Louis Oosthuizen, Paul Casey and Hunter Mahan are the first professional golfers announced to have committed to the 2016 Travelers Championship to be held Aug. 4-7 at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell.

Oosthuizen, the 2010 winner of the Open Championship, is currently No. 16 in the Official World Golf Rankings. He tied for second at both the U.S. Open and the Open Championship last year. Oosthuizen’s best finish in three previous trip to the Travelers is a tie for 47th place.

Casey lost in a sudden-death playoff to Bubba Watson at last year’s Travelers Championship, his first appearance at TPC River Highlands. Ranked 26th in the world golf rankings, Casey has six top-10 finishes in major championship tournaments.

Mahan’s first PGA Tour win came in 2007, the first year Travelers was the title sponsor. Mahan, ranked 90th, has three other top-4 performances at the Travelers and has won on the PGA Tour five other times.

The First Tee of Connecticut will be offering spring programs beginning in April at Alling Memorial Golf Course in New Haven, The Fairways in Branford, Lyman Orchards Golf Club in Middlefield and the First Tee's Learning Center at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell.

The First Tee provides educational programs that build character, instill life-enhancing values and promoting healthy choices through the game of golf.

Classes begin the week of April 17 and run for seven weeks. Fees are $35 at both Alling Memorial GC and The Fairways and $49 at Lyman Orchards GC and TPC River Highlands. The sessions include instruction, usage of appropriate golf equipment and life skills resources.

To register, visit: https://connecticut.thefirstteeregistration.org/#/957/events