Singer-songwriter Javier Colon was one of several celebrities with West Hartford connections who participated in the Pro-Am held Wednesday as part of the Travelers Championship at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell.

By Ronni Newton

West Hartford resident Javier Colon, a singer-songwriter who was the winner of NBC’s “The Voice” when the show premiered in 2011, had a chance to engage in one of his other favorite activities Wednesday as he teed off with professional golfer Luke List in the Celebrity Pro-Am held as part of the Travelers Championship.

Joining Colon and List were Chris Jackson, the first to play the role of George Washington in Lin Manuel-Miranda’s hit musical “Hamilton,” and actor Dane DeHaan whose roles have included Andrew from “Chronicle” and Green Goblin/Harry Osborn in“The Amazing Spiderman 2.”

“I do play in a lot of Pro-Ams all over the country,” Colon told We-Ha.com in an email before the event. He said he has played in the Travelers’ Celebrity Pro-Am multiple times. “It’s always an honor to be asked and it’s one of my favorites,” he said.

“I absolutely love golf so I love when I get asked to play in charity events throughout the year,” Colon said. He said used to play about six rounds a week, but that changed once he had children.

“I play as often as I can but not as much as I used to,” Colon said. “Now I don’t play much in the summertime when the kids are off from school but I always play when I travel.”

Colon said he used to consider himself a good golfer, and although his handicap is higher than he was, he’s fine with that based on how often he gets to play. “I got my handicap down to a 6 at one point but I was playing every day and had my swing dialed in. Now, I’m about a 16. Every now and then my game will come around and I’ll have some good rounds but I’m just not consistent,” he said.  “That’s okay though. I just love to play and love the prospect of getting better.”

A group of fans followed Colon, List, Jackson, and DeHaan around the course on Wednesday. Included among the fans was Lorraine Kemp of Cromwell.

Kemp said that Colon was a student teacher who worked with her at the Hartt School at the University of Hartford back in 2000. “We keep in touch through email, and of course I go to his concerts,” she said.

After teeing off on the first hole, Colon noticed Kemp at the ropes and ran over to give her a big hug. He later posed for a photo.

Other celebrities with West Hartford connections playing in Wednesday’s Pro-Am included Jim Calhoun, the former head coach of UConn’s men’s basketball team who is helping launch the University of Saint Joseph’s Division 3 men’s basketball program, and Ray Allen, whose mother used to live in West Hartford.

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