Steve Stricker’s sensational season shows no signs of slowing
4 Min Read
Written by Connor Stange
As PGA TOUR Champions heads into the final third of the 2023 schedule, 56-year-old Steve Stricker is in the midst of one of the greatest individual seasons in the history of the Champions Tour. Here’s a closer look at his dominance in majors and a by-the-numbers breakdown of his performance in 2023:
Dominance in majors
With his victory at Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio, in July – his last start on PGA TOUR Champions – Stricker became the fourth player in Champions Tour history to win three majors in a season. Stricker won the Regions Tradition (May 11-14), KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship (May 25-28) and Kaulig Companies Championship (July 13-16). In his only other major start in 2023, Stricker finished second at the U.S. Senior Open (June 29-July 2). He did not play in The Senior Open Championship presented by Rolex (July 27-30).
Most single-season major wins in PGA TOUR Champions history | ||
Player | Major Wins | Year |
Gary Player | 3 | 1988 |
Jack Nicklaus | 3 | 1991 |
Bernhard Langer | 3 | 2017 |
Steve Stricker | 3 | 2023 |
Stricker increased his majors total on PGA TOUR Champions to seven with his three titles in 2023. He passed several on the all-time major wins list during his recent stretch including World Golf Hall of Fame members Lee Trevino (four), Raymond Floyd (four), Arnold Palmer (five) and Tom Watson (six).
Most major wins in PGA TOUR Champions history | ||
Rank | Player | Major Wins |
1 | Bernhard Langer | 12 |
2 | Gary Player | 9 |
3 | Jack Nicklaus | 8 |
T4 | Steve Stricker | 7 |
T4 | Hale Irwin | 7 |
6 | Tom Watson | 6 |
Stricker has won nearly half of his starts in majors on PGA TOUR Champions with a winning percentage of 41.2%. It is the highest among players with seven or more starts in senior majors, and nearly double the winning percentage of No. 2 Alex Cejka (21.4%).
Highest Winning Percentage in Majors on PGA TOUR Champions | ||||
Rank | Player | Win % | Wins | Starts |
1 | Steve Stricker | 41.2% | 7 | 17 |
2 | Alex Cejka | 21.4% | 3 | 14 |
3 | Bernhard Langer | 16.9% | 12 | 71 |
4 | Jack Nicklaus | 15.4% | 8 | 52 |
(Note: Among players with seven or more starts)
Historic season
Stricker’s five victories in 2023 are tied for the 14th-most in a single season on PGA TOUR Champions. Since 2000, only two players have more wins in a season on the Champions Tour: Bernhard Langer (seven wins in 2017) and Larry Nelson (six wins in 2000).
Including last year, Stricker is the reigning champion at eight events. In addition to his five victories this season, Stricker won three events in 2022 that haven’t been played yet in 2023.
Most Single-Season Wins in PGA TOUR Champions History | |||
Rank | Player | Season | Wins |
T1 | Hale Irwin | 1997 | 9 |
Peter Thomson | 1985 | 9 | |
T3 | Bernhard Langer | 2017 | 7 |
Bruce Fleisher | 1999 | 7 | |
Hale Irwin | 1998 | 7 | |
Lee Trevino | 1990 | 7 | |
Chi Chi Rodriguez | 1987 | 7 | |
Bruce Crampton | 1986 | 7 | |
T9 | Larry Nelson | 2000 | 6 |
Gil Morgan | 1998 | 6 | |
Gil Morgan | 1997 | 6 | |
Lee Trevino | 1994 | 6 | |
Don January | 1983 | 6 | |
T14 | Steve Stricker | 2023 | 5 |
13 other instances | Various years | 5 |
Through 13 starts in 2023, Stricker has earned $3,593,060 to build a commanding lead in the Charles Schwab Cup standings. He is $84,300 away from setting the single-season record for money earned on PGA TOUR Champions. The current record of $3,677,359 was set by Langer in 2017.
This season, Stricker has a lead of $1,933,705 over Charles Schwab No. 2 Langer, which is larger than Langer’s lead over the player in last place ($1,658,239).
Most single-season money won in PGA TOUR Champions history | ||||
Rank | Player | Season | Money | |
1 | Bernhard Langer | 2017 | $3,677,359 | |
2 | Steve Stricker | 2023 | $3,593,060 | |
3 | Steven Alker | 2022 | $3,544,425 | |
4 | Padraig Harrington | 2022 | $3,293,255 | |
5 | Bernhard Langer | 2020-21 | $3,255,499 |
Through 43 rounds in 2023, Stricker is on pace to set the single-season scoring average record on PGA TOUR Champions. His 67.44 scoring average is ahead of the current record (67.96), set by Fred Couples in 2010.
