Lee Trevino to join Favre, Jeter and North in AmFam Champ celebrity foursome
Six-time major champion brings game and flair to nine-hole exhibition.
Lee Trevino, one of golf’s most affable and beloved legends, will play in the celebrity foursome at the 2018 American Family Insurance Championship. He will join Brett Favre, Derek Jeter and Andy North.
The PGA TOUR Champions American Family Insurance Championship begins Friday, June 22, with first-round play at University Ridge Golf Course. The celebrity foursome will play a nine-hole exhibition on Saturday, June 23, at approximately 1:30 p.m., following the final group of tournament players on the 10th hole.
“Lee Trevino is one-of-a-kind, whose story of determination, humor and love for the game of golf and fans fits perfectly with our championship,” said Nate Pokrass, American Family Insurance Championship tournament director.
Trevino will team with Jeter to play a nine-hole scramble against Favre and North. The American Family Insurance Dreams Foundation will make a $25,000 donation to the American Family Children’s Hospital on behalf of the winning team.
Born in Dallas and raised by his mother and maternal grandfather, Trevino learned and developed his game entirely on his own, starting as a boy when he worked as a caddie. After serving in the Marine Corps for four years, he became a golf professional in 1960 and spent his early pro years as an assistant at country clubs, where he supplemented his paychecks by hustling other players who were deceived by his unorthodox swing.
After finishing in fifth place as a qualifier at the 1967 U.S. Open, Trevino spent the rest of the year on the PGA TOUR and was named its top rookie. In 1968, he won the U.S. Open for his first of six major championships and 29 PGA TOUR titles. His best year on tour was in 1971, when he won six times, including the U.S. Open and Open Championship.
Known for his shot-making, jovial personality and rapid-fire wit, Trevino enjoyed rivalries with other PGA TOUR stars like Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer and Gary Player. He was a fan favorite at every tournament stop, including at the former Greater Milwaukee Open, where he finished second in both 1979 and 1978, when he lost a memorable eight-hole playoff to winner Lee Elder.
Trevino joined PGA TOUR Champions in 1989 and was a major contributor to its early success, frequently drawing the largest galleries while winning 29 times, which is third-most in tour history. His last title came in 2000 at the Cadillac NFL Classic, where he became the second player to win a PGA TOUR event in five different decades. Gary Player is the other.
Trevino was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1981. Still a member of PGA TOUR Champions, he continues to play in one event a year, the Bass Pro Shops Legends of Golf.
Special tickets discounts still available
Tickets for the American Family Insurance Championship are available at AmFamChampionship.com/tickets, with special discounts for certain tickets purchased before June 18, including:
• $5 off a $25 general admission ticket
• $5 off a $20 champions ticket (50 years +)
Active duty, reserve and retired military personnel can again enjoy a free three-day pass and any child 15 and under gets free admission to the tournament with a paid adult admission.
For tournament updates, fans can follow the tournament’s social media channels:
Twitter: @amfamchamp; Facebook: American Family Insurance Championship; and Instagram: AmFamChampionship.
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About the American Family Insurance Championship
American Family Insurance, the PGA TOUR Champions and PGA TOUR star and Wisconsin resident Steve Stricker launched this professional golf tournament in June 2016. The American Family Insurance Championship, held annually at University Ridge Golf Course in Madison, Wis., features a 78-player field. Past champions include Fred Couples (2017) and Kirk Triplett (2016). Championship week includes the three-day tournament, two Pro-Am competitions, charity concert and a special exhibition featuring celebrities from the sports and music industries. The 2018 event will be held June 18-24 with all proceeds allocated to the Steve Stricker American Family Insurance Foundation for distribution to the American Family Children’s Hospital and other charities. More than $2.7 million has been donated to charity since the inaugural event in 2016. For more information: Web: www.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 35 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. In 2018, the PGA TOUR Champions schedule includes 27 tournaments across the United States, Scotland and Canada, with purses totaling more than $56 million. The Charles Schwab Cup, which includes the Regular Season and the Charles Schwab Cup Playoffs, is used to determine the season-long champion. 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. Internationally, telecasts air in excess of 190 countries and territories, reaching more than 330 million potential households. Follow PGA TOUR Champions online at PGATOUR.COM, at facebook.com/PGATOURChampions, on Twitter @ChampionsTour and on Instagram @pgatourchampions.
