Ava Romero
On June 23, 2024, during the final round of the Travelers Championship at TPC River Highlands, several protesters stormed the 18th green, spraying a powder-like substance and disrupting the game. The protesters, who were part of a climate advocacy group, caused a delay in the game as the maintenance staff worked to clean up the green. This incident marked another instance of environmental protests targeting golf tournaments, with activists calling for urgent action from Travelers and other insurers to address their environmental practices and contribution to the climate crisis.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date | Sunday, June 23, 2024 |
| Location | TPC River Highlands, Cromwell, Connecticut |
| Protesters | 5-6 climate change activists from Extinction Rebellion and Just Stop Oil |
| Affected Players | Tom Kim, Scottie Scheffler, Akshay Bhatia |
| Affected Tournament | Final round of the Travelers Championship |
| Hole | 18th |
| Protest Method | Stormed the green, sprayed powder, displayed banners |
| Outcome | Delay in play, protesters taken into custody |
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What You'll Learn
Protestors stormed the 18th green during the final round
On Sunday, June 23, 2024, protestors stormed the 18th green during the final round of the Travelers Championship at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, Connecticut. The championship was disrupted by protestors from climate advocacy groups, including Extinction Rebellion and Just Stop Oil, who were calling for urgent action from Travelers, a major global insurer with no restrictions on underwriting coal. The protestors caused a delay in play of about 15 minutes as they ran onto the course and sprayed a paint-like, powdery substance on the green. This incident marked the latest in a series of protests targeting golf tournaments to bring attention to environmental concerns and the role of insurers in the climate crisis.
Five to six protestors from Extinction Rebellion were involved in the disruption at the Travelers Championship, with one source stating that "four, five people come out running on the green." The protestors were tackled and handcuffed by police officers and later taken into custody. One of the protestors held a sign with the message, "No Golf on a Dead Planet," reflecting their critique of golf's environmental practices. This message was further elaborated on in a press release by Extinction Rebellion, which criticized the "profligate use of water and carbon-intensive fertilizers" and "wanton destruction of forestlands" associated with golf courses.
The protest caused a sense of fear and confusion among the golfers, including Akshay Bhatia, Scottie Scheffler, and Tom Kim, who were in the middle of their match. Bhatia expressed his fright, stating that he "didn't even really know what was happening." Similarly, Kim shared that the protest "kind of took the meaning of the putt away for a second" and made him feel like he was "not even playing golf anymore." The protest also had a tangible impact on the game, as the hole had to be moved away from the markings on the green for the playoff, and maintenance staff had to rake the bunkers and blow away the powdery substance.
Despite the disruption, the golfers maintained their composure and continued the game after the protest. Kim made his birdie putt, forcing extra holes with Scheffler. Ultimately, Scheffler won the championship, holding up his trophy amidst the chaos and confusion brought about by the protest. While the protestors' message on climate change was important, the execution and venue of their protest were criticized, with some arguing that it brought chaos and fear instead of productive dialogue.
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The protest was led by climate change activists
The protest caused chaos and fear, with golfer Akshay Bhatia stating that he was scared for his life as he did not know what was happening. The protest also disrupted the game, as the hole had to be moved away from the markings on the green, and maintenance staff had to rake the bunkers and blow away the powdery substance. The protest may have also impacted a career-defining moment for Tom Kim, who holed a putt after the interruption to force a playoff with Scheffler.
While the protest may have been well-intentioned, it is important to consider the impact and effectiveness of such actions. In this case, the protest caused disruption and distress, and may have inadvertently affected the outcome of the game. It is worth questioning whether this was the most effective way to convey their message and bring about meaningful change.
The protest at the Travelers Championship is part of a broader trend of environmental protests targeting golf tournaments. Golf has become a popular target due to the large-scale and outdoor nature of tournaments, as well as the industry's environmental practices, such as the profligate use of water and carbon-intensive fertilizers. These protests aim to bring attention to the role of the golf industry in contributing to climate change.
Overall, while the protest was led by climate change activists with a clear message, the impact and effectiveness of their actions are questionable. The disruption caused and the potential derailment of a critical moment in the game may have overshadowed the activists' message. It remains to be seen whether this protest will lead to any meaningful changes or further dialogue between activists and the golf industry.
