Jack Nicklaus adds ‘Golden Bear’ touch to The AmFam Champ Celebrity Foursome

Jack Nicklaus, widely recognized as golf’s greatest player of all time, will play in The AmFam Champ Celebrity Foursome, hosted by Andy North, at this year’s American Family Insurance Championship, tournament officials announced today.

Nicklaus will join local favorite and two-time U.S. Open champion Andy North, Green Bay Packers great Brett Favre and country music star Toby Keith. The foursome will play in a 9-hole exhibition on Saturday, June 22, part of the second round of the PGA TOUR Champions event at University Ridge Golf Course.

“Our celebrity foursome has quickly become a major attraction, but Jack’s presence, along with Andy, Brett and Toby, will make it even more special for our fans,” said Nate Pokrass, American Family Insurance Championship tournament director. “You can be sure they’ll entertain the crowds, and help us raise even more money for charity. We’re honored and thrilled to have them.”

A member of the World Golf Hall of Fame, Nicklaus has 18 major championships (six Masters, five PGA Championships, four U.S. Opens and three Open Championships) among his 73 PGA TOUR wins, in addition to 20 international victories. He’s also a 10-time winner on PGA TOUR Champions, including eight major championships. Nicklaus played on the U.S. Ryder Cup team six times, and captained the team twice. He’s also captained the U.S. Presidents Cup team four times.

Nicklaus’s accomplishments extend far beyond his play. He was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal in 2014 “in recognition of his service to the nation in promoting excellence and good sportsmanship.” He is one of the world’s leading golf course designers, with more than 600 professional golf tournaments staged on as many as 90 of his courses.

He continues to host the PGA TOUR event he founded, The Memorial Tournament in Dublin, Ohio, won in 2011 by American Family Insurance Championship player-host Steve Stricker.

Brett Favre and Andy North return

Favre and North have played in every American Family Insurance Championship celebrity foursome since the tournament started in 2016. Last year, the two paired up to defeat World Golf Hall of Famer Lee Trevino and baseball legend Derek Jeter in the friendly competition.

This year, Nicklaus and Favre will take on North and Keith, who will perform the night before at the sold-out tournament concert at Madison’s Breese Stevens Field. An avid golfer, Keith is a regular playing partner with Stricker at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.

The star-studded foursome will play in a 9-hole scramble on Saturday. The players will tee off from the 10th hole at approximately 2:30 p.m., following the final tournament group for the day.

Celebrity foursome named to honor Andy North

In recognition of North’s contributions to Wisconsin golf, his support for the American Family Insurance Championship, and his shared philanthropic passions with the Steve Stricker American Family Insurance Foundation, the celebrity foursome will now have an official name. It will be known as The AmFam Champ Celebrity Foursome, hosted by Andy North.

“Andy’s accomplishments on the course and in the community are legendary, and his enthusiasm and advocacy for the championship – to the tour, the players and fans – is one of the reasons we’ve been successful,” Pokrass said. “He’s been a true ambassador for our event and its positive impacts on our community.”

Special tickets discounts still available

Tickets for the American Family Insurance Championship are available from the home page of AmFamChampionship.com under the "Get Tickets" link, 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.

Check out this recap video from Media Day:

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

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

Photos above from Media Day at University Ridge in Madison: MC Jim Buchheim, American Family Insurance vice president of communications and Steve Stricker American Family Insurance Foundation board vice president; Nate Pokrass, tournament director; Andy North; Steve Stricker; and Andy North live on ESPN Wilde and Tausch show.

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About the American Family Insurance Championship
American 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 Champions
PGA 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.