By PAT EATON-ROBB
Associated Press Writer

CROMWELL, Conn. (AP) _ The Travelers Championship, stuck on this PGA Tour calendar immediately following the U.S. Open this summer, is doing everything it can to convince the tour's big names not take that week off.

On Monday, the tournament opened its new $4.5 million, 23-acre practice facility, addressing a major concern that pros had about playing at the TPC River Highlands.

``If a guy is thinking about coming to an event and he says, 'Wow, the range isn't that good,' they may not come,'' said defending champion Hunter Mahan. ``But knowing they can come here and get some good work done, get some practice for the upcoming tournaments, it's going to help a lot.''

The old, cramped practice area featured a 260-yard driving range with about 23,000-square feet of tee space, and a 10,000-square foot putting green. The new and improved practice area is now the second-largest on tour, said tournament organizers.

``We went from a site that could handle 12 players across to one that could handle maybe 12,000 players across,'' joked Brad Faxon, the 2005 tournament champion, who helped design the practice center.

The facility has a 360-yard driving range with 110,00 square feet of tee space, fairway bunkers, and about a half-dozen greens to aim for; a 13,000-square foot chipping area; and an 11,000-square-foot putting green. Still to be completed are four practice holes that also will be used year-round as the home of First Tee Connecticut, the tour's youth development program.

The opening of the center is the centerpiece to the tournament's push to attract a top field, a push that includes lots of freebies. 

Each golfer on tour has received an iPod and high-end Bose headphones from the tournament, pre-loaded with a video about the Travelers Championship. New Nationwide Tour graduates also received GPS systems, with directions to every PGA Tour event preloaded.

The tournament also is offering a free plane ride to every player and two family members on a charter flight that will take them from the U.S. Open in San Diego to Hartford.

Once they are in Connecticut, their wives will find flowers in their hotel rooms, their caddies will get free laundry service, and their children will be given video games, movie tickets and outings to a museum and local amusement park.

``You're really sending a message to the entire team, players, caddies, wives, that 'Hey, we're going to take care of you,''' said Nathan Grube, the tournament director. ``You're not going to get a guy to come to your event because you gave him an iPod. But, if it's part of a message of, 'Hey, we care what's important to you guys,' that's a big part of the message we want to send them. You start becoming the event that takes care of their needs.''

The biggest inducement just might be the $6 million purse, including a check of more than $1 million for the winner.

The tournament, which will run June 16-22, already has commitments from a few big names, including Vijay Singh, Stewart Cink, David Toms, Fred Funk, and Chris DiMarco.

Faxon, who underwent surgery on his right knee in December, said he plans to be back on tour in time to play in Cromwell.

Faxon, who is from nearby Rhode Island, said there is a buzz on tour about the championship, which began when Travelers took over the sponsorship and began asking players what they would like to see improved.

He said while there will be some players who always will take the week off after a major, there will be a lot of others who will want to see the new facilities, and see what the tournament has to offer.

``It's kind of like a new restaurant in town,'' Faxon said. ``What gets people in the door is other people saying, 'I had a great meal, great service.'''

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)