Golf

Defending champion Jordan Spieth to return to Travelers

Jordan Spieth
Jordan Spieth of the United States in action during practice for the Dell Technologies Championship on August 31, 2017 in Norton, Massachusetts. Andrew Redington/Getty Images

CROMWELL, Conn. (AP) — Jordan Spieth has committed to play in the 2018 Travelers Championship, a tournament he won last year by holing a bunker shot in a playoff.

Spieth made the announcement Tuesday during the annual media day in advance of the PGA Tour event, which will be played next month during the week after the U.S. Open.

That is a week many golfers have traditionally chosen to take off.

But tournament director Nathan Grube says the Travelers has embraced the date, attracting golfers with amenities such as free transportation from the U.S. Open.

This year’s field already includes big names such as Patrick Reed, Rory McIlroy, Justin Thomas, Bubba Watson, Zach Johnson and Jim Furyk, who shot a record-setting 58 during a the final round of the 2016 Travelers Championship.