American Family Insurance Championship
courtesy American Family Insurance Championship
Thongchai Jaidee with the trophy as the 2022 winner of the American Family Insurance Championship winner.
Thongchai Jaidee was the 2022 winner of the American Family Insurance Championship.
The PGA TOUR Champions (professional golfers 50 and older) makes an annual stop for the American Family Insurance Championship, a summer highlight for golf fans and a major fundraiser for American Family Children’s Hospital and other nonprofits. All the previous tournament winners — Fred Couples, Jerry Kelly, Scott McCarron, Kirk Triplett, and defending champ Thongchai Jaidee — are back this year, and tournament host Steve Stricker just tied Tiger Woods for the most ever consecutive rounds at par (52) on June 4. Play begins with an opening ceremony at 8:15 a.m. on June 9, and continues at 8:30 a.m. June 10-11; opening night also includes a concert by Tyler Hubbard, Maddie & Tae, and Drake White (6:30 p.m., June 9 Breese Stevens Field). Find details and tickets at amfamchampionship.com.
media release: Tournament host Steve Stricker, fresh off his second consecutive senior major title, and two-time defending champion Jerry Kelly, as well as a star-studded field of other U.S. and international golf legends, highlight the 78-player field for next week’s 2023 American Family Insurance. The tournament field was announced today, subject to a final player to be determined following this weekend’s Principal Charity Classic and any player withdrawals prior to official play.
The annual PGA TOUR Champions stop at University Ridge golf course begins with first-round play next Friday, June 9. The second 18-hole round will be played on Saturday, with the final round on Sunday. Tickets remain available at amfamchampionship.com.
Including Stricker and Kelly, this year’s tournament will see returning players such as Fred Couples, David Duval, Ernie Els, Jim Furyk, Retief Goosen, Miguel Angel Jimenez, David Love III, the 2022 Presidents Cup captain and former major champion, Colin Montgomerie and Vijay Singh.
“We are proud to say that this year’s AmFam Champ will again feature an impressive field poised for another fantastic competition,” said Nate Pokrass, tournament director. “There’s not only hometown appeal with Steve and Jerry, we have an incredibly strong field featuring top competitors from around the world. We’re excited for this year’s field to compete on the beautiful and challenging University Ridge course and for the fans to experience another great tournament in Madison.”
Who’s playing in the 2023 American Family Insurance Championship? All past winners of the AmFam Champ are back: 2022 defending champion Thongchai Jaidee, who made history last year as the first Thai player to win a PGA TOUR-sanctioned event, two-time winner Kelly (2021, 2019), Scott McCarron (2018), Fred Couples (2017) and Kirk Triplett, the inaugural champion (2016).
Other noteworthy players in the field:
Justin Leonard to make tournament debut: The former major winner (The Open Championship, 1997) and PLAYERS champion (1998) will be making his first appearance at University Ridge. Other first-time players include Steven Alker, Notah Begay III, K.J. Choi, another former PLAYERS champion, Brian Cooper, Richard Green, Mark Hensby, Timothy O’Neal and Charlie Wi.
Stricker remains atop Charles Schwab Cup money list: Stricker’s playoff victory two weeks ago at the Senior PGA Championship, his sixth senior major title, keeps him atop the Charles Schwab Cup player rankings. He has three wins this year and 14 overall.
Rounding out the top five player rankings behind Stricker are David Toms (2nd) with two wins this year, Steven Alker (3rd) with one victory in 2023, Stephen Ames (4th), a two-time winner so far this season, and Miguel Angel Jimenez (5th), who has 13 PGA TOUR Champions titles and 56 top five finishes since joining the tour in 2014.
Seven players with multiple PGA TOUR Champions wins since the start of 2022: Stricker (seven), Alker (five), Kelly (three), Ames (two), Steve Flesch (two), Jimenez (three), Toms (two).
Five members of the World Golf Hall of Fame: Couples, Goosen, Love III, Montgomerie, Singh.
Five former No.1 players in the world: Couples, Duval, Els, Tom Lehman, Singh.
Fifteen winners of the Masters, U.S. Open, The Open Championship or PGA Championship: Darren Clarke, Couples, John Daly, Duval, Els, Furyk, Goosen, Lee Janzen, Lehman, Leonard, Love III, Shaun Micheel, Larry Mize, Singh, Jeff Sluman.
Five winners of the former Greater Milwaukee Open/U.S. Bank Championship: Carlos Franco, Jay Haas, Gary Hallberg, Billy Mayfair, Sluman.
Eight recipients of the Payne Stewart Award, an honor presented annually by the PGA TOUR to a player who best exemplifies Stewart's steadfast values of character, charity and sportsmanship: Billy Andrade (2022), Furyk (2016), Els (2015), Stricker (2012), Toms (2011), Lehman (2010), Davis Love III (2008), Haas (2004).
Two Wisconsin natives who were among those who received invitational sponsor’s exemptions, Skip Kendall and Mario Tiziani. University of Illinois golf coach Mike Small will also play under a sponsor’s exemption.
The full player field is posted on the American Family Insurance Championship website: amfamchampionship.com.
Zach Johnson and Michael Phelps highlight celebrity foursome: The second round of the tournament on Saturday, June 10, will feature the AmFam Champ Celebrity Foursome, hosted by Andy North. Joining North, a Wisconsin native and two-time U.S. Open champion, will be 2023 U.S. Ryder Cup Captain and two-time major winner Zach Johnson, baseball Hall of Famer Derek Jeter, and Michael Phelps, the most decorated Olympian in history. The group will play a 9-hole exhibition for charity starting on the 10th hole following the final grouping of tournament play. The expected tee time is 2 p.m.
The American Family Insurance Championship was created in 2016 by American Family Insurance, PGA TOUR Champions and PGA player and Wisconsin native Steve Stricker. Since its inception, the championship and associated events have raised nearly $12.6 million for the American Family Children’s Hospital and other charities (2022 proceeds will be announced in late November). 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
Golf tickets can be purchased online, by phone: 608-204-0855 or in person: Forward Madison FC Offices (credit card only), 917 E Mifflin St., Madison, WI 53703 (office hours: Monday-Friday 9:00 am - 5:00 pm).
Concert tickets can be purchased online.
Service fees are the same when purchasing online and at the ticket office.
All tickets will be digital and emailed to the ticket buyer.
Please visit the Ticket FAQ page for any ticketing questions.
Schedule of Events
Saturday June 3, 2023 Race for Research 5k
Monday June 5, 2023 The First Tee of South Central Wisconsin Skills Challenge | *Invitation only
Wednesday June 7, 2023-Thursday June 8, 2023 Pro-Am | Closed to the public
Friday June 9, 2023 AmFam Championship
8:15 a.m. - Opening ceremony, first tee
8:45a.m. - Tournament, day 1, first tee time
6:00 p.m. - Tyler Hubbard, Drake White, and special guest concert at Breese Stevens Field. Doors open at 6:00pm, show starts at 6:30pm
Saturday June 10, 2023 AmFam Championship
8:30 a.m. - Tournament, day 2
1:30 p.m - Celebrity Foursome tees off, 10th hole Andy North, Derek Jeter, Zach Johnson and Michael Phelps to participate
Sunday June 11, 2023 AmFam Championship
8:30 a.m. - Tournament, day 3
4:00 p.m. - Trophy ceremony, 18th green