Two Champions Tour golfers with Wisconsin roots are hoping it works to their advantage at this week’s American Family Insurance Championship at the University Ridge Golf Course in Madison. Steve Stricker and Jerry Kelly, both of whom were born in the Badger State, will be looking for another victory this season.
Stricker is the heavy favorite for the event, that begins Friday, at +250. He is followed by Bernhard Langer at +750, and Kelly and Miguel Angel Jimenez at +1200.
The 51-year-old Stricker has won twice on the Champions Tour, and finished tied for second in the last event he played, the Regions Tradition on May 20. He and Kelly paired up in April for the Legends of Golf, where they tied for fifth.
Two-Tour Man
Stricker has been splitting his time between the Champions and PGA tours and having success on both. He hasn’t won on the PGA Tour, but has placed three top-20 finishes, including a tie for the US Open last week.
That doesn’t mean he doesn’t see the Champions Tour as a priority. He feels fortunate to be able to compete in both, but this week his priority will be winning this event.
“Even though it’s at the Champions tour level, we’re still very anxious to play in Madison to try to win it,” Stricker said. “I think it would be something very, very special. I know it would be for me, with a sponsor of mine putting it on and our foundation. It would mean a lot. The same for Jerry or Skip (Kendall) if they were to win.”
Kelly Enjoying Second Career
The Madison native was classified as a grinder on the PGA Tour, winning three times. He has had much quicker success on the Champions Tour. In two years on this tour he has already won three times, including the Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai in January. He has added six other top-10 finishes this season.
Being a favorite was new territory for the 51-year-old, and it took some getting used to. He is now No. 3 on the money list, and he said slipping in the rankings actually helped his game a bit.
“It puts expectations at a different level and that’s never been a good thing for me,” Kelly said. “I’d never been No. 1 since the Nike Tour days. It’s pressure and expectations. That’s a tough combination but that’s what you have to learn to play with. It’s what you live for. You want that tag on you. It’s the opposite everything in my career, no question about it. I’m not used to seeing me as a favorite or anything like that. It’s very different.”
Former No. 1 Returns
Adding to the one of the stronger fields for a non-major, is Fred Couples. Couples, who hasn’t played on the Champions Tour since January, when he finished sixth in the Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai.
Couples did play the Masters, where he finished a very respectable 38th. He has had a history of back problems and took some time off to strengthen that part of his body. He did want to return to defend his title, one of two tournaments he won last season. He is listed at 14/1.