Notes: Final round of American Family Insurance Championship promises to be a shootout
MADISON – If Steve Stricker was going to pick a day to shoot his first-ever over-par round on the PGA Tour Champions, Saturday was the day.
Stricker, the first-round leader of the American Family Insurance Championship, struggled to a 2-over-par 74 at University Ridge Golf Course, but no one broke away from the pack.
As a result, the tournament host is still in the mix going into the final round of the 54-hole PGA Tour Champions event Sunday. So, too, are a lot of other golfers.
Esteban Toledo shot a 66 and moved into the lead at 9-under 135. The four-way tie for second, one stroke back, included defending champion Fred Couples (67), David Toms (66), Kent Jones (67) and Billy Mayfair (68).
A whopping 19 golfers are within three shots of the lead. Madison’s Jerry Kelly shot a 69 thanks to two late birdies and is two back. Stricker, who rolled in a long put on No. 18 for his lone birdie of the day, is three back.
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“It’s going to take something special for me being three shots back,” said Stricker, who had broken par in 30 consecutive rounds, the fourth-longest streak in Champions tour history. “I’m going to have to put up a good round, probably something similar to what I did the first day (64), or maybe even a little bit better.”
Toledo, 55, birdied four of his last six holes including No. 18 en route to his bogey-free 66.
“I played really well,” he said. “I think I made only one bogey in two days and when I looked at the leader board on the last hole, I didn’t know I was tied for first. I was shocked a little bit. But, you know what, there’s a lot of guys (close), so we’ll see what happens tomorrow.”
Kelly said it was “shocking” that 66 was the best score Saturday.
“I was very surprised that I was hanging in,” said Kelly, who finished strong again with birdies on Nos. 16 and 17.
It would mean the world to Kelly to win the AmFam, not only because he’d one-up his good friend Stricker but because it would be his second victory of the year and could potentially move him to No. 1 on the money list.
“I’ll go home, drink a bottle of wine and have fun. That’s it,” Kelly said. “I’m going to put some steaks on the grill and enjoy the company at home and I’m going to come out here (Sunday) and just be ready to play. It’s all I can do. You don’t know what you’re going to get. I’ll give it my all, like I always do.”
Happy anniversary: Twenty-five years ago, Mayfair won the Great Milwaukee Open at Tuckaway Country Club. Now, he’s in contention to take a second title in Wisconsin. He has never won on the Champions tour but has three runner-up finishes in 42 starts.
“I love this area,” Mayfair said. “I love this area of the country, that’s for sure. It’s been very good to me and hopefully I’ll have a good day tomorrow.”
Langer lingers: Charles Schwab Cup leader Bernhard Langer shot a 69 and is part of the eight-way tie for sixth at 7-under. The AmFam Championship is one of just eight tournaments on this year’s 27-event schedule that he has not won.