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May 17, 2006
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
James Cramer, PGA TOUR April 11, 2006
904/273-3293 jcramer@pgatourhq.com
St. Paul Travelers to become Title Sponsor Of PGA TOUR FedEx Cup Event in Hartford
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, FL - The PGA TOUR, along with The St. Paul Travelers Companies (NYSE:STA) and the Greater Hartford JayCees
Community Foundation Inc., announced today that St. Paul Travelers will become the title sponsor of the PGA TOUR tournament
currently known as the Buick Championship.
Beginning in 2007, the event will be re-named The St. Paul Travelers Championship and, as part of the FedEx Cup season,
will be played June 18-24 at the Tournament Players Club at River Highlands in Cromwell, CT.
"We are extremely pleased that the greater Hartford region will be part of the FedEx Cup schedule with St. Paul Travelers
as title sponsor," said PGA TOUR Commissioner Tim Finchem. "This event has a long history with the TOUR and has always had
outstanding support from the community. We look forward to continuing that tradition and working with St. Paul Travelers and
the tournament organization, led by Nathan Grube, to take the tournament to the next level."
"We are very excited to partner with the PGA TOUR and ensure that a PGA TOUR event will remain in Connecticut," said Jay
Fishman, Chairman and CEO of St. Paul Travelers. "Our company has enjoyed a 55-year-long relationship with this tournament.
As the title sponsor, we look forward to building on the event's strong legacy, and working with the PGA TOUR and the Greater
Hartford Jaycees Foundation to enhance the event experience for PGA TOUR players, golf fans and the community."
The tournament purse will be $5.5 million in 2007, up from $4.4 million in 2006, and increasing by $100,000 each year of
the four-year agreement. The event will be televised live by CBS Sports and The Golf Channel. "We thank Buick
for its support of the Hartford event and look forward to a very successful Buick Championship at the TPC River Highlands
from June 26-July 2," Finchem said. "Moving forward, we are excited about continuing in Hartford. The opportunity for Hartford
to move into the June 2007 slot previously committed to the 84 Lumber Classic recently arose when 84 Lumber informed us that
it had embarked on an aggressive three-year business plan and wanted to reevaluate the June sponsorship."
"The PGA TOUR and the 84 Lumber Classic had a definite positive impact in generating national awareness for 84 Lumber and
created a great marketing opportunity for us," said 84 Lumber Company President and owner Maggie Hardy Magerko. "Yet,
over the past several months we have developed and recently embarked on a strategic growth plan focusing us totally on the
professional contractor market. We will continue discussions with the TOUR on future partnerships."
84 Lumber will remain the title sponsor for the 2006 84 Lumber Classic, September 11-17 at Nemacolin Woodlands Resort.
This new agreement to be part of the FedEx Cup season will allow Hartford to remain on the PGA TOUR with attractive
mid-June dates that historically have resulted in strong player fields and spectator galleries that are among the largest
on the PGA TOUR. "St. Paul Travelers shared our goal of keeping a PGA TOUR event in the Hartford area," said
Nathan Grube, tournament director. "This agreement allows us to maintain our 55-year relationship with the PGA TOUR while
delivering on our commitment to bring the highest level of competitive golf to Harford with early summer dates." Remaining
on the PGA TOUR will also enable the event to continue its historical level of financial support for the Greater Hartford
Jaycees and its contributions to area charities. Since the tournament's inception in 1952, it has raised over $25 million
that has been reinvested in the community.
"This tournament has been the lifeblood of our organization and its support of leadership development through community
service," said Stacey Spewock, President of the Greater Hartford Jaycees. "We are thrilled that we will be able to continue
our mission of building tomorrow's leaders and supporting so many worthwhile organizations and causes through our foundation
and community projects."
About the PGA TOUR The PGA TOUR is a tax-exempt membership organization of professional golfers. Its primary purpose
is to provide competitive earnings opportunities for past, current and future members of the PGA TOUR, Champions Tour and
Nationwide Tour; to protect the integrity of the game; and to help grow the reach of the game in the U.S. and around the world.
In 2006, the three Tours will compete in nearly 120 events for approximately $325 million in prize money. Tournaments
will be held in eight countries outside the U.S. and in 38 states.
In addition to providing competitive opportunities for its membership, TOUR events also generate significant funds for
local charities. In fact, the three Tours reached the $1 billion mark in overall charitable contributions in late 2005.
The PGA TOUR's web site address is www.pgatour.com and the company is
headquartered in Ponte Vedra Beach, FL.
About The St. Paul Travelers St. Paul Travelers is a leading provider of property casualty insurance. For more information,
visit www.stpaultravelers.com.
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