Suffice it to say, this has been a pretty good week in the Stricker household.
On Sunday, by attacking the par 5s and making only one bad swing on the final hole when it didn’t matter, Steve Stricker broke a five-way tie for the most victories on the Champions Tour by winning his fourth title this season, the Constellation Furyk & Friends. The 2021 Ryder Cup U.S. captain won by two shots over Harrison Frazar and three over tournament host Jim Furyk at the Timuquana Country Club near Jacksonville.
But not to be outdone, his daughter Izzy — a junior at Waunakee High School near Madison, Wisconsin — captured a title as well, one she’d been plotting out for a full year.
The younger of Steve Stricker’s two children, Izzi headed into the second day of the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association Division 1 girls golf championship four strokes off the lead. During the second and final round, however, she fired a 2-under 70 at University Ridge Golf Course in Madison, to catapult her way to victory — one that she’d been thinking about since failing to win the title in 2021.
“This was my goal since last state tournament,” Stricker told Wisconsin.golf. “I practice all the time with my family and just having a good attitude in the practice — there’s highs and lows of the season and just knowing that anything can happen. I put my head down all season.”
70 today in tough conditions showed us all how to gut it out and how tough you are! We’re so proud of you! @wiaawistate What do you want on your pizza
pic.twitter.com/KxXoDFDKIi
— Steve Stricker (@stevestricker) October 11, 2022
Izzi used a career-best four straight birdies on holes 8 through 11 to get ahead of Westosha Central’s Kylie Walker, who led after the opening round of play.
Using a steady diet of two-putts on the way in, Izzi made par on each of the final four holes and waited for Walker to finish up. Things got interesting as Walker birdied both 15 and 16 and barely missed an approach on the final hole that would have evened things up.
“I really didn’t know what to expect coming in. I didn’t know it was going to rain so that was a battle. But I knew I had to shoot under par. I knew that’s what was going to do it. So I just kept my head down and tried to make as many birdies as I could,” Stricker told Wisconsin.golf. “I had 68 in mind, which it didn’t need to be. I don’t like playing for a number, though. I just know if I give it my best, it’ll be good enough.”
This marked yet another impressive accomplishment for the Wisconsin-based family. Steve Stricker won the 1984 state boys golf championship at SentryWorld Golf Course in Stevens Point and went on to win a dozen times on the PGA Tour. He has since added 11 more victories on the PGA Tour Champions, including the win at Furyk & Friends.
Steve Stricker’s wife, Nicki, was a four-year letter-winner on the University of Wisconsin women’s golf team where grandfather Dennis Tiziani was head coach from 1989-2003. Tiziani also coached the Wisconsin men’s team from 1977-2003.
And Izzi’s older sister Bobbi played tennis in high school, but then walked onto the Badgers golf team and watched her scoring average drop from 79 to 74.6 by her senior year. After graduating from Wisconsin, she won the Wisconsin Women’s Amateur Championship with her mom on the bag.
Bobbi was just one of the many who showered Izzi with adoration after the victory, using Twitter to say, “My last shoutout to my baby sister. You are a star. I’m so happy for you @IzziStricker. ADD STATE CHAMP TO HER NAME.”
My last shoutout to my baby sister. You are a star. I’m so happy for you @IzziStricker. ADD STATE CHAMP TO HER NAME. pic.twitter.com/nXTlqvaMjd
— Bobbi Stricker (@bobbistrick) October 13, 2022