Round 1, Travelers Championship

text size

Jun. 25, 2009
By PGATOUR.COM staff

The first groups are ready to tee off in today's first round of the Travelers Championship. Here's how it sets up:

Groups We're Watching

Tee time	Players
7:42 a.m. ET No. 1		Brian Gay, Anthony Kim, Sergio Garcia Two twenty-somethings and two-time winner '09 winner Brian Gay have an early start.
1:03 p.m. ET No. 10		Zach Johnson, Ryuji Imada, Boo Weekley Two-time '09 champ Johnson leads this group alongside fan favorite Weekley.
1:03 p.m. ET No. 1		Lucas Glover, Vijay Singh, Chad Campbell Fresh from his U.S. Open win, Glover joins the Big Fijian and Masters runner-up Campbell.

EXPERT PREVIEW: PGA TOUR Network on-site correspondent Mark Carnevale previews Thursday's first round:

After a long week at the U.S. Open, players will be happy to start the 2009 Travelers Championship. The weather forecast looks pretty good, except for maybe an occasional late afternoon thunderstorm on Friday and Sunday, so we should be able to get this tournament in without any lengthy delays. Of course, my word is just as good as the weatherman's, so don't hold me to it.

Thursday's forecast

Partly cloudy
Temp: 83 high/66 low
Evening showers are a possibility, but the first round's warm and calm weather should provide the perfect backdrop for low scores.

One thing to watch out for this week is the fatigue factor of those players who played all four rounds of the U.S. Open. I know from my experience in the '98 U.S. Open at the Olympic Club in San Francisco that after a grueling week, both physically and mentally, it is difficult to maintain your energy level. Props to Lucas Glover for following through with his commitment of playing in Connecticut after winning at Bethpage. Certainly anyone would understand if he had withdrawn, but I respect him a great deal for coming here and competing. He truly is showing the signs of a deserving champion.

A few players to keep your eye on this week are: Former champion Hunter Mahan, defending champion Stewart Cink and David Toms. Toms has played awfully well this year without winning. In my mind, this is a perfect golf course for him, and it would not surprise me at all to see him around the lead come Sunday.

You never know who you might run into at a PGA TOUR event. Wednesday was the Celebrity Pro-Am at the Travelers Championship, and I ran into a couple of old family friends. New England Patriots Head Coach Bill Belichick played, and his father Steve was a close friend of my father's when they were both coaching at the U.S. Naval Academy. Also in the field was Heisman Trophy- and Super Bowl-winning quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys, Roger Staubach. Roger played basketball for my father his junior year at Navy and was instrumental in beating Army in both football and basketball that year. It sure is a small world. Enjoy the tournament this week!

Stat of the day

Last year, Stewart Cink earned his second Travelers Championship title 11 years after he won his first, which also happened to be his maiden victory on the PGA TOUR.

The Film Room

	Opening Shot Beau Estes and Brian Katrek discuss Lucas Glover at the U.S. Open and the TOUR's return to TPC River Highlands. Watch it
	Fantasy Insider: 2009 St. Jude Classic Need help with your fantasy picks for the 2009 Travelers Championship? John Swantek and the Fantasy Insider can help you out. Watch it
	Preview: 2009 St. Jude Classic The TOUR heads to TPC River Highlands for the 2009 Travelers Championship; here are a few players to keep an eye on.Watch it