When the Travelers Championship tees off later this month, it will feature one of the most high-profile golfers the tournament has ever attracted: Rory McIlroy, the No. 2 golfer in the world.
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When the Travelers Championship tees off later this month, it will feature one of the most high-profile golfers the tournament has ever attracted: Rory McIlroy, the No. 2 golfer in the world.
It wasn't until recently that McIlroy confirmed he'd play in the tournament at the TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, but the quest to woo him started long before.
Tournament Director Nathan Grube said he started soliciting McIlroy a few years ago by approaching him and his handlers at tournaments around the country. But even before that, McIlroy had found his way to TPC River Highlands' practice facility.
It was on a day in 2011 when Grube was out of town.
“I actually got a call from the guys working in the pro shop saying, 'Did you know Rory's out here hitting balls?' ” Grube recalled. McIlroy, now 28, happened to be visiting Connecticut, so he made a trip to Travelers' practice facility to hit a few balls, and liked what he saw, Grube said.
To recruit players, Grube and Andy Bessette, Travelers' executive vice president and chief administrative officer, typically attend five or six tour events a year making player invites and offering perks like day care services or travel arrangements to and from the course. But making a good first impression seems to have helped win McIlroy over, Grube said.
McIlroy, No.3-world-ranked pro Jason Day and Bubba Watson are just a few of the 150-plus players who will round out the field of this year's Travelers Championship, June 19 through June 25.
The added starpower, who'll be vying for a piece of the event's $6.8 million purse, should help provide a boost to this year's tourney, which depends on a talented field of players and course amenities to attract fans.
Sponsorships, charity participation and ticket sales are all tracking above last year's figures, Grube said.
In 2016, the tournament raised a record $2.8 million for charity, which was helped by a special benefit dinner for retired Travelers CEO Jay Fishman, who was suffering from ALS. He died later in 2016 from the disease.
The tournament had 160 charities participating last year, as well as 380 sponsors, both figures organizers expect to exceed this year.
Attendance also is likely to climb, Grube said, though he didn't have estimates or tallies from years past. For instance, 750 tickets for the June 22 Women's Day event sold out 14 minutes after they went on sale, he said.
Ticket sales for the Champions Club are tracking about 18 percent higher than last year, when 1,300 tickets were sold, Grube said. Located on the 18th hole, the climate-controlled luxury hospitality tent for all-inclusive tickets, ranging from $150 to $275 a person, includes free food and beverages, a full bar and TVs. Location and the premier field of golf pros is the reason for the uptick in sales, Grube said. Aer Lingus, which is making a big marketing push in Connecticut after launching the state's only direct trans-Atlantic flight last September, is the Champions Club sponsor.
The tournament also recruited several new sponsors this year including Stanley Black & Decker, Dell and Stryker, whose funds will help various charities including the Hole in the Wall Gang Camp, which is the primary beneficiary.
Meantime, organizers are continually tweaking amenities to keep the public coming back. That includes more concerts and special events and a place for kids and families to hang out. The goal is to make the tournament more of an experience and not just about golf.
The rock band Gin Blossoms and country singer Drake White and The Big Fire will headline concerts at this year's event. The “fan zone,” complete with concessions, picnic tables and activities, including a mini golf course, has been continuously improved since 2008 and features small recent changes that are important to the fan experience, Grube said.
Improvements this year range from an expanded baby changing tent to healthier salads and a viewing deck for the military and their families.
“Families come down there and spend two to three hours there and never see a shot of golf,” he said.
Even new “chill zones” have been set up. They are cooling benches located in viewing areas that blow cold air “to make it as enjoyable as possible when the fans come on-site,” Grube said.
“We have a philosophy,” he said. “The status quo is unacceptable. We always try to get better.”
