MADISON, Wisc. — Coming off an award-winning 2023, Steve Stricker is going from banquet to honors ceremonies every month.
"Yeah I hate it," Steve Stricker said with a laugh. "I really do. It's, yeah, I'm very uncomfortable just sitting up here."
One of his highlights of last season was winning his hometown American Family Championship.
"Huge relief. Monkey off my back for winning last year's Am Fam Championship," Stricker said. "So excited to get back there this year and have some fun with it. See if I can't get right back in the mix of it and try to win again."
Stricker and Jerry Kelly carry the torch for Wisconsin golf, but it's getting close to the time, to pass it.
"We need that young group to come along," Stricker said. "And there's been a bunch of good young players from the state of Wisconsin over the years. Men and women you know along the way so yeah, it's just, you know they keep working at it."
Deemed one of the most successful Ryder Cup captains from his work at Whistling Straits, I asked Stricker if he would lead Team USA again if he was asked.
"I don't know if that will happen but it was a good run three years ago," Stricker said. " It was a great time and the state of Wisconsin showed up big time. And good to do it for Herb Kohler and his family while he was still alive and to experience something like that with him was something I'll never forget. Yeah I would consider it again. I think an away Ryder Cup would be the only way I would do it. You know, there's been a problem for us overseas. We haven't been able to do it in over 30 years. Yeah, so that would be a big challenge but again to leave it at one and what we did at Whistling Straits might be the thing to do."
Stricker says University Ridge has been a great host as a golf course for the American Family Championship. But the tournament will switch to TPC Wisconsin, in 2025.
