Last year, Izzi Stricker called playing in the PNC Championship with her dad, Steve, the coolest week of her life.
Izzi, then a senior at Waunakee High School, also shared the course with her golf idols in Nelly Korda and Tiger Woods while showing off her talent on a national audience.
Izzi, now a freshman on the Wisconsin women’s golf team, is back for a second year to team with her dad in the annual 36-hole event held at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club in Orlando.
And she shared pleasantries with Woods on Friday ahead of the first round on Saturday like they were old pals. Woods is teaming with his 15-year-old son, Charlie, in the tournament for a fifth straight year.
“What’s happening,” a beaming Izzi said to Woods, a 15-time major champion, on the driving range as they shared a hug.
“Are you ready for this?” Woods asked her.
“Heck yeah,” Izzi replied. “Good to see you.”
Izzi and Steve played alongside Tiger and Charlie in the final round of the 2023 tournament. The Strickers finished 10th last year. Tiger and Charlie were fifth.
Tiger Woods also loved seeing Izzi’s dad, Steve, an Edgerton native. The two have had a friendship for years.
“Hey old man,” Woods, 48, joked with Stricker, 57.
Woods was then watching Stricker hit pitch shots on the range. Stricker, who has won once this year on the PGA Tour Champions and 18 overall titles on the 50-and-over tour, said he’s feeling good about his shots.
The event is Woods’ first since July after he had another back surgery in September.
Steve Stricker and Izzi Stricker at PNC Championship
The Strickers are playing alongside Annika Sörenstam and her son, Will McGee, on Saturday.
Sörenstam won 10 LPGA Tour major championships during her Hall of Fame career and her 72 tournament wins are third most in the history of the LPGA Tour.
The tournament, which began as a Father/Son Challenge, has grown over the years to include major golf champions or or winners of the Players Championship on the men’s and women’s side with any family member.
Stricker has won seven PGA Tour Champions major victories since turning 50.
PNC Championship where to watch: TV channel, schedule
The tournament airs live on the Golf Channel to begin each day before switching exclusively to Peacock, NBC’s streaming service. NBC will show the final round on Sunday on tape delay.
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Saturday: 10 a.m.-11:30 a.m. CT (Golf Channel) 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m. CT (Peacock)
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Sunday: 10:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m. CT (Golf Channel), 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. CT (Peacock), 12:30-3:30 p.m. CT (NBC)
Where is the PNC Championship being played?
The PNC Championship is being played at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club in Orlando. Hall of Fame golfer Greg Norman designed the 18 hole, 72-par course.
The course measures 7,106 yards.
PNC Championship leaderboard 2024
A field of 20 two-person teams are competing for a $1 million purse. The winners getting $200,000.
Here’s the leaderboard.
Tiger Woods, Charlie Woods, John Daly, son John Daly II among 20 teams at PNC Championship
In addition to Tiger Woods and his son, Charlie, the Strickers, Annika Sörenstam and her son, Will McGee, the field includes the likes of John Daly and his son, John Daly II, Vijay Singh and his son, Qass, Nelly Korda and her dad, Petr Korda, and the reigning-champion father-son duo of Bernhard Langer and Jason Langer.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Tiger Woods catches up with Steve Stricker, Izzi at PNC Championship
