TOURNAMENT HOSTS WALMART CLASSIC

Travelers Championship Will Host Inaugural Walmart Classic for The First Tee of Connecticut On June 5

Hartford, Conn., April 15, 2011 – The Travelers Championship announced today a new kick-off tournament–the inaugural Walmart Classic for The First Tee of Connecticut (TFTCT)–which will be held Sunday, June 5, 2011 at TPC River Highlands. The event will feature amateur foursomes with special appearances from local celebrities and junior members from The First Tee of Connecticut program.

“We look forward to hosting the first-ever Walmart Classic for The First Tee of Connecticut in early June,” said Travelers Championship Tournament Director Nathan Grube. “We have been fortunate to build a relationship with The First Tee of Connecticut over the years and we are excited to host this kick-off event that will build awareness and funds for their organization.”

The First Tee of Connecticut is a statewide, youth development organization with a national reputation serving over 50,000 young people annually in life skills development through various golf programs. The TPC River Highlands is also the home of the Karl Krapek Family Learning Links, a TFTCT practice facility that provides the perfect outdoor classroom for kids of all ages to learn and practice the game of golf.

“It has been a wonderful year for The First Tee of Connecticut and the more than 50,000 youth we serve. Our on-going relationship with both Walmart and the Travelers Championship helps us maintain the national standards our kids and coaches enjoy,” said David E. Polk, President and Executive Director of The First Tee of Connecticut. “From a golfer’s perspective, the Walmart Classic is the unique opportunity for our supporters to play a PGA TOUR-ready course.”

“The Walmart Foundation strives to provide opportunities to improve the lives of individuals in our communities. We support the good work of The First Tee of Connecticut for their initiatives focusing on health and wellness among our young people,” said Chris Buchanan, Walmart Senior Manager Public Affairs & Government Relations. “The Walmart Classic for The First Tee of Connecticut is our first opportunity to team up with another world-class partner, the Travelers Championship.”

The Travelers Championship proudly supports the PGA TOUR Tradition of Giving Back by donating 100 percent of net proceeds to charities each year. The Walmart Classic for The First Tee of Connecticut at the Travelers Championship is one example of a unique event that helps expand the tournament’s charitable mission.

The Travelers Championship, which is part of the FedExCup, will be held June 20 – 26, 2011, at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, Conn. Some of the PGA TOUR’s most notable players have committed to compete in the event, including Bubba Watson, Kenny Perry, Vijay Singh, Anthony Kim, Padraig Harrington and more.

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About the Travelers Championship
The Travelers Championship will be held June 20 – 26, 2011, at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, Conn. As the only PGA TOUR event in the Northeast in early summer, the Travelers Championship is one of the region’s premier sporting events. The tournament proudly supports the PGA TOUR Tradition of Giving Back by donating 100 percent of net proceeds to charities including The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp, serving children facing serious illness; the Greater Hartford Jaycees, a leadership development and community service organization; and more than 130 other nonprofit organizations throughout New England. The event is sponsored by Travelers, a leading provider of property casualty insurance for home, auto and business. Travelers has been doing business in the community for nearly a century and a half, and today has more than 6,000 employees in the Greater Hartford area. The Official Property Casualty Insurer of the PGA TOUR, Travelers has been a sponsor of this event each year since its inception in 1952, becoming title sponsor in 2007. Complete details are available on www.TravelersChampionship.com.

About The First Tee of Connecticut
The First Tee of Connecticut (TFTCT) is an initiative of the Connecticut Golf Foundation, which has been running youth development programs through the game of golf since 2000. Today, the organization serves over 50,000 youth annually throughout the state. Its mission is to impact the lives of young people by providing educational programs that build character, instill life-enhancing values and promote healthy choices through the game of golf. As part of its program, participants are taught from a curriculum based on Nine Core Values: Courtesy, Honesty, Sportsmanship, Judgment, Integrity, Perseverance, Responsibility, Confidence and Respect.