FRISCO (Texas) – Steve Sticker has won a major on the PGA Tour Champions for a second time.
The captain of the 2021 Ryder Cup defeated Padraig Harrington in the first playoff hole at the 83rd KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship, claiming his sixth major title on the senior circuit.
Stricker also won his second major championship of the year after winning the 2023 Regions Tradition in early this year. Stricker chose to keep the win in his family at Fields Ranch East this week. He had Joe LaCava Jr. with him that week.
Izzi Stricker, the youngest of Stricker’s daughters, looped like a professional for her dad in her debut. Both Strickers admit that they were nervous about caddying her dad, but never let their nerves get in the way.
Stricker said to reporters, “She did very well.” Both of us clammed up, a bit, when we first came in. I think both of us were – at times, I was grinding my teeth and trying to figure it out. But all in all it was great fun .”
A rising high school senior expressed a similar sentiment.
“Yeah I was pacing,” Izzi said Golfweekspan size=”font weight: 400 ;”>. “Like (Stricker), we were kinda clammy. We didn’t talk much, but I knew that if I focused, I would give off the same vibes as he. I needed to keep down my head as much as he.
Team Stricker with some post round thoughts.#SrPGAChamp pic.twitter.com/B70QiyCL6A
— KitchenAid Senior PGA Champ (@seniorpgachamp) May 28, 2023
What was the highlight of Izzi’s week?
She said, “I’ve always seen him in the ring and this was a completely different experience.” I learned a lot about his mental game. I’ve seen his physical game a lot, but never that close to a major championship. I learned a great deal about the mental side .”
The win holds a special meaning for Stricker.
He said, “This is a big deal.” “I told the people in the room that I had spent a great deal of time with PGA of America at the Ryder Cup. I met a lot people. We spent three years, but two and a quarter years due to the COVID problem and I made many friends. John Lindert, from Wisconsin and his family were also special to us. They gave me a fantastic opportunity to lead a Ryder Cup in my state .”
Padraig Harrington’s chance to win wire-to-wire came and went several times on Sunday.
Stricker’s birdie at No. The 51-year old had a full day of what-ifs.
“ As I reflect on the two shots, I regret the way I played the second shot on 14, he said to reporters after losing the one-hole playoff.
The decision to play it safe was not the best one. His approach shot into the hole went through the green into the rough.
This is the one I will look back at and think, “You know, I should not have bail out.” Perhaps I should not have left. But I thought I would be fine. I thought that I had a good chance of winning.
He missed another chance to force the issue, trailing Stricker on the par-3 17. Both he and Stricker were able to make bogey on the par-5 18th.
Harrington needed a birdie in order to win. He used his PGA Tour Champions’ leading length to reach the green within two strokes and make a 30-foot eagle-putting putt. He would walk away with a par, forcing a play-off with Stricker.
Harrington, the first to play, pulled the driver to put pressure on Stricker, but he left the drive far to the right. Harrington attempted to advance the ball in the penalty area but it was caught on the hosel. This kept him in the danger zone and forced a drop.
Steve Stricker embraces Izzi Strickerr after winning the KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship in 2023 at Fields Ranch East, PGA Frisco. Frisco, Texas. (Photo: Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images)
The shot that followed was undoubtedly one of the best of the week. His 5-wood never left his flag at 272 yards and sat behind the hole for about 10 feet.
If I make the putt, we can say that it’s one of my best shots. We’ll just forget that I missed the putt .”
He laughed. He laughed.
Low PGA pro
PGA Professional Mark Brown came into the final round of Sunday’s game with one goal: to earn his wife a brand new kitchen.
KitchenAid, the title sponsor of the Senior PGA Championship, is providing a KitchenAid kitchen suite as part of their winnings. Brown, who was co-low professional at the 2019 Senior PGA Championship at Oak Hill, received the award but now lives in Florida.
On the 17th tee, the 56-year old PGA Teaching Professional from the Yacht & Country Club, in Stewart, Florida had a three-shot lead. Even after a quick bogey, he still had a two-shot lead over Tim Weinhart. Weinhart finished the round at 6 over par and was already on his way out of the course.
Brown was on the verge of disaster when he made a double bogey at the par-5 18th.
Mission fails successfully
While he didn’t get the honor of being named solo winner, he will still make his wife happy by bringing a brand new kitchen to Hobe Sound in Florida.
Weinhart, 53, PGA Director and Instruction at Heritage Golf Links, Tucker, Georgia was shocked to learn that he’d played himself into the race. When he learned that he had tied Brown, he was half-way through a double at In-N Out.
Weinhart, who was not on the field at the start of the week but added late to the field as an alternate, is now in the field.
He told reporters that “Monday, we played a round of practice and I’m like, oh well. I hope we make it.” “I received a call Monday evening, or rather late in the night at 6:45. 7 o’clock. .”
Although the pair didn’t finish high enough to qualify for an exemption for the 84th KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship they did put a nice cap on a historic 2 week stretch for PGA Teaching Professionals, which began with Michael Block at Oak Hill.
In 2024, the 84th KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship will be held at Harbor Shores Golf Club, Benton Harbor in Michigan.
