ORLANDO – Izzi Stricker admitted that she was numb at the first hole in the PNC Championship. However, she hit her drive straight down the middle. The Strickers, who were playing in their first PNC together with Steve, enjoyed the same odds that Tiger Woods, his son Charlie, and Justin Thomas, and his father Mike, had.
Izzi, two-time Wisconsin state champion for girls, has signed a contract to play college football at Wisconsin. She will be a first year student in the fall 2024. Her mother, Nicki and her sister Bobbi both played golf at Wisconsin.
Izzi Stricker, daughter of Steve Stricker from the United States, embraces her mother Nikki Stricker while sister Bobbi Stricker watches on the 18th green at The Ritz-Carlton Golf Club in Orlando on December 16, 2023. (Photo by Mike Mulholland/Getty Images).
Steve, a 12-time winner of the PGA Tour Champions Tour, won six times in the PGA Tour Champions Tour this season, including three majors.
In the opening round of Saturday’s PNC, Strickers were paired with former No. Nelly Korda, her father Petr and the former No. Izzi hoped she would get to play with Korda, an Olympic gold medalist and major champion.
Steve said he would often play videos of Nelly’s swing while working with his girls.
Photos: The 2023 PNC Championship
Stricker said, “She has one of the most impressive golf swings I’ve ever seen.” “I don’t know if it is women or men.”
The Strickers tied the Kordas with an opening score of 8-under 64, but trailed Matt Kuchar and Cameron, his teenage son, by seven shots.
Steve, 56 years old, was invited to the field following a rule change that allowed PGA Tour Champions to be major winners. He said he was working hard to ensure he could beat Nelly in a wet day at Ritz Carlton Golf Club. This week, four sets of tees will be in use. Steve and Nelly both play from 6,578 yard. Izzy and Petr both play from 6,036 yard.
Steve smiled and said, “I was trying to get past her in a few holes.” “She caught me one time and let me know about it too. From that point, I tried to swing harder, but she has a lot of length.
