NEW INITIATIVES
HARTFORD, Conn., April 20, 2010 – The Travelers Championship, Connecticut’s PGA TOUR event, today announced some of its highlighted events for the 2010 tournament. New for 2010, Military Appreciation at the Travelers Championship, presented by Saint Francis Hospital and Medical Center, will be a weeklong salute to our country’s military personnel.
The 2010 Travelers Championship will offer complimentary admission for all active and retired military personnel, with valid identification, as well as their dependents. The Patriots’ Outpost, a military hospitality venue located on course during the week, will provide complimentary refreshments to active and retired military personnel, as well as all veterans.
“We are privileged to be able to say thank you to the men and women who have served or are serving in the U.S. armed forces,” said Travelers Championship Tournament Director Nathan Grube. “This is a small token of our appreciation for their commitment to this country.”
In addition to Military Appreciation, the Travelers Championship will once again complement world-class PGA TOUR golf by offering a wide variety of fan enhancements including the BlumShapiro 5K for Charity, Farmington Bank Fan & Family Day, Travelers Celebrity Pro-Am, Women’s Day and the Michelob ULTRA 19th Hole Concert Series.
“This summer, the Travelers Championship will offer fans more to do and see on course than ever before,” said Andy Bessette, Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer for Travelers. “The tournament is very appreciative for all of the sponsors who help support these great events, which allows us to reach even more fans and raise more funds for charities throughout Connecticut.”
The pre-tournament festivities will kick off on June 12 with the second annual BlumShapiro 5K for Charity at TPC River Highlands. The race will highlight the tournament’s mission of giving back to the community by raising funds and donating food to local Connecticut shelters and food pantries. New features this year will be a Kids Fun Run for ages 2-11, 5K team competition and post-race golf activities on the TPC River Highlands driving range.
Travelers Championship tournament week begins on Monday, June 21, with Opening Ceremonies, and the first of two pro-ams will tee off in the afternoon with the Aetna Tournament Players Pro-Am at TPC River Highlands. The Travelers Celebrity Pro-Am will take place on Wednesday, June 23, with some of the biggest names in sports and entertainment playing alongside PGA TOUR professionals.
Tuesday, June 22, is Farmington Bank Fan & Family Day, a full day of tournament events for all ages. Highlighting the day will be Play Golf America Day presented by the Connecticut Section PGA, which will feature free lessons at the new practice facility at TPC River Highlands with professionals from the Connecticut Section PGA. In addition, the program will include a PGA TOUR professional clinic hosted by New England’s own Billy Andrade, plus a kid’s specific clinic hosted by PGA member Eric Eshleman. In the afternoon, local celebrities will take their best shots on the driving range for a good cause during the Travelers Championship Celebrity Charity Shootout. Finally, the day will conclude with the Travelers Championship Junior Pro-Am, where 36 junior golfers from around New England will have a chance to play nine holes with a PGA TOUR professional.
Every day of the Travelers Championship is filled with great fun for all the fans, but Thursday, June 24, will be particularly exciting for the women in the crowd during the second annual Women’s Day at the Travelers Championship, proudly sponsored by Travelers. Festivities will kick off with a networking breakfast, followed by golf clinics and special seminars geared for women in the Fan Zone.
“Women’s Day at the Travelers Championship is a great opportunity for business women throughout New England,” said Nancy Wheeler, Vice President Investor Relations for the MetroHartford Alliance. “We are proud to support the event again in 2010 and look forward to enhancing the experience for women at the Travelers Championship.”
The fun will continue on Friday and Saturday night with the Michelob ULTRA 19th Hole Concert Series. Spectators are invited to stay in the Fan Zone after the last putt drops to enjoy live music performed by popular local bands.
In addition to these great events, the tournament will be kicking off early spring with a special 2010 ticket promotion. Travelers Championship Any One Day Tickets will be sold at $20 (regular $32) for the next 10 days. Log on to TravelersChampionship.com for more information or call the tournament box office at 1-866-840-8821.
The Travelers Championship, which is part of the FedExCup, will be held June 21 – 27, 2010, at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, Conn. Some of the PGA TOUR’s most notable players have committed to compete in the event, including Kenny Perry, Stewart Cink, Hunter Mahan, Vijay Singh, Anthony Kim, Rickie Fowler, Chad Campbell, Justin Rose and David Toms.
