From the mound to the tee, Smoltz accepts invite to compete in the 2019 AmFam Champ

John Smoltz, Major League Baseball Hall of Famer turned pro golfer, will bring his unique blend of athleticism to the 2019 American Family Insurance Championship, to be held June 21-23 at University Ridge Golf Course.

Smoltz, 51, will compete in the PGA TOUR Champions event under a sponsor’s exemption, one of five exemptions that will be granted to fill out the 78-player field. The full field for the championship will be set June 14.

“While his talent and grit on the mound is legendary, he’s also an excellent competitor on the golf course. We’re thrilled to have a great athlete and popular personality like John in our field, and we’re certain fans will enjoy watching him all three tournament days,” said Nate Pokrass, tournament director.

“I have heard incredible things about the American Family Insurance Championship: the course, the fan turnout, and the celebrities and concerts they have like this year with Toby Keith. I can’t wait to get there and experience how great of an event everyone says it is,” said Smoltz, now a baseball broadcaster for FOX and MLB Network.

Smoltz is best known for his stellar 20-year pitching career with the Atlanta Braves, earning him election into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2015. An eight-time All-Star and Cy Young Award winner, he is the only pitcher in history to top both 200 wins and 150 saves.

On the golf course, Smoltz has achieved considerable success. He won the celebrity competition of the 2019 Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions, scoring 149 points in the modified Stableford format. On his regular scorecard, he finished at three under par for the week. He also finished in the top 10 of the 2018 and 2017 American Century Championship. Last summer, Smoltz qualified for the U.S. Senior Open, missing the cut after rounds of 85 and 77.

Smoltz will compete in at least two more PGA TOUR Champions events this year, receiving sponsor’s exemptions to the Cologuard Classic in Tucson later this month and the Mitsubishi Electric Classic in Atlanta in April.

Special tickets discounts now available

Tickets for the American Family Insurance Championship are available at AmFamChampionship.com/tickets, with special discounts for certain tickets purchased before June 1, including:

• $5 off a $25 general admission ticket

• $5 off a $20 Champions ticket (50 years +)

Active duty, reserve and retired military personnel can again enjoy a free three-day pass and any child 15 and under gets free admission to the tournament with a paid adult admission.

For tournament updates, fans can follow the tournament’s social media channels:

Twitter: @amfamchamp; Facebook: American Family Insurance Championship; and Instagram: AmFamChampionship.

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About the American Family Insurance ChampionshipAmerican Family Insurance, the PGA TOUR Champions and Wisconsin native Steve Stricker launched this professional golf tournament in June 2016. The American Family Insurance Championship, held annually at University Ridge Golf Course in Madison, Wis., features a 78-player field. Past champions include Scott McCarron (2018), Fred Couples (2017) and Kirk Triplett (2016). Championship week includes the three-day tournament, two Pro-Am competitions, 5k run/walk, charity concert and a special exhibition featuring celebrities from the sports and music industries. The 2019 event will be held June 15-23 with all proceeds allocated to the Steve Stricker American Family Insurance Foundation for distribution to the American Family Children’s Hospital and other charities. More than $4.7 million has been donated to charity since the inaugural event in 2016. For more information: Web: www.AmFamChampionship.com; Twitter: @AmFamChamp; Facebook: American Family Insurance Championship; Instagram: amfamchampionship #AmFamChamp

About PGA TOUR ChampionsPGA TOUR Champions is a membership organization of professional golfers age 50 and older, including 32 members of the World Golf Hall of Fame. The Tour’s mission is to provide financial opportunities for its players, entertain and inspire its fans, deliver substantial value to its partners, create outlets for volunteers to give back and generate significant charitable and economic impact in tournament communities. In 2019, the PGA TOUR Champions schedule includes 27 tournaments across the United States, Japan, England and Canada, with purses totaling nearly $58 million. The Charles Schwab Cup, which includes the Regular Season and the Charles Schwab Cup Playoffs, is used to determine the season-long champion. All events are televised in the United States, with most receiving complete coverage on Golf Channel, the exclusive cable-television partner of PGA TOUR Champions. Internationally, telecasts air in excess of 170 countries and territories, reaching more than 340 million potential households, and distributed in 15+ markets via GOLFTV. Follow PGA TOUR Champions online at PGATOUR.com, at facebook.com/PGATOURChampions, on Twitter @ChampionsTour and on Instagram @pgatourchampions.