Top player in the world commits to play Travelers Championship in June

Dustin Johnson, the No. 1 golfer in the world, has committed to return to the Travelers Championship in June.  (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)

The top golfer in the word, Dustin Johnson, will be coming back to Cromwell in June at the Travelers’ Championship, the tournament announced on Wednesday. He may even able to play in front of some fans.

Johnson, the defending Travelers Championship champion, has committed to play in the tournament on June 21-27 at Tournament Players Club-River Highlands. Johnson, the PGA Player of the Year in 2020, has 24 PGA Tour victories with his most recent victory coming at The Masters in November.

“We’re excited to have our reigning champion in the field as we continue to develop plans for what we expect to be another world-class tournament,” said Travelers Championship tournament director Nathan Grube. “His victory at TPC River Highlands last year started a record-setting, award-winning run, and we’re thrilled that Dustin will be coming back to Connecticut to defend his title.”

The tournament said in a statement that they are working closely with state and local officials and the PGA Tour to explore the potential for having a limited number of spectators at the 2021 tournament.

The safety of everyone on-site remains the top priority as the tournament and the PGA Tour determine the best environment for players, caddies, volunteers, sponsors, media and fans, the tournament said.

The Travelers Championship was just the third PGA Tournament to be held once the tour began competing again in May 2020 after the COVID-19 pandemic swept across the country. The tournament was played at the TPC-River Highlands with no fans in attendance outside of the residents whose homes line the 18-hole course in Cromwell.

Johnson was able to hold off Kevin Streelman by one shot after erasing a two-shot deficit at the start of the final round. The victory gave Johnson at least one win in all 13 of his PGA Tour seasons, the longest active streak among current players.

Following the Travelers Championship, Johnson added another two victories at the Northern Trust tournament and the PGA Tour championship, a pair of playoff victories that sealed his first FedExCup points title. He then set the 72-hole scoring record at Augusta National to claim his second major championship by winning The Masters in November.

Johnson won the European Tour’s Saudi International on Sunday for the second time in three years.

Additional information regarding fans, volunteers and sponsors at the 2021 Travelers Championship will be provided when more details are finalized.