Monday qualifiers: Travelers Championship

A former Connecticut teaching pro and a Korn Ferry Tour player who competed in Wichita on Sunday are among the four Monday qualifiers for this week's Travelers Championship, a Designated event with a $20 million purse.

Brett Stegmaier led the way at 6-under 66, with three players surviving a 4-for-3 playoff at 5-under 67: Kyle Reifers, Carl Yuan and Ryan Blaum. The odd man out was Stephen Stallings, Jr.

Reifers advanced on the second playoff hole and Yuan advanced on the third playoff hole, leaving Blaum and Stallings battling for the final spot at TPC River Highlands. Blaum advanced on the fourth extra hole, punctuating his decision to fly from Wichita to Connecticut after carding a final-round 66 at the Korn Ferry Tour's Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas Wichita Open on Sunday afternoon.

It's an emotional return to TPC River Highlands as well for the normally even-keeled Stegmaier, a former assistant pro at Silver Spring CC in nearby Ridgefield, who attended the Travelers as a kid. Stegmaier grew up in Madison, Connecticut, and has previously competed in the Travelers on five occasions, most recently in 2018, finishing T42.

Stegmaier, 39, spent three full seasons on TOUR, but he has made just one TOUR start in the nearly five-year span since losing his card following the 2018 season, missing the cut at the 2022 Puerto Rico Open.

What better place to return than his hometown event?

In all, 65 players competed for four spots at the Travelers Championship, New England's long-running TOUR event which was founded in 1952 as the Insurance City Open. The event has been contested at TPC River Highlands since 1991.

Click here for all scores from Monday's qualifier.

Brett Stegmaier (6-under 66)

Age: 39

Hometown: Madison, Connecticut

Alma mater: University of Florida

PGA TOUR starts: 81

Cuts made: 40

Best PGA TOUR finish: Second, 2015 Shriners Children’s Open

Notes: Made eight birdies Monday against two bogeys to earn a spot in his home event. This will mark his second TOUR start since 2018; he competed in the 2022 Puerto Rico Open as a Monday qualifier … Earned his first TOUR card via the 2015 Korn Ferry Tour and stampeded onto the TOUR scene with a runner-up in his second start as a member in Las Vegas … Played three full seasons on TOUR (2015-16 through 2017-18), highlighted by No. 108 finish on 2016 FedExCup standings … Attended Travelers Championship as a kid; this will mark his sixth appearance at TPC River Highlands … Spent time as an assistant pro at Silver Spring Country Club in Ridgefield, Connecticut, just 62 miles from TPC River Highlands.

Kyle Reifers (5-under 67, advanced in playoff)

Age: 39

Hometown: Columbus, Ohio

Alma mater: Wake Forest

PGA TOUR starts: 163

Cuts made: 87

Best PGA TOUR finish: Second, 2015 Barracuda Championship

Notes: Made five birdies in a bogey-free round Monday to earn spot in playoff … Made cut at Korn Ferry Tour’s BMW Charity Pro-Am earlier this month, playing with Olympic curling gold medalist Matt Hamilton as his amateur partner … Lost playoff to Connecticut native J.J. Henry at 2015 Barracuda Championship … Won Korn Ferry Tour’s 2006 Chattanooga Classic as a Monday qualifier, shortly after turning professional, defeating Brandt Snedeker in a playoff … Represented United States at 2005 Walker Cup and finished runner-up at 2006 NCAA Championship as an individual … Also Monday qualified for the Mexico Open at Vidanta in April, missing the cut.

Carl Yuan (5-under 67, advanced via playoff)

Age: 26

Hometown: Dalian, China

Alma mater: University of Washington

PGA TOUR starts: 21

Cuts made: 8

Best PGA TOUR finish: T17, 2019 WGC-HSBC Champions

Notes: Made six birdies Monday against one bogey to earn spot in playoff … TOUR rookie is coming off a season-best T18 at the RBC Canadian Open two weeks ago, where he held the 36-hole lead before a third-round 74. Fell short of a top-10 finish which would have automatically qualified him for Travelers, but he made amends Monday … Earned first TOUR card via 2022 Korn Ferry Tour, a season highlighted by a win at the Chitimacha Louisiana Open and three runner-up finishes. He finished No. 2 on the season-long standings behind Justin Suh.

Ryan Blaum (5-under 67, advanced via playoff)

Age: 39

Hometown: Miami, Florida

Alma mater: Duke University

PGA TOUR starts: 114

Cuts made: 62

Best PGA TOUR finish: T4, 2018 The RSM Classic

Notes: Made seven birdies Monday against two bogeys to earn spot in playoff, where he punched ticket to TPC River Highlands with a par on fourth extra hole … Completed the Korn Ferry Tour’s Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas Wichita Open on Sunday afternoon, carding 4-under 66, before headed to Connecticut for Monday’s qualifier. Playing the Korn Ferry Tour full-time this season, with four made cuts in 10 starts, but making a step up to TOUR for this week … Played full-time on TOUR from 2016-17 through 2018-19; qualified for FedExCup Playoffs in 2017 and 2018 … Finished T12 at 2018 Travelers Championship with all four rounds in the 60s, and he will look to channel that energy this week.