Hartford Business Journal

16 HARTFORDBUSINESS.COM | FEBRUARy 20, 2023 Bigger & Better With larger purse, guarantee of top golfers, Travelers Championship poised for historic year By Skyler Frazer sfrazer@hartfordbusiness.com M ore than 70 years after Ted Kroll won the inaugural Insurance City Open in 1952, organizers of the now-named Travelers Championship expect 2023 to feature the biggest golf tournament Connecticut has ever seen. There's a lot going for this year's tournament. The PGA Tour in October announced the Travelers Champi- onship at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell will get an elevated status in 2023, meaning a total prize pool of $20 million (more than double what was offered last year), and a guarantee that most of the world's top golfers will compete. Premier golfers are the lifeblood of any successful tournament because they draw fans and sponsors. Trav- elers Championship organizers have already announced that Rory McIlroy, the No. 1 player in the world, according to the Official World Golf Ranking, has committed to this year's competition. "You're going to get an unbeliev- able field, a field that I think will be as good as any major golf event, any of the majors, and any other elevated golf event," said Trav- elers Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer Andy Bessette in a recent interview with the Hartford Business Journal. The Travelers Championship, which is part of the FedExCup series, is also the only PGA Tour event in New England this year, which means regional and national attention will be focused on Cromwell from June 19 to 25. That should generate more interest from nearby out-of-state fans. "It's going to be like nothing that we've ever seen here in Connecticut. This is going to be that special and that different," Bessette said. "I guarantee this is the biggest golf event that's ever been in the state of Connecticut since 1952." Strong field Bessette said he began negoti- ating with PGA Tour officials midway through last year to get the Travelers Championship elevated status for 2023. The PGA Tour established the elevated tournament structure in response to the departures of several top golfers — including former Travelers Championship winners Phil Mickelson, Bubba Watson and Dustin Johnson — to the competing, Saudi- backed LIV Tour, which has offered players higher guaranteed money and a shorter playing season. Thirteen PGA events — not including the majors — will have the higher status this year. They will pay out a combined $315 million in prize money, according to Axios. As part of the change, Travelers Cos. and the PGA will jointly fund the $20-million purse for Connecticut's tournament, $3.6 million of which will go to the winner. Travelers Championship's highest previous purse was $8.3 million in 2022. Bessette said third place at this year's event will net more than last year's winner, Xander Schauffele, who took home almost $1.5 million. The elevated status also guaran- tees that 19 of the top 22 golfers in the world, according to Player Impact Program rankings, will compete in the tournament, which typically fields 156 players. Bessette said the richer purse will convince other big-name golfers outside of the top ranks to also participate. HBJ PHOTO | STEVE LASCHEVER PHOTO | CONTRIBUTED Travelers Championship Tournament Director Nathan Grube in his downtown Hartford office. Xander Schauffele was the 2022 Travelers Championship winner, taking home nearly $1.5 million in prize money. Purse history at the Travelers Championship Year Total purse 2023 $20M 2022 $8.3M 2021 $7.4M 2020 $7.4M 2019 $7.2M 2018 $7M 2017 $6.8M 2016 $6.6M 2015 $6.4M 2014 $6.2M 2013 $6.1M 2012 $6M Source: Travelers Championship Andy Bessette

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