East Haddam Golfer to Compete for Spot in Travelers Championship

ELLINGTON, CT — A dozen golfers from Connecticut, including one from East Haddam, will be among 84 hopefuls playing Monday in a qualifying event for the upcoming Travelers Championship.

The qualifier is being played Monday at Ellington Ridge Country Club. The top four finishers earn a spot in the 156-player Travelers Championship field, seeking the top prize of $1.188 million from a purse of $6.6 million.

Kyle Buschmann of East Haddam, an amateur, will be among the players teeing off Monday, starting on the first hole at 8:27 a.m.

In addition to the local golfers, several non-exempt PGA Tour members will be attempting to qualify Monday. Among them are nine-time Tour winner Stuart Appleby, who tied for second in the 2002 British Open; five-time Tour winner Billy Mayfair, who tied for third in the 2001 British Open; and two-time Tour winner Frank Lickliter, who tied for fourth in the 1998 PGA Championship.

The list of Connecticut players scheduled to play in the qualifier, with starting time and tee:

• Andrew Gai, Westport (8:00, 10th)
• Zach Zaback, Farmington (8:18, 1st)
• Kyle Buschmann (a), East Haddam (8:27, 1st)
• John Flaherty (a), Glastonbury (8:45, 10th)
• Michael Thibodeau (a), Ellington (8:54, 10th)
• Geoff Vartelas (a), Cromwell (9:03, 10th)
• Jeff Curl, Ellington (9:12, 1st)
• Jason Thresher, West Suffield (9:12, 1st)
• Jordan Gosler, Glastonbury (9:30, 1st)
• Kyle Bilodeau, West Hartford (9:39, 1st)
• David Pastore, Greenwich (9:48, 1st)
• Ian Marshall, Watertown (9:57, 10th)

(a) - amateur

Click here for the full qualifying tournament field.

Photo credit: Ellington Ridge Country Club