Firestone CC to rename 16th bridge for Palmer

KIAWAH ISLAND, S.C. – Jordan Spieth could tell you he’s been in the top 10 in seven of his last nine PGA TOUR starts, including his 12th victory at the Valero Texas Open last month. He could tell you the significance of a potential victory at this week’s 103th PGA Championship at Kiawah, where a fourth major win would give him the career Grand Slam – a distinction held by only Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, Ben Hogan and Gene Sarazen. But as to when exactly he knew that he was “back” to his old self after a vexing, lengthy slump that saw him fall to 92nd in the world earlier this year? That’s more complicated. RELATED: Power Rankings | Expert Picks | Nine Things to Know: Kiawah Island “I’m not sure if there was a single turning point,” said Spieth, who is coming off a T9 finish at the AT&T Byron Nelson last week. “I think it was kind of a progression of finding some feels that allowed me to stand comfortably over the ball and hit a shot under pressure, and then doing that for multiple days in a row and then having that happen a couple tournaments in a row.” Those two tournaments, he added, were the Waste Management Phoenix Open (T4, including a third-round 61) and AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am (T3) in early February. It was, he said, the “time frame where I kind of thought, Man, I know it’s not where I want it to be, but it doesn’t need to be for me to at least tap in to how to contend out here.” Spieth, who had weather delays getting out of Dallas and was set to play the course for the first time Tuesday afternoon, is up to 26th in the world, eighth in the FedExCup. That’s not up the standards he set in 2015, when he was No. 1 in both, but then again, is that standard even fair? What does it mean to be back, anyway? Winning on TOUR? Spieth has done that. Winning his fourth major? It could happen this week. Revisiting the peaks he reached in 2015? That year, of course, is when Spieth won five times, including the Masters, U.S. Open, TOUR Championship and FedExCup. He was Player of the Year and reached No. 1 in the world. But that metric is problematic, as well. “I was actually a better player in 2017,” he said, “but everyone just looks at results. I had a lower scoring average. I was better tee to green. I was a better player.” For Will Zalatoris, who plays often with Spith in Dallas and will join him (and Webb Simpson) for the first two rounds of the PGA, being back means doing Jordan Spieth things again. And what exactly are Jordan Spieth things? “The disgusting chip-ins,” Zalatoris said, “the 40-footers that when you’re playing against him they’re awful, when you’re playing with him they’re the best thing on earth, or at least when he’s on your team. But the guy, I mean, he worked so hard at it for a year and a half, just hours and hours of beating golf balls. Obviously, we get to see what goes on here, but I’m fortunate enough to see what goes on back home, and there’s nobody that works harder than him. “It was just a matter of time.” A match at Dallas National “three or four months ago,” he added, left no question. Zalatoris and his partner were on the green; Spieth and partner Martin Flores were on either side of it, Spieth having pull-hooked his tee shot left of the cart path. Zalatoris knew not to get too comfortable. “Jordan hits this chip shot that skips through the rough,” he said, “goes up, checks on the hill, then basically just goes Mach3 and just slams into the back of the hole and goes in. Then he follows it up with like a 30- or 40-footer on the next hole. It’s just like, this is just Jordan. “I think to me – I’d seen it for the few months leading up to that,” he continued, “but that was like the most – that was when I knew, OK, he’s back. It’s been fun to see.” Spieth said he’s tried to stay level-headed amid the mass hysteria of his high highs and low lows. “It’s golf,” he said. He said he’s not thinking about the Slam and won’t until the weekend – and that’s only if he’s contending. “I feel like I’ll have a lot of chances at this tournament,” he said, “and if I just focus on trying to take advantage of this golf course, play it the best I can and kind of stay in the same form tree to green I’ve been in, all I can ask for is a chance.” Just a chance. For some players – the most riveting, can’t-turn-away players – it’s all they need. And that’s why the Slam is very much in play at Kiawah. As Zalatoris, Daniel Berger, Matt Kuchar and others know well, when Jordan Spieth things start happening, anything is possible.

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HARTFORD, Conn. - The Travelers Companies, Inc. and the PGA TOUR today announced that they have reached an agreement to extend Travelers' title sponsorship of the Travelers Championship through 2030. The company has been a partner of the tournament since its inception in 1952 and has served as title sponsor since 2007. This agreement will make Travelers the longest-running title sponsor in the event's history. As part of the sponsorship extension, Travelers will remain the Official Property Casualty Insurance Provider of the PGA TOUR, PGA TOUR Champions and Korn Ferry Tour. "So many historic and exciting moments in golf have happened at the Travelers Championship over the years, but it's the amazing moments that are made off the course that capture the real value of our hometown tournament," said Alan Schnitzer, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer at Travelers. "As a company rooted in taking care of its customers and communities, the charitable mission of the Travelers Championship reflects who we are as an organization. This tournament is important to so many people across the region - both as an economic driver for the state and as a funding source for hundreds of charities - and we are proud to continue its legacy for years to come." Since Travelers became title sponsor, the tournament has generated more than $20 million for nearly 800 nonprofits. All net proceeds from the Travelers Championship go to charity, and the funds raised each year have increased substantially, from $650,000 in 2007 to $2.1 million in 2019. The 2020 Travelers Championship, held as a TV-only event due to COVID-19 restrictions, generated more than $1.6 million. "The Travelers Championship has established itself as a premier PGA TOUR event, thanks to the inspirational leadership provided by Travelers, the dedication of thousands of volunteers and the passionate fans who watch or attend every year," said PGA TOUR Commissioner Jay Monahan. "Connecticut and the PGA TOUR are fortunate to have a company like Travelers that helps deliver an outstanding experience every year for our players, for golf fans and for local nonprofits. We are extremely excited about the future of the Travelers Championship." The tournament has been recognized with 15 "Best Of" awards from the PGA TOUR over the past several years, including Tournament of the Year in 2017, Players Choice in 2017 and 2018, and Most Fan Friendly Event in 2010, 2012 and 2017. "The Travelers Championship wouldn't be possible without the overwhelming support we receive from people across the state and the thousands of volunteers who help each year," said Andy Bessette, Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer at Travelers. "The event may be branded with our company name, but this is really Connecticut's tournament. Together, we have made it one of the best stops on the PGA TOUR for players and fans." With Travelers as title sponsor, many significant enhancements have been made at TPC River Highlands, including the addition of a 23-acre practice facility, a multimillion-dollar course improvement project and a 40,000-square-foot clubhouse, which opened prior to the 2019 Travelers Championship. The tournament purse has also increased by $200,000 annually for six straight years, reaching $7.4 million in 2020. "We have amazing fan support and an incredible title sponsor that works hard to make our event bigger and better year after year," said Nathan Grube, Travelers Championship Tournament Director. "We have achieved tremendous success working with Travelers and the PGA TOUR, and we couldn't be more grateful for their partnership. I know the best is yet to come, thanks to them, as well as all our major sponsors and supporters across the state." Schnitzer concluded, "We are grateful to the PGA TOUR for its partnership, and we appreciate the support of the TOUR players, Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont, Nathan Grube and his team, our employees, the volunteers and the fans for helping us make this world-class event possible." The 2021 Travelers Championship will be held June 21-27 and will feature many of the game's top players, including the defending champion, reigning FedExCup champion and current top-ranked player in the world, Dustin Johnson. The first and second rounds, as well as early coverage of the final two rounds, will be broadcast live on Golf Channel, and the third and fourth rounds will be broadcast live on CBS. For more information, visit TravelersChampionship.com.

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