Things to Know

• Dating to an opening-round 10-under 62 en route to winning last week’s Principal Charity Classic, Ernie Els moves to 30-under par in his last five rounds; looks to become the first player to win consecutive events on PGA TOUR Champions since this week’s tournament host, Steve Stricker, achieved the feat in May of 2023
• In his bid to become the first player to successfully defend a PGA TOUR Champions title since Stephen Ames at the 2024 Mitsubishi Electric Classic, Tournament Host Steve Stricker birdied four of his last five holes to finish with a share of the lead at 9-under 135

Ernie Els/T1 (71-64–135/9-under)

• A week removed from his fourth career win on PGA TOUR Champions at the Principal Charity Classic, offset one bogey with seven birdies and an eagle (par-5 16th) to sign for an 8-under 64
• The 8-under 64 comes in just his fourth round since opening last week’s Principal Charity Classic in 10-under 62
• With a win Sunday, would become the first player on PGA TOUR Champions to win back-to-back events since Steve Stricker at the 2023 Regions Tradition and KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship
• Is 2-for-7 when attempting to convert a 36-hole lead/co-lead into victory in a 54-hole event on PGA TOUR Champions (2023 Hoag Classic, 2024 Principal Charity Classic)
• In two previous American Family Insurance Championship starts, finished T35 in 2021 and 10th in 2023

Steve Stricker/T1 (69-66–135/9-under)

• Tournament host and defending champion, began his round with back-to-back birdies before finishing it with additional birdies on four of his last five holes (Nos. 14-17) before signing for a 6-under 66; four consecutive birdies is his season-long best (previously three)
• The 66 marks his 20th round in the American Family Insurance Championship and 19th at par-or-better (2-over 74/R2/2018)
• Is now a collective 85 under par in the event at University Ridge Golf Course
• Is 6-for-10 when attempting to convert a 36-hole lead/co-lead into victory in a 54-hole event on PGA TOUR Champions
• Seeks an 18th PGA TOUR Champions win – and first of the 2024 season – in his 70th PGA TOUR Champions start this week
• Dating to the end of last season, has made eight consecutive starts without a victory, marking his longest winless streak on PGA TOUR Champions (previously seven, on two occasions)
• Has finished inside the top 10 on six of seven occasions this season (T32/Cologuard Classic)

Additional Player Notes

• Coming off last week’s T3 finish at the Principal Charity Classic, his first top-10 finish on PGA TOUR Champions, David Duval (Third/7-under) signed for a 4-under 68 in round two to extend his streak of consecutive sub-par scores to five as he continues to distance himself from his previous best stretch of three straight; in two previous starts at the American Family Insurance Championship, finished T54 in 2022 and T45 in 2023
• Tim O’Neal followed a double bogey at the first hole with an eagle-birdie comeback on Nos. 2 and 3; made additional birdies at Nos. 6, 11-13 and 16 to get in with a 4-under 68 and move to 6-under 138 (T4); seeks his first PGA TOUR Champions win in his 38th start and first top-10 finish of the season in his 12th start
• Through 36 holes in his seventh American Family Insurance Championship, Wisconsin native and 2019 and 2021 champion Jerry Kelly sits T4 at 6-under 138 after opening with back-to-back 3-under 69s; extends his streak of par-or-better rounds in the event to a perfect 20
• After making the turn in 5-under 31, Chris DiMarco played his inward nine in even-par, good for a 5-uner 67 to move to 5-under 139 (T6); best of three previous starts in the American Family Insurance Championship was T51 in 2019; his lone top-10 finish in 11 starts this season before this week was T6 at the KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship two weeks ago; remains in search of his first Champions Tour title in his 122nd start this week
• Boo Weekley and Glen Day, who shared the 18-hole lead after matching 4-under 68s, are T15 (4-under) and T27 (2-under), respectively