Golf and charity were the themes of the Travelers Championship opening ceremonies

Golf and charity were the themes of the opening ceremonies at the Travelers Championship golf tournament held on the first tee at the Tournament Players Club at River Highlands earlier this week.  Involving some of the biggest names in professional golfing, including ESPN, CBS Sports, and Golf Channel Coverage, the Travelers Championship supports the PGA TOUR’s Tradition of Giving Back, by donating 100% of net proceeds to charity, as well as generating funds for local charities through fundraisers.

Among the charities that benefit from the tournament, sponsored by Travelers since 2007, is The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp, established in 1988 by Paul Newman for children with life-threatening injuries. To date, the Travelers Championship has raised more than $1,175,000 in support of the Hole in The Wall Gang Camp’s mission.  Two of the speakers at the ceremony, held on Monday, were Jimmy Canton, the director of the camp, and Aaron Baral, a cancer survivor who was diagnosed with leukemia when he was 14 and is now a counselor at the summer camp in Ashford, Conn.

The first round of play commenced earlier today, Thursday, June 21, 2012.  Click here for more information about this year’s tournament.  To learn more about The Hole in the Wall Gang, click here.