Travelers Championship gets big names -- vets and young guns alike

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HARTFORD, Conn., -- Travelers Championship officials announced powerful growth in the player field today with the confirmation that Vijay Singh, Fred Funk, Chris DiMarco, Boo Weekley, J.B. Holmes, Bubba Watson and 2004 Champion Woody Austin will all compete in Connecticut's PGA TOUR event. The Travelers Championship will be held June 16 - 22, 2008 at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, Conn.

"We're pleased to announce that the field will include three additional top-30 players in Singh, Austin and Weekley. Watson and Holmes currently lead the PGA TOUR as Nos. 1 and 2 for driving distance, and they've both been playing tremendously this year. The combination of those PGA TOUR leaders should result in some outstanding golf to see at the Travelers Championship," states Nathan Grube, tournament director. "We're pleased to welcome back Funk and DiMarco, who bring a lot of strength to the quality of the field. With the commitment of these noteworthy players, we are certain we will deliver a world-class event filled with action for the fans."

Vijay Singh is currently ranked No. 9 in the Official World Golf Rankings and is No. 5 in the PGA TOUR FedExCup points race. Holding a remarkable 31 PGA TOUR victories, Singh has four majors to his name. In 2008, Singh has netted four top-10 finishes and eight top-25 finishes in 11 events played. Singh will make his fifth appearance in Connecticut's PGA TOUR event, where he finished fourth in 2007.

Fred Funk, a popular fan favorite holding eight PGA TOUR victories and three Champions Tour victories, will make his 14th appearance in Connecticut. This season, Funk has had top-10 finishes on both the PGA TOUR and the Champions Tour, finishing tied for 10th at the Sony Open in Hawaii and capturing the win at the MasterCard Championship at Hualalai on the Champions Tour. In 2007, at age 50, Funk had wins on both the PGA TOUR and the Champions Tour, winning the PGA TOUR's inaugural Mayakoba Golf Classic at Riviera Maya-Cancun and the Turtle Bay Championship.

Chris DiMarco is a three-time winner on the PGA TOUR and also captured an international victory at the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship in 2006. DiMarco has played twice on both The Presidents Cup and the Ryder Cup teams. In 2005, DiMarco finished a career-best No. 7 on the PGA TOUR money list. That same year, he was a standout member of the victorious United States Presidents Cup squad, posting a 4-0-1. DiMarco clinched the matches with a 13-foot birdie putt to win 1-up over Stuart Appleby.

Current world No. 30 player and 2004 Champion Woody Austin returns for his 11th appearance in Connecticut. Last year, Austin had the best season of his career including a PGA TOUR victory, finishing second in the PGA Championship, earning a spot on The Presidents Cup team and garnering his highest earnings in one season. Also last year, Austin shot the best final round of the PGA TOUR season, an 8-under-par 63 at the Stanford St. Jude Championship, to win the event. The five-stroke victory was the third of his career and first since his win in Connecticut in 2004. This year, Austin has had two top-10 finishes, tying for fourth at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans and tying for fifth at the World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play.

Two-time winner of the Verizon Heritage, Boo Weekley is currently ranked No. 23 in the Official World Golf Rankings and holds the No. 9 position on the PGA TOUR money list. Weekley had a solid run on the PGA TOUR in 2007, finishing with five top-10 finishes and nine top-25 finishes. Weekley's success has continued strong in 2008, having netted four top-10 finishes and eight top-25 finishes year to date. Weekly currently ranks No. 17 in the FedExCup points race.

Known for his powerful, long drive, Bubba Watson is a young gun to watch, having led the PGA TOUR in driving distance since his rookie season in 2006. Watson is currently ranked No. 1 in driving distance at an average of 311.4 yards. Last year, in his second year on the PGA TOUR, Watson collected five top-10 finishes including a runner-up finish at the Shell Houston Open. This season, Watson's best finish was at the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard where he tied for eighth place.

Trailing right behind Watson in driving distance is J.B. Holmes, a young player who has also shown immense talent in his first few years on the PGA TOUR. Holmes is currently ranked No. 2 for driving distance with an average of 308.9 yards. Earlier this year, Holmes sank a 13-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole to force a playoff at the FBR Open. He then birdied again on the first playoff hole to beat Phil Mickelson and earn his second FBR Open title. Holmes won the tournament in 2006, his rookie year on TOUR. This year, Holmes has two top-10 finishes.

The Travelers Championship player field will also include defending champion Hunter Mahan, David Toms and Stewart Cink. For tickets and additional information, visit the tournament Web site.