HARTFORD, Connecticut – Henry Hughes was a major force behind the PGA Tour’s annual stop in Connecticut for decades, especially when the tournament was on the verge of being lost due to the lack of a title sponsorship.
Hughes, 77, a Wethersfield native and longtime executive of the PGA Tour now living in Florida, held a multitude of key positions involved with Connecticut’s biggest sporting event, including co-chairman of the 1975 Sammy Davis Jr.-Greater Hartford Open at Wethersfield Country Club. His extensive efforts and contributions led to the formation of the Henry Hughes First Tee – Connecticut Scholarship Fund in 2024 that underwrote an entertaining clinic on Tuesday by PGA Tour player Denny McCarthy at Goodwin Park Golf Course in Hartford, site of the initial First Tee facility. The idea for a kids’ clinic was initiated by former tournament chairmen Ted May, Mike Wheeler, Dan Kleinman and Roger Gelfenbien.
Newtown native Joe LaCava, an honorary member of the First Tee Board of Directors and longtime PGA Tour caddie who now works for Patrick Cantlay, helped land McCarthy for the clinic, which included the unveiling of a commemorative plaque and a poster of Hughes and close friend Fuzzy Zoeller that will be on permanent display at the First Tee exhibit in Cromwell. Hartford HealthCare partners Beverly Buckner and Jeff Cohen are major supporters of the project in the Hartford community.
“Everything means the world to dad,” said Hughes’ son, Brian.
“What’s really nice is this is the community where dad learned the game and the love of the sport,” said Hughes’ daughter, Jen.
A second scholarship will be awarded by the fund and announced at the First Tee Patrons Breakfast on Saturday at 9 a.m. at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, site of the Travelers Championship. Emily Perrotta of Wethersfield received the first scholarship, and those wishing to attend the fundraiser should contact Marsha Rupp at mrupp@firstteect.org. Former PGA Tour player and current CBS on-course reporter Colt Knost will be the featured guest.
“I never dreamed of having a career in sports, much less a career with an organization like the PGA Tour,” Hughes said when he retired in 2010. “It’s been a wonderful time, and I’ve worked with an awful lot of good people.”
The scholarship supports educational needs of deserving First Tee – Connecticut participants, as well as selected programming needs of the organization in the Greater Hartford community. Hughes grew up in the shadows of the tournament and spent his youth and early adult life attending, working at or managing the event. In 1984, Hughes began his career with the PGA Tour as director of marketing for TPC Connecticut in Cromwell, which replaced Wethersfield CC as the tournament’s home. Two years later, he moved to PGA Tour headquarters in Ponte Vedra, Fla., to become the PGA Tour’s first director of marketing.
Hughes later assumed responsibility for the PGA Tour’s Championship Management and Tournament Business Affairs Division, overseeing 13 tournaments, including The Presidents Cup, The Players Championship, The Tour Championship and the World Golf Championships. Throughout his career with the PGA Tour, Hughes never forgot his roots and deep affection for Connecticut’s PGA Tour event. He provided invaluable guidance and assistance to tournament management and played a significant role in 2003 when he helped save the tournament that had to raise more than $4 million from the Connecticut corporate community to remain on the PGA Tour after the departure of longtime title sponsor Canon, USA.
Following his retirement from executive leadership at the PGA Tour, Hughes served for many years on the Board of Directors for the Greater Hartford Community Foundation that oversees the Travelers Championship. May, a member of the Connecticut Golf Hall of Fame and tournament board and one of the founders of First Tee – Connecticut, said, “Without Henry’s guidance and support in those very challenging years, we might not have remained on the PGA Tour or at the very least, would be a very different tournament than we are today. Often behind the scenes, Henry was a major advocate for Connecticut’s PGA Tour event and was instrumental with building Connecticut’s First Tee chapter into what it has become today.”
During his many years and positions with the PGA Tour, Hughes played significant roles in developing and advising on the national growth of the First Tee program, including the First Tee – Connecticut located adjacent the practice facility at TPC River Highlands. He became a strong advocate of the First Tee’s mission because of the positive influence it has on the lives of young people, and it now has more than 69,000 youngsters at 12 sites around the state.
“Henry’s lengthy and successful career at the PGA Tour, First Tee’s founding partner, has had a tremendous impact on the game, and specifically on our chapter’s success throughout Connecticut,” First Tee – Connecticut CEO Mark Moriarty said. “Everyone at First Tee – Connecticut is extremely grateful to be a part of this tribute to his successful career.”
Hughes continues to reside in Ponte Vedra, Fla., with his wife Patty. Donations to the scholarship fund can be made online at https://donatenow.networkforgood.org/firstteeconnecticut
