Padraig Harrington, Webb Simpson and Ian Poulter are the latest golfers to commit to the Travelers Championship June 21-24 at TPC River Highlands.

Simpson first came to the Travelers on a sponsor’s exemption in 2008. Less than four years later, Simpson has moved to No. 8 in the World Golf Rankings after a 2011 season that included two victories and runner-up finishes in both the FedExCup and PGA Tour money leader standings. Simpson tied for 13th at the Travelers last year.

This will be Poulter’s second straight appearance at the Travelers, tying for 24th place a year ago. Poulter has 14 world-wide victories and has played on three Ryder Cup teams for the European squad.

Former champions Fredrik Jacobson, Bubba Watson and Hunter Mahan, along with Vijay Singh and Anthony Kim, were the first players to have officially committed to play in the Travelers Championship last month.

Lake of Isles and the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation are taking applications for the 2012 Junior Golf Scholarship Program.  

The program is awarded to eight junior golfers who are interested in playing golf at a competitive level. The junior recipients will receive personalized instruction, playing privileges and unlimited use of the practice facility at Lake of Isles. 

The eight scholarships are open to boys and girls ages 10-17 years old. Applicants will be evaluated on character, integrity, passion, and their potential for success at a highly competitive level. Applications can be found on the Lake of Isles website at www.lakeofisles.com or by calling Lake of Isles at 888.475.3746.

Applications must be received by April 6.

Selected applicants will have a skills test in mid-April and interviewed the following week. Scholarship winners will be announced early May. The recipients will be eligible for program benefits from May 6 through August 26.

The scholarship recipients will receive the following:

Ø  Weekly practice and training sessions with a Troon Golf Academy instructor. 

Ø  Complimentary “standby” playing privileges on Lake of Isles North Course and reduced fees for accompanied adult guests.

Ø  Unlimited use of the Troon Golf Academy practice facility.

Ø  Lake of Isles golf bag, polo shirt, wind shirt, cap and balls.

Ron Soccoli Jr. (Hamden), Bruce Bernheimer (West Hartford), Allan Bernheimer (Trumbull) and Steve Brody (West Hartford) are at Pinehurst, N.C., competing  in the Liberty Mutual Insurance Invitational Finals against more than 200 other amateur golfers from across the country.

The four local residents earned their place in the finals by winning the Liberty Mutual Insurance Invitational last October at Siwanoy Country Club.

 

Former champions Fredrik Jacobson, Bubba Watson and Hunter Mahan, along with Vijay Singh and Anthony Kim, are the first players who have officially committed to play in the Travelers Championship June 21-24 at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell.Jacobson won his first PGA Tour event last year at the Travelers in his fourth try at the event, winning by one shot over Ryan Moore and John Rollins. He had his best year ever on tour, finishing 26th on the tour’s money list.Watson won his first tour event at the Travelers in 2010 in a sudden-death playoff over Corey Pavin and Scott Verplank. He won twice last year and is currently 19th in the Official World Golf Rankings. Mahan is 21st. The all-time leading money winner at the Travelers ($2.3 million), Mahan won his first tournament at River Highlands back in 2007 in a playoff over Jay Williamson.
A former three-time major champion, Singh is making his eighth appearance at the tournament. He has five top-15 finishes. Kim’s best finish in three appearances at the Travelers is a tie for 11th in 2009.

The LPGA Futures Tour 2012 schedule came out Thursday — but with no event from Connecticut. The tour's CEO is leaving the door open for 2013.

For the story, click here

It's never too early to start talking about golf, especially with the weather we have today and Wednesday, close to 60 degrees.

The Connecticut State Golf Association has released its 2012 championship schedule. Plenty of good events on the slate.

Check out csgalinks.org about becoming a member or a volunteer.

The PGA Tour returns to action on Friday, not Thursday, with the Mercedes Championship, all of the winners from the 2011 season are invited.
The tournament will end on Monday night EST. Then the Hawaiian Open will begin on Thursday January 12 and end on Sunday, January 15.

Kelly Whaley of Farmington, the winner of the Connecticut Women's Amateur in August, has signed a national letter of intent to play women's golf at Quinnipiac University.
Whaley shot an even-par 72 to win the 46th Women's Amateur by 1 shot over Ellie Dutch at Timberlin Golf Club. Kelly is the youngest daughter of Suzy Whaley, the teaching pro at TPC River Highlands, home to the Travelers Championship. The elder Whaley qualified for the 2003 Travelers, then known as the Greater Hartford Open.
Whaley will join the team next fall.
“Jenn brings an extensive history of competing in some of the best tournaments in the country,” Quinnipiac coach John O’Connor said in a statement. “Jenn’s length off the tee and her understanding of what it takes to play golf in the Northeast make her a great addition to our team. Jenn comes from a family of great golfers and she will definitely leave her mark in the history books here at Quinnipiac.”

Art Williams and Gary Reynolds (Distinguished Service) and Ron Smith (Distinguished Golf Achievement) will be inducted into the Connecticut Golf Hall of Fame at the Connecticut State Golf Association’s 112th annual meeting Tuesday at Race Brook Country Club in Orange.
Williams served as president of the CSGA in 1981-82 and has volunteered as a rules official for more than 40 years. Smith won the Connecticut Amateur Championship in 1964 and 1966 and the New England Amateur Championship in 1964. Reynolds, the former longtime head pro at Hartford GC, is the co-founder of the Connecticut Section PGA Golf Foundation, has also been heavily involved with The First Tee of Connecticut and served on the CT Section PGA Board of Directors since 1985.

Brett Stegmaier of Hamden made five straight birdies on the inward nine and needed every one of them for a one-stroke victory Tuesday in a Fuzion-Minor League Golf Tour tournament at Ironhorse Country Club in West Palm Beach, Fla.
After a birdie-bogey-birdie start, Stegmaier made seven consecutive pars, then birdied five in a row starting at the par-3 11th hole. He shot a 67, earning $750 from the $3,500 purse. It was Stegmaier’s second MLGT title, the first coming April 13, 2007, on the nearby Estate course at PGA National.