The Travelers Championship

Fairfield’s J.J. Henry got his first round of the Travelers Championship to a fast start with an eagle 2 on the 434-yard, par-4 first. Henry, playing in the 7:21 a.m. group,  knocked in a 113-yard pitching wedge from the fairway to take the early lead.

Currently, (it’s 8:20 in the morning and the coffee is tasting real good) Henry and Kevin Na are tied for the lead at 2-under. 

Early results … Corey Pavin is 1-under through 4, Brian Gay is 1-under after 3, Sergio Garcia is even through 3 and Stewart Cink is even through 2.

The first tee times are just hours away. Let’s get this thing started:

Defending champ Cink cleans up his game: “The Toxic Avenger,” says Neill.

Zach Johnson shoots for weekend stay at Travelers after two disappointing years here.

Notebook: Pesci, celebs tee up for charity. Of course, UConn is involved.

At a glance for the day

Elsewhere, the Connecticut Amateur is down to eight. They include Nick Cook, formerly of Shelton and Fairfield Prep; he’ll be playing Brian Murphy, who’s a member of Brooklawn.

See you in a few hours…

If you asked the average golf fan to name the three players who finished in the top 10 of both the Masters and the U.S. Open this year, they might be able to get the first two. Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson.

The third is a bit surprising.

Hunter Mahan, the 2007 champion here in Cromwell, has been outstanding this season in the majors.

“I love playing majors. I look forward to every one,” Mahan said after stopping by the media tent Wednesday.

“You’ve got the best players in the world,” Mahan said. “They can’t get lucky. … It’s such a fair test. It’s such a great test mentally and physically that it’s easy.”

He’s come close and Mahan feels he’s ready to break through and actually win one of the big ones soon.

“I feel like my game is ready to win at that level,” Mahan said.

- Neill

In his first return to Cromwell since 2002, Sergio Garcia has gotten off to a fast start. Garcia’s Pro-Am foursome teed off at 6:50 a.m. and tore up the course with the low round of the morning at 16-under-par 54.
Garcia said afterwards he’s looking forward to teeing it up for real Thursday.

“I think both nines are a little bit different one from the other,” Garcia said. “Definitely the last four or five holes are really nice. The course overall is nice.
“It’s a good solid course.”

UPDATE: Garcia shot a 65 on his own ball this morning and is tied for the low round with D.J. Trahan. Stuart Appleby and 2010 Ryder Cup captain Corey Pavin each carded a 64.
- Paxton

Greetings from Cromwell. Birthplace of…well….the Travelers Championship (sort of).

It’s Wednesday morning and the Pro-Am is under way. Anthony Kim’s group (guys named John Cusano, Daniel Swinford and Michael Collins are in the foursome) has the early lead.

Also, I’ve claimed the Post award for first to his seat in the media tent. (And, therefore, the first from Bridgeport to the coffee and bagels.)

I was hoping to get here early enough to catch Ray Allen before he teed off in the Pro-Am. No such luck. We’ll have to wait until he finishes to ask about trades, golf and other issues.

Sit back, relax and enjoy the blog. We’ll try to keep it interesting even if the golf isn’t.

- Neill

If you hope to catch Sergio Garcia or Anthony Kim during Wednesday’s Pro-Am, you better get up pretty early. Both are scheduled to be the first ones to tee off, with Garcia going off the first tee and Kim off the 10th.

Among the highlight pairings for the Pro-Am are:

First tee

7:20 – UConn football coach Randy Edsall with pro Chad Campbell and actor Aidan Quinn.

8:10 a.m. – Bill Belichick, his son Brian and Northern Exposue star Rob Morrow tee off with pro Billy Andrade.

8:20 – The former UConn crew of Kevin Ollie, Scott Burrell and Quinnipiac coach Tom Moore, in one of his rare public appearances since the Nate Miles incident, with pro Briny Baird.

Noon – Defending champion Stewart Cink and Hall of Famer Sandy Koufax.

12:20 – Local boy J.J. Henry tees off with Doug Flutie, Dwight Evans and Chris Berman.

10th tee

8:30 – Celtic star Ray Allen with pro Woody Austin.

12:40 – The most interesting pairing of the day in my book with Hartford women’s coach Jen Rizzotti, former Cowboys QB Roger Staubach and the co-star of Goodfellas Joe Pesci with pro Jerry Kelly.

- William S. Paxton

Starting times for Thursday and Friday at the TPC:

First Round 1st Tee-Second Round 10th Tee

6:50 a.m.-12 p.m. _ Peter Lonard, Kevin Na, Robert Garrigus
7 a.m.-12:10 p.m. _ Dean Wilson, Greg Chalmers, Marc Leishman
7:11 a.m.-12:21 p.m. _ Jason Bohn, Steve Elkington, Brian Davis
7:21 a.m.-12:31 p.m. _ Corey Pavin, J.J. Henry, Ricky Barnes
7:32 a.m.-12:42 p.m. _ Marc Turnesa, Johnson Wagner, Chris DiMarco
7:42 a.m.-12:52 p.m. _ Pat Perez, Justin Leonard, Woody Austin
7:53 a.m.-1:03 p.m. _ Hunter Mahan, Paul Goydos, David Toms
8:03 a.m.-1:13 p.m. _ Will MacKenzie, Steve Flesch, Brandt Snedeker
8:14 a.m.-1:24 p.m. _ John Merrick, Tag Ridings, Kevin Stadler
8:24 a.m.-1:34 p.m. _ Rich Beem, Bo Van Pelt, Charles Warren
8:35 a.m.-1:45 p.m. _ Matt Bettencourt, David Mathis, Rickie Fowler-a
8:45 a.m.-1:55 p.m. _ Jimmy Walker, Casey Wittenberg, Troy Kelly
8:56 a.m.-2:06 p.m. _ Roland Thatcher, Spencer Levin, John Bushka

