History of Travelers Championship in Timeline
The Travelers Championship is a PGA Tour professional golf tournament held annually in Cromwell, Connecticut, at TPC River Highlands since 1984. Managed by The Greater Hartford Community Foundation, the tournament is known for its high standards. It received the Players Choice Award for the second year in a row in 2018, a testament to its exceptional services, hospitality, attendance, and the quality of the course, as voted on by PGA Tour members.
1952: Tournament Founded as Insurance City Open
In 1952, the tournament was founded as the Insurance City Open.
1967: Renamed Greater Hartford Open
In 1967, the tournament was renamed the Greater Hartford Open (GHO).
1973: GHO bore the name of Sammy Davis Jr.
From 1973 the Greater Hartford Open (GHO) also bore the name of entertainer Sammy Davis Jr.
1984: Event Moved to TPC of Connecticut
In 1984, the Travelers Championship moved to the new TPC of Connecticut in Cromwell after the PGA Tour bought and redesigned Edgewood Country Club.
1984: Tournament held at TPC River Highlands
In 1984, the Travelers Championship was held at TPC River Highlands for the first time. It has been held there since.
1985: Canon becomes title sponsor
In 1985, Canon became the title sponsor of the tournament.
1988: GHO bore the name of Sammy Davis Jr.
Through 1988 the Greater Hartford Open (GHO) also bore the name of entertainer Sammy Davis Jr.
1991: Course Redesigned and Renamed
In 1991, the course was substantially redesigned with a completely new front nine holes and renamed the TPC at River Highlands.
2002: Canon announced it would not renew its sponsorship
After the 2002 season, Canon announced it would not renew its sponsorship, leading to concerns about the tournament's future.
2002: Canon Sponsorship Ends
In 2002, Canon's run as title sponsor of the tournament ended.
2002: Record Attendance
In 2002, the Travelers Championship set a record attendance with nearly 400,000 fans for the week.
2003: Buick Signs Sponsorship Agreement
In 2003, a fundraising campaign and Buick's three-year sponsorship agreement allowed the tournament to continue under the title Buick Championship.
2003: Title Retained Through This Year
The title Greater Hartford Open was retained through 2003.
2004: Buick Becomes Title Sponsor
In 2004, Buick became the title sponsor of the tournament.
2005: Tournament Played in Late August
In 2005, the Travelers Championship was played in late August.
2006: Buick Did Not Renew Sponsorship
After the 2006 season, Buick did not renew its sponsorship, briefly causing the tournament to lose its spot on the tour schedule.
2006: Buick Title Sponsorship Ends
In 2006, Buick's sponsorship of the tournament ended.
2006: Mahan Finished Tied for Second
In 2006, Hunter Mahan finished tied for second at the Travelers Championship.
2006: Tournament Played in Late June
In 2006, the Travelers Championship was played in late June.
2006: Purse Under Buick's Sponsorship
In 2006, under Buick's sponsorship, the tournament purse was $4.4 million, with $792,000 going to the winner.
2007: Purse Under Travelers' Sponsorship
From 2007, the purse under Travelers' sponsorship was $6 million, with $1,080,000 going to the champion.
2007: The Travelers Companies Take Over Sponsorship
In 2007, The Travelers Companies took over sponsorship of the tournament.
2007: Travelers Signed On to Sponsor
In 2007, Travelers signed on to sponsor the tournament, securing its spot on the tour schedule.
2007: Played in Late June
Since 2007, the Travelers Championship has been played in late June, the week after the U.S. Open.
2008: Mahan Finished Tied for Second
In 2008, Hunter Mahan finished tied for second at the Travelers Championship.
2010: TPC Clubs Network
By 2010, the TPC Property was part of a network of over 30 TPC Clubs.
2010: Purse Under Travelers' Sponsorship
In 2010, the purse under Travelers' sponsorship was $6 million, with $1,080,000 going to the champion.
2011: Tournament Attendance in 2011
In 2011, the Travelers Championship attracted 240,000 fans for the week and 70,000 fans on Sunday.
2016: Tournament Played in August
Due to the Summer Olympics, the 2016 Travelers Championship tournament was played in August.
2017: Attendance Milestone
In 2017, about 290,000 fans attended the Travelers Championship, marking the most since Travelers started hosting the tournament.
2017: Tournament Returned to June
In 2017, the Travelers Championship tournament returned to its usual schedule in June after being played in August the previous year.
2018: Earned Players Choice Award
In 2018, the Travelers Championship earned the Players Choice Award for the second consecutive year. The award is voted on by PGA Tour members.
2020: Open Qualifying Series
For the 2020 season, the Travelers Championship is part of the Open Qualifying Series, providing up to two spots in the Open Championship.
