PGA Tour Brunch Opening Round

@PGATourBrunch Opening Round Coverage at The Travelers

@TerryLyons

Jun 24, 2021

The 2021 Travelers Championship Opening Round

COURSE: TPC River Highlands, Cromwell, Connecticut

ARCHITECT: Robert J. Ross/Maurice Kearney

YARDS/PAR: 6,841 yards/Par 70

PRIZE Money/First Place Winnings: $7,400,000 /$1,332,000

DEFENDING CHAMPION: Dustin Johnson (2020)

PAST RESULTS: (link)

PAST CHAMPIONS: (link)

FEDEx CUP Points Total/Winner: 2,989/500

SOCIAL MEDIA: #PGATour #FedExCup @TravelersChamp

OFFICIAL SITE: (The Travelers)

TV COVERAGE: Today, June 24 and Friday, June 25: 3:00pm to 6:00pm (EDT) on Golf Channel.

On Saturday, June 26, Round 3 coverage 1:00pm to 3:00pm (EDT) on Golf Channel. CBS takes over from 3:00pm to 6:00pm (EDT). On Sunday, June 27: Golf Channel starts-off the coverage 1:00pm to 3:00pm (EDT) and CBS wraps it up from 3:00pm to 6:00pm (EDT).

STREAMING: Streaming coverage with Featured Groups via PGA Live from 6:45am to 6:00pm (EDT) today and Friday. PGA Live Coverage expands on the weekend with Featured Groups streaming 8:00am to 3:00pm (EDT) and Featured Holes 3:00pm to 6:00pm (EDT) on both Saturday and Sunday.

PGA TOUR RADIO COVERAGE: SiriusXM PGA Tour Radio returns for today and Friday coverage 12:00pm Noon to 6:00pm (EDT). Weekend coverage on PGA Tour Radio airs from 1:00pm to 6:00pm (EDT) or until conclusion. PGA Tour Radio is available on Sirius 208/XM 92) or online on PGATour.com

How to Watch: In case of changes, see: (PGATourCom)

The Travelers: 2021 Notebook

Scheduled to compete in this week’s field are three of the four players with multiple wins this season: Bryson DeChambeau (2020 U.S. Open, Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard), Stewart Cink (Fortinet Championship, RBC Heritage) and Patrick Cantlay (ZOZO Championship @ Sherwood, the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday). With a victory on Sunday, one of the three could become the first player to win three titles during the 2020-21 season.

The 2021 Travelers Championship marks the beginning of the FedEx Cup playoff stretch. With only nine events remaining until the start of the playoffs, Jon Rahm moved to No. 2 in the FedExCup standings and within 137 points of leader Patrick Cantlay.

The Travelers Championship has a long history of awarding sponsor exemptions to up-and-coming players. Previous sponsor exemptions for some of the Tour’s biggest stars included: Webb Simpson, Rickie Fowler, Patrick Cantlay, Justin Thomas, Bryson DeChambeau, Jon Rahm, Matthew Wolff, Viktor Hovland and Collin Morikawa.

In 2021, sponsor exemptions include PGA Tour University top-ranked players John Pak and Davis Thompson, Oklahoma State product Austin Eckroat, who is making his first Tour start as a professional, and Chase Koepka, who qualified on Monday before the 2020 Travelers Championship but withdrew as a precaution after COVID exposure.

The Basics:

Tournament Tee Times begin today at 6:45am (EDT) through 2:00pm (EDT).

Weather: Today’s forecast calls for sunny skies and a comfortable 67-degrees, low humidity at 46% and a 0% chance of rain. Winds 6-12 mph. Friday forecast calls for 30% chance of showers, temps 53-80-degrees with southerly winds, 7-14 mph.

PGATourBrunch will post at 7:00am (EDT) on Friday.

Next Week: The Rocket Mortgage Classic (Detroit, Michigan)

Field Update:

156 Players

Steve Stricker (OUT) / Grayson Murray (IN)

Joel Dahmen (OUT) / DJ Trahan (IN) Maverick McNealy

Luke List (OUT) / Ryan Brehm (IN)

Erik van Rooyen (OUT) / Sebastian Cappelen (IN)

The Field - (link)

What They’re Saying:

Can Dustin Johnson Break Out of Slump (Golf Week/USA Today)

About TPC River Highlands - Cromwell (Official Site) - (Course)

The Travelers - General Info (Golf Week/USA Today)

How to Watch This Week (PGATourCom)

#SportsBiz, Sports Gambling and Golf Industry News

Expert Picks - (PGATourCom)

Sleeper Picks - (PGATourCom)

Horses for the Course (PGATourCom)

Rickie Fowler, and wife Allison, expecting in November (Golf Week/USA Today)

DeChambeau, Thomas Lead Team USA Golf (Yahoo Sports)

On This Day in Golf History:

June 24, 1990 - One week after winning his third U.S. Open in a 19-hole Monday playoff to become the oldest player to win the event (at age 45), Hale Irwin won for the second straight week at the Buick Open at the Westchester Country Club in New York. Irwin defeated Paul Azinger by two shots after firing a final round (65). - Courtesy of Randy Walker, Author of On This Day in Golf History, available via Amazon.com and by clicking HERE