First Round 10th Tee-Second Round 1st Tee

6:50 a.m.-12 p.m. _ Olin Browne, Harrison Frazar, Bryce Molder
7 a.m.-12:10 p.m. _ Jesper Parnevik, Fredrik Jacobson, Patrick Sheehan
7:11 a.m.-12:21 p.m. _ John Rollins, Brent Geiberger, Nick O’Hern
7:21 a.m.-12:31 p.m. _ Jonathan Kaye, Bob Tway, Jeff Quinney
7:32 a.m.-12:42 p.m. _ Ryan Palmer, Stuart Appleby, Kirk Triplett
7:42 a.m.-12:52 p.m. _ Brian Gay, Anthony Kimm, Sergio Garcia
7:53 a.m.-1:03 p.m. _ Dustin Johnson, Stewart Cink, Ben Curtis
8:03 a.m.-1:13 p.m. _ Scott McCarron, Lee Janzen, Ken Duke
8:14 a.m.-1:24 p.m. _ Billy Andrade, Stephen Leaney, Nathan Green
8:24 a.m.-1:34 p.m. _ Paul Azinger, Briny Baird, Charli Wi
8:35 a.m.-1:45 p.m. _ Bill Lunde, James Oh, Brian Vranesh
8:45 a.m.-1:55 p.m. _ Tommy Gainey, Rick Price, Luke List
8:56 a.m.-2:06 p.m. _ Leif Olson, Tyler Aldridge, Martin Catalioto

First Round 1st Tee-Second Round 10th Tee

12 p.m.-6:50 a.m. _ Jason Gore, Ben Crane, Kevin Streelman
12:10 p.m.-7 a.m. _ Billy Mayfair, Cliff Kresge, Nicholas Thompson
12:21 p.m.-7:11 a.m. _ Brett Quigley, Ryan Moore, Brad Adamonis
12:31 p.m.-7:21 a.m. _ Mathew Goggin, Steve Allan, James Driscoll
12:42 p.m.-7:32 a.m. _ Chez Reavie, Joe Ogilvie, Brian Bateman
12:52 p.m.-7:42 a.m. _ Kenny Perry, D.J. Trahan, Aaron Baddeley
1:03 p.m.-7:53 a.m. _ Lucas Glover, Vijay Singh, Chad Campbell
1:13 p.m.-8:03 a.m. _ Joe Durant, Jay Williamson, Webb Simpson
1:24 p.m.-8:14 a.m. _ Eric Axley, Vaughn Taylor, Ted Purdy
1:34 p.m.-8:24 a.m. _ Bob Heintz, Jarrod Lyle, Danny Lee
1:45 p.m.-8:35 a.m. _ Darron Stiles, Scott Gutschewski, Matthew Borchert
1:55 p.m.-8:45 a.m. _ Scott Sterling, Kris Blanks, Peter Tomasulo
2:06 p.m.-8:56 a.m. _ Aron Price, Brendon Todd, Patton Kizzire

First Round 10th Tee-Second Round 1st Tee

12 p.m.-6:50 a.m. _ Jeff Maggert, Tim Herron, Chris Riley
12:10 p.m.-7 a.m. _ Kevin Sutherland, Mark Brooks, D.A. Points
12:21 p.m.-7:11 a.m. _ Glen Day, Kent Jones, Mathias Gronberg
12:31 p.m.-7:21 a.m. _ Tim Petrovic, Justin Rose, Greg Owen
12:42 p.m.-7:32 a.m. _ Steve Lowery, Daniel Chopra, Brad Faxon
12:52 p.m.-7:42 a.m. _ Jerry Kelly, Y.E. Yang, Scott Verplank
1:03 p.m.-7:53 a.m. _ Zach Johnson, Ryuji Imada, Boo Weekley
1:13 p.m.-8:03 a.m. _ Heath Slocum, Steve Marino, Michael Letzig
1:24 p.m.-8:14 a.m. _ Notah Begay III, Bubba Watson, Michael Allen
1:34 p.m.-8:24 a.m. _ Brendon de Jonge, Aaron Watkins, Derek Fathauer
1:45 p.m.-8:35 a.m. _ David Berganio Jr., Gary Woodland, Tony Kelley
1:55 p.m.-8:45 a.m. _ Colt Knost, Wil Collins, Kyle Stanley
2:06 p.m.-8:56 a.m. _ Chris Stroud, Matt Weibring, Mike Capone

- Neill

Check here for the latest in golf news from the TPC-River Highlands and the Travelers Championship this week.

If you’re lucky, you’ll also get some updates on the worst in fashion and most frequent Diet Coke consumption (I’m the clubhouse leader in both categories, FYI).

- Neill