Star-studded field promises to shine at the American Family Insurance Championship
Tournament will include 37 of top 40 Charles Schwab Cup players
The 2019 American Family Insurance Championship will again feature one of the strongest fields on PGA TOUR Champions, including a defending champion who’s off to a red-shot start on tour this year.
Tournament officials Friday announced the additions of Vijay Singh and David Toms to a field of 78 players that will begin competition next Friday, June 21, at University Ridge Golf Course. The championship, now in its fourth year, will continue on Saturday and conclude with a third 18-hole round on Sunday.
“We’re honored to have another exceptional field, filled with so many of the game’s most accomplished and admired players,” said Nate Pokrass, tournament director. “We have familiar players returning, as well as new players who will certainly add to the competition and personality of the championship.”
The championship field is set, with the exception of four spots that will be determined in an 18-hole qualifier next Monday, June 17, at the Legend of Bergamont Golf Course. The field remains subject to change due to player withdrawals until the start of tournament play.
Who’s playing in the American Family Insurance Championship?
The strength of field begins with defending champion Scott McCarron and player-host Steve Stricker. McCarron has already won three PGA TOUR Champions titles this year and leads the Charles Schwab Cup race. Stricker won his first PGA TOUR Champions major earlier this year at the Regions Tradition.
This year’s field will include nine of the top 10 players in this year’s Charles Schwab Cup race, 18 of the top 20 and 37 of the top 40. Other returning players will include hometown star Jerry Kelly, 2016 American Family Insurance Championship winner Kirk Triplett, and international legends Bernhard Langer, Miguel Angel Jimenez and Colin Montgomerie.
PGA TOUR Champions rookies Darren Clarke, Retief Goosen and Chris DiMarco will play in the American Family Insurance Championship for the first time.
The 2019 American Family Insurance Championship field will include:
- Nine players with PGA TOUR Champions wins this season: Scott Hoch, Langer, Jimenez, McCarron, Tom Pernice, Stricker, Kevin Sutherland, Ken Tanigawa and Triplett.
- Four members of the World Golf Hall of Fame: Goosen, Montgomerie, Langer and Singh.
- Thirteen winners of the Masters, U.S. Open, The Open Championship or PGA Championship: Mark Calcavecchia, Clarke, John Daly, Goosen, Lee Janzen, Langer, Shaun Micheel, Larry Mize, Corey Pavin, Singh, Jeff Sluman, Toms and Bob Tway.
- Six winners of the former Greater Milwaukee Open/U.S. Bank Championship: Hoch, Billy Mayfair, Pavin, Kenny Perry, Loren Roberts and Jeff Sluman.
- Major League Baseball Hall of Famer and pro golfer John Smoltz is one of five players to receive sponsor’s exemptions. Others are Mike Small, University of Illinois golf coach and three-time champion of the PGA Professional National Championship; and PGA TOUR Champions players Michael Bradley, Shaun Micheel and Willie Wood.
THE ENTIRE PLAYER FINAL FIELD IS POSTED HERE (please note the final field was updated on June 17) and can also be found on the American Family Insurance Championship website (www.AmFamChampionship.com) with the exception of the four spots that will be determined by Monday’s tournament qualifier.
Jack Nicklaus highlights celebrity foursome
The second round of the tournament on Saturday, June 22, will feature the AmFam Champ Celebrity Foursome, sponsored by Andy North. Joining North, a Madison, Wisconsin, resident and two-time winner of the U.S. Open, will be 18-time major winner Jack Nicklaus, Green Bay Packer great Brett Favre and country western music star Toby Keith.
The group will play a 9-hole scramble, starting on the 10th hole at approximately 2:30 p.m., following the final tournament group for the day.
Tickets are still available
Tickets for the American Family Insurance Championship are available from the home page of AmFamChampionship.com under the "Get Tickets" link, and at the front entrance of tournament. Tickets and prices include:
- General admission ticket: $25
- Champions ticket (50 years +): $20
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 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.