2023 and 2024 Tournaments to Continue at University Ridge Golf Course
MADISON, Wis. (May 9, 2023) — The PGA TOUR Champions American Family Insurance Championship will have a new home starting in 2025, when it moves across Madison to Wisconsin’s first TPC Network course. The course, formerly known as Cherokee Country Club, was added to the TPC Network portfolio in May 2022 and rebranded as TPC Wisconsin.
TPC courses are preferred destinations for PGA TOUR events, including those on the flagship PGA TOUR, PGA TOUR Champions, Korn Ferry Tour and PGA TOUR Americas. Owned, operated and licensed by the PGA TOUR, the TPC Network is comprised of 30 premier courses. Each TPC has hosted or has been designed to host TOUR-sponsored golf tournaments.
The American Family Insurance Championship, also known as the AmFam Champ, has been held at University of Wisconsin-owned University Ridge Course since its debut in 2016.
“We’re incredibly grateful for our partnership with the University of Wisconsin-Madison and University Ridge,” said Bill Westrate, chief executive officer and chair-elect of American Family Insurance. “Everyone involved, from the athletic department team to the golf course staff, are dedicated to the tournament’s success and we’re honored to partner with them. We look forward to continuing our relationship for the 2023 and 2024 tournaments, as well as other ongoing partnerships we have with UW-Madison.”
“We’re excited to build off the tournament’s momentum and success at University Ridge and carry that forward to TPC Wisconsin,” said Nate Pokrass, AmFam Champ tournament director. “We’re driven to be the premier destination on PGA TOUR Champions and hosting it at a TPC venue is a continuation of that commitment. We look forward to collaborating with the TPC Wisconsin staff, the City of Madison and the northside community as we establish a best-in-class tournament experience for everyone at this new location in 2025.”
TPC courses are some of the most prestigious golf venues in North America for PGA TOUR-affiliated events. The flagship TPC course, TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, opened in 1980 and serves as the headquarters of the PGA TOUR and host venue of THE PLAYERS Championship.
The nearest TPC courses to Madison are TPC Deere Run in Silvis, Illinois, host of the PGA TOUR’s John Deere Classic, and TPC Twin Cities in Blaine, Minnesota, host of the PGA TOUR’s 3M Open. One other PGA TOUR Champions event is held on a TPC course, the Mitsubishi Electric Classic at TPC Sugarloaf in Duluth, Georgia.
The new TPC Wisconsin golf course is undergoing extensive renovation as part of the rebrand, while respecting the wetlands of the Cherokee Marsh. The redesign plan received environmental approval from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.
As part of the redesign, fairways, greens and overall turf conditions are being upgraded to meet TPC Network standards, along with the creation of natural areas for spectator viewing. Additional renovations are occurring in the clubhouse, practice facility and development of a golf learning center. All aspects of the project are currently under way, with the course scheduled to reopen to its membership later this summer.
The redesign is being led by club owner and Wisconsin Golf Hall of Famer Dennis Tiziani, with assistance from Tiziani’s son-in-law, Steve Stricker. Stricker has a long-standing relationship with American Family Insurance as a brand ambassador and serving as the player/host of the PGA TOUR Champions American Family Insurance Championship since its beginning.
“I’m proud to partner with American Family Insurance and others to collaborate on the success we’ve had with the American Family Insurance Championship,” said Stricker. “It’s always been a dream of mine to be involved in designing a world-class golf course, and to have this opportunity to redesign my home golf course and upgrade it to TPC standards is especially rewarding. I’m confident the AmFam Champ at TPC Wisconsin will continue to be a fantastic community event that will raise money to support charitable organizations in our community.”
“We’re thrilled to host the American Family Insurance Championship at TPC Wisconsin – our newest course to join TPC Network,” said John Hugghins, senior vice president of TPC Network operations. “This move represents a fresh chapter in the tournament’s history and highlights our commitment to providing a premier destination for PGA TOUR Champions events – along with a top-notch player, fan and community experience.”
Future tournament dates
The upcoming 2023 AmFam Champ will be held June 3-11 at University Ridge. Dates for the 2024 tournament at University Ridge and the 2025, 2026 and 2027 tournaments at TPC Wisconsin will be determined in the future.
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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.