Phil Mickelson (above) won the old Greater Hartford Open in 2001 and 2002. He hasn't been to TPC River Highlands since 2003, but Travelers hasn't stopped in trying to get him to return.


 CROMWELL — Travelers Championship tournament director Nathan Grube vividly recalls a conversation he had years ago with several people, including a pro golfer he declined to name.

The question was posed to the golfer: “Why don’t you ever go play so-and-so’s tournament?” His reply: “Because nobody ever asked me to go.”

Golfers are asked constantly by tournament directors and sponsors to come play their specific event. It happens every single week on tour. But for golfers not to be asked at all?

“Those words burn in my head,” Grube said. “There will never be a player on tour that has said that we haven’t asked them (to come to the Travelers Championship).”

Check out some of the golfers Travelers has spoken to, some that have committed and more on the Palmer Cup and Billy Casper coming to Connecticut!

Six more golfers committed to the Travelers Championship at the annual media day Tuesday,
including European Ryder Cup teammates Lee Westwood and Ian Poulter.
Also returning to the TPC River Highlands next month are Rickie Fowler, Jason Dufner, 2011 champion Fredrik Jacobson and Padraig Harrington.
Westwood tied for 51st place in his only appearance in Connecticut in 2005. Now at No. 11 in the latest world rankings, Westwood has five top 10 finishes on the PGA Tour this season. Poulter makes his third straight appearance, his best finish a tie for 24th place. He is 15th in the world rankings.
Fowler is making his third appearance at the Travelers and first since 2010. He is 30th in the world rankings and his only PGA Tour win came at the Wells Fargo Championship in 2012.
Dufner, who won twice on tour last year, is making his fourth appearance at the Travelers. He is 20th in the current world rankings. Harrington is the only major champion of the six, capturing three, including two British Opens.
Jacobson has yet to win since the Travelers two years ago, but had three top 10 finishes this season and is ranked 48th.