Edwin H. “Ted” May III, a longtime Connecticut insurance executive, golf leader and founder of The First Tee of Connecticut, has died, according to a statement from the Travelers Championship.
May was a founding partner of Glastonbury-based May, Bonee & Walsh Insurance Services and a prominent figure in Connecticut’s golf community for decades. According to the Travelers Championship, he volunteered for years with the tournament his father co-founded in 1952, later served as tournament chairman and spent 25 years as a PGA Tour liaison before Travelers became title sponsor in 2007. He also served on the Travelers Championship board of directors since its inception.
May founded The First Tee of Connecticut, a youth development organization that uses golf to teach life skills and values to children. Hartford Business Journal honored him with a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2015, recognizing both his business career and community leadership.
Travelers Championship officials said May’s influence extended beyond Connecticut. He served as president of the American Golf Sponsors Association, sat on the PGA Tour Policy Board and helped found First Tee of Morocco. He was also inducted into the Connecticut Golf Hall of Fame.
In a statement, Travelers Championship called May’s passing “a profound loss for the broader Connecticut golf community” and said his impact on the game “will not be forgotten.” He is survived by his wife, Debbie, and children.