Lowest single-season scoring average in PGA TOUR Champions history | |||
Rank | Player | Season | Scoring Average |
1 | Fred Couples | 2010 | 67.96 |
2 | Bernhard Langer | 2017 | 68.03 |
3 | Bernhard Langer | 2014 | 68.03 |
4 | Steven Alker | 2022 | 68.27 |
5 | Bernhard Langer | 2016 | 68.31 |
(Note: Stricker’s 2023 scoring average through 13 starts is 67.44.)
Stricker vs. The field
In his 13 starts this season on PGA TOUR Champions, Stricker has beaten or tied 1,101 of 1,121 competitors (98.22%). He has finished in the top two in 10 of 13 starts (76.9%).
In his last six starts, all top-two finishes, Stricker has beaten or tied 616 of 618 competitors (99.68%).
Where Stricker stacks up in the world of golf
In two of the ranking systems that include all players in the world, Stricker is ranked inside the top 50. He is ranked 50th in the world by Data Golf and 26th in the world by The Universal Golf Rankings (TUGR).
The Data Golf Rankings are determined by averaging the field-strength adjusted scores of each golfer across professional and amateur tournaments, with more recent rounds receiving more weight.
The TUGR is determined by head-to-head scores, player-by-player over the past 18 months, and the output is relative strokes per round to the best player in the world.
Stricker’s streaks
Stricker has an active streak of 17 consecutive top-10 finishes on PGA TOUR Champions, which ranks tied for fourth on the all-time list, and is the longest streak on the Champions Tour since Langer in 2013-14. Stricker is 19 away from tying the PGA TOUR Champions record, set by Don January (1980-84).
Most consecutive top-10 finishes in PGA TOUR Champions history | ||
Player | Consecutive Top 10s | Timespan |
Don January | 36 | 1980-84 |
Hale Irwin | 23 | 1997-98 |
Bernhard Langer | 20 | 2013-14 |
Miller Barber | 17 | 1984-85 |
Peter Thomson | 17 | 1985 |
Chi Chi Rodriguez | 17 | 1985-86 |
Steve Stricker | 17 | 2022-present |
Lee Elder | 16 | 1984-85 |
Bruce Crampton | 16 | 1986 |
Hale Irwin | 16 | 1995-96 |
Bob Charles | 15 | 1988 |
Raymond Floyd | 15 | 1994-95 |
Stricker has an active streak of six consecutive top-two finishes on PGA TOUR Champions, which ranks second on the all-time list. He’s one away from tying the PGA TOUR Champions record, set by Don January in 1983.
Most consecutive top-two finishes (on PGA TOUR-sanctioned tours) | ||
Player | Finishes | TOUR |
Byron Nelson | 11 | PGA TOUR |
Sam Snead | 9 | PGA TOUR |
Tiger Woods | 8 | PGA TOUR |
Ben Hogan | 8 | PGA TOUR |
Denny Shute | 7 | PGA TOUR |
Don January | 7 | PGA TOUR Champions |
Steve Stricker | 6* | PGA TOUR Champions |
Jim Barnes | 6 | PGA TOUR |
(*denotes active streak)
Earlier this season, Stricker set the record for most consecutive rounds of par or better across all PGA TOUR-sanctioned tours with 55. His streak, which started with a 6-under 65 in the final round of the 2022 U.S. Senior Open, was snapped with a 1-over-par 71 in the first round of the 2023 U.S. Senior Open.
Most consecutive rounds of par or better (PGA TOUR Champions) | ||
Player | Total | Timespan |
Steve Stricker | 55 | 2022-23 |
Jerry Kelly | 41 | 2022-23 |
Jay Haas | 41 | 2014 |
Steven Alker | 39 | 2021-22 |
Colin Montgomerie | 38 | 2016-17 |
Most consecutive rounds of par or better (PGA TOUR-sanctioned tours) | ||
Player | Total | Tour |
Steve Stricker | 55 | PGA TOUR Champions |
Tiger Woods | 52 | PGA TOUR |
Lee Hodges | 48 | Korn Ferry Tour |
Jerry Kelly | 41 | PGA TOUR Champions |
Jay Haas | 41 | PGA TOUR Champions |
Anders Albertson | 41 | Korn Ferry Tour |
Most consecutive rounds of par or better to start a season (PGA TOUR Champions) | ||
Player | Total | Season |
Steve Stricker | 35 | 2023 |
Jerry Kelly | 25 | 2017 |
Jerry Kelly | 23 | 2023 |
Fred Couples | 23 | 2017 |
Jay Haas | 23 | 2014 |
Loren Roberts | 23 | 2007 |
Gil Morgan | 23 | 2004 |
(Note: none are active streaks)