Steve Stricker
Madison’s University Ridge will play host to a Champions Tour event beginning in 2016. The event will be sponsored by American Family Insurance.
Madison’s Steve Stricker joined PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem, Wisconsin Athletic Director Barry Alvarez and American Family Insurance Chairman and CEO Jack Salzwedel at a press conference this morning.
The inaugural event will be held June 20-23 of next year. Steve Stricker, who is a 12-time winner on the PGA Tour, will serve as tournament host in 2016 and then as player-host starting in 2017 when he becomes eligible to play on the Champions Tour upon turning 50 years of age.
The inaugural event will also feature an 81-player field competing for a $2 million purse. The no-cut event will include two pro-am events on June 22-23 followed by three days of tournament play.
“Returning professional golf to my home state is a dream come true,” said Stricker. “When the PGA Tour event ended in Milwaukee, it was a said day, and I was absolutely committed to find a way to fill that void. I am proud and humbled to be part of the team to do that in 2016.”
American Family Insurance has signed a three-year agreement to be the tournament’s title sponsor.
The last time the PGA Tour made a regular stop in Wisconsin was back in 2009, which is when U.S. Bank stopped its sponsorship of the Greater Milwaukee Open.