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The protest caused a 15-minute delay in play
On Sunday, June 23, 2024, during the final round of the Travelers Championship at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, Connecticut, climate change protesters rushed the 18th green, causing a 15-minute delay in play. The championship was disrupted by five to six protesters from Extinction Rebellion, who marked the green with a paint-like, powdery substance. The protesters were immediately tackled and handcuffed by the police.
The protesters' actions caused a brief delay in the game as PGA Tour and course officials worked to get the green back in shape. Maintenance staff rushed to work on the green, raking the bunkers, blowing away the powdery substance, and assessing any further damage. The crowd cheered the officers and maintenance staff, chanting "USA! USA! USA!".
The protest took place during a critical moment in the game between golfers Tom Kim and Scottie Scheffler. Kim had just made a birdie putt to force extra holes with Scheffler. Due to the markings on the green, a new cup was cut closer to the front bunker for the playoff. Despite the interruption, Scheffler missed his birdie attempt, and Kim made his, forcing sudden death between the two.
The protesters' message was "No Golf on a Dead Planet," calling out golf's environmental practices, including the profligate use of water and carbon-intensive fertilizers, as well as the destruction of forestlands. While the protest caused a delay and disrupted the game, it also brought attention to the climate crisis and the role of large corporations like Travelers in addressing this issue.
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The protestors were from Extinction Rebellion
Extinction Rebellion has targeted golf tournaments in the past, including the DP World Tour's KLM Open in the Netherlands, where they delayed the final round by two hours. They have also protested outside the gates of other golf tournaments, such as The Open at Royal Liverpool and the AIG Women's Open at Walton Heath in 2023, leading to arrests.
The group's press release after the Travelers Championship criticized golf's environmental practices, including the profligate use of water, carbon-intensive fertilizers, and destruction of forestlands. They believe that golf courses and insurers, such as Travelers, must do more to address the climate crisis and reduce their environmental impact.
While the methods of Extinction Rebellion may be controversial, their protests have drawn attention to the need for the golf industry and insurers to take more decisive action on climate change and environmental sustainability.
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The protest targeted golf's environmental practices
Golf has become a popular target for environmental protests. Protesters have criticised golf courses for their "profligate use of water and carbon-intensive fertilizers, as well as wanton destruction of forestlands". Climate activists have also called out golf insurers, such as Travelers, for their lack of restrictions on underwriting coal and their failure to align their practices with climate and human rights expectations.
In June 2024, a group of climate protesters disrupted the final round of the Travelers Championship at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, Connecticut. Six protesters ran onto the 18th green and sprayed a paint-like, powdery substance, causing a delay in the finish of the PGA Tour event. The protesters, who were from Extinction Rebellion, were displaying a message that read: "No Golf on a Dead Planet". While no one was injured and nothing was damaged, the protest caused chaos and fear among players and spectators.
One of the golfers, Akshay Bhatia, expressed his fear during the incident, saying he did not know what was happening as people were running onto the green, followed by police officers. Tom Kim, who was also playing, shared that the protest took his mind away from golf and made him worry about something else. The protest also disrupted Kim's birdie putt, as maintenance staff had to rush to rake the bunkers, blow away the powder, and assess any further damage to the green. A new hole was cut for the playoff, and Kim went on to lose on the first playoff hole to Scottie Scheffler.
The protest at the Travelers Championship was not an isolated incident. The same group had previously protested outside the gates of the DP World Tour's KLM Open in the Netherlands, delaying the final round by two hours. In addition, climate activists with the Connecticut Citizen Action Group and other climate and social justice organizations had rallied at the Travelers Championship Golf Tournament in 2022 to protest the company's role in the climate crisis.
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Frequently asked questions
Climate change protesters rushed the 18th green during the final round of the tournament, causing a delay in play.
There were five to six protesters, who were members of the Extinction Rebellion group.
The protesters dumped a paint-like, powdery substance on the green and were immediately tackled and handcuffed by the police.
The protesters were advocating for climate change and calling out golf and its environmental practices. Their message was "No Golf on a Dead Planet".
The protest caused a delay in play and disrupted the end of the tournament. It also affected the players, with some feeling scared and overwhelmed by the incident. The green had to be cleaned and a new hole was cut for the playoff.
