Stricker, Kelly, other former champions commit to 2023 AmFam Champ

Tournament player-host Steve Stricker and two-time champion (2019 and 2021) Jerry Kelly highlight the early entrants to the PGA TOUR Champions 2023 American Family Insurance Championship, to be played June 9-11 at University Ridge Golf Course in Madison.

Last year’s champion, Thongchai Jaidee, who made history as the first golfer from Thailand to win a PGA TOUR event of any kind, will also return to defend his title. Jaidee shot a final-round 68 at last year’s event for a winning total of 14 under.

Scott McCarron, the 2018 winner, and Kirk Triplett, the 2016 champion, have also entered the field. McCarron has 11 career wins on PGA TOUR Champions, including three in 2019 when he won his first Charles Schwab Cup Money title. Triplett has eight career wins on the over-50 tour, including two titles in 2019. McCarron and Triplett each have three victories on the PGA TOUR. Fred Couples, the 2017 tournament champion, has not yet committed.

Stricker and Kelly, both of Madison, combined for seven wins last season on PGA TOUR Champions. Stricker won four times, including the Constellation FURYK & FRIENDS, Sanford Invitational, Regions Tradition, and The Ally Challenge. Kelly’s three titles last year included the Kaulig Companies Championship, which he has won twice. Kelly culminated the most exciting finish to date in AmFam Champ history, defeating Stricker and Retief Goosen in a playoff to win the 2019 title.

Stricker, currently ranked second in tour standings, is a 12-time winner on PGA TOUR Champions, including this year’s season-opening Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualala in Hawaii, where he carded a 23-under 193 to win by six shots.

“It’s obviously a great source of pride for me to host this event for the seventh year, and to see how it’s been embraced by fans, players and sponsors,” said Stricker, who was the recipient of the 2022 Ben Hogan Award from the Golf Writers Association of America. “It’s meaningful to me in so many ways, but especially for how we’ve been able to support deserving charitable organizations in our community and help people who need it most.”

The AmFam Championship raised more than $2.2 million for American Family Children’s Hospital and other charitable organizations in 2022, with a total of nearly $15 million distributed via grants since 2016. The tournament kicks off professional golf events in Wisconsin, followed by the 43^rd U.S. Senior Open Championship to be played June 27-July 2 in Stevens Point.

Other tournament activities

AmFam Champ week activities begin Saturday, June 3, with the University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center “Race for Research,” a 5K run/walk at the Thomas Zimmer Championship Cross Country Course, adjacent to the University Ridge Golf Course. All race proceeds will be directed to cancer research at the Carbone Cancer Center. The run has been part of tournament events since 2019.

On Friday, June 9, Tyler Hubbard, with opening acts Jimmie Allen and Drake White, will perform at the American Family Insurance Championship concert, presented by Madison Media Partners, at Madison’s Breese Stevens Field. Concert tickets are available for purchase at amfamchampionship.com.

The AmFam Champ Celebrity Foursome hosted by Andy North, returns on Saturday, June 10, featuring Wisconsin golf legend Andy North and three other celebrities who will entertain fans in a friendly 9-hole competition that follows the last group in tournament play. The three other celebrities will be announced later this spring.

Tournament ticket information

Tickets for the American Family Insurance Championship are available for purchase at amfamchampionship.com. Tickets, which can be used for any one day of the tournament, and prices include:

• Adult general admission ticket: $20
• Champions ticket (age 50 years or older): $15
• Youth general admission ticket (with paid adult): Free
• Active duty, reserve and retired military personnel ticket: Free
• First responder ticket: Free

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About the American Family Insurance Championship
The American Family Insurance Championship was created in 2016 by American Family Insurance, PGA TOUR Champions and PGA TOUR player and Wisconsin native Steve Stricker. Since its inception, the championship and associated events have raised nearly $15 million for the American Family Children’s Hospital and other charities. The 2023 championship will be held June 3-11 at the University Ridge Golf Course in Madison, Wisconsin. For more information: Web: 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 34 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. Follow PGA TOUR Champions online at PGATOUR.com, on Facebook, on Twitter (@ChampionsTour), on Instagram (@pgatourchampions) and on TikTok (pgatourchampions).

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. Tournament programming is available via 25+ TV linear partners in 145+ countries and territories, with 25 channels carrying long-form and/or highlights coverage, and 200+ hours of live coverage distributed in 135+ countries and territories. Programming is also available via the OTT platform GOLFTV powered by PGA TOUR in every market outside of the United States, excluding China and Korea, with live coverage distributed in 130+ countries and territories.