News

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – PGA TOUR Champions golfers Steve Stricker, Fred Funk, Tom Byrum, and Jerry Smith have officially committed to playing in the inaugural Sanford International Presented by Cambria.

Stricker, resident of Madison, Wisconsin, has 12 career PGA TOUR victories. His wife, Nicki, who had been his caddie throughout his professional career, gave up the bag in 1998 to deliver their daughter Bobbi Maria and returned as caddie in 1999 at Milwaukee. Stricker is a 5-time President’s Cup member, 3-time Ryder Cup member and was inducted into the Wisconsin State Golf Association Hall of Fame in December 2007.

Funk has 8 career victories on the PGA TOUR, including the 2005 THE PLAYERS Championship. The Takoma Park, Maryland native is also a 9-time winner on the PGA TOUR Champions, including the 2009 US Senior Open Championship. Funk was the golf coach at University of Maryland from 1982 through 1988. He was inducted into the University of Maryland Athletic Hall of Fame in 2007 as well as the state of Maryland Athletic Hall of Fame.

Byrum, a native of Onida, South Dakota, was the winner of the 1989 Kemper Open. After graduating from high school in Onida, South Dakota, Byrum joined brother his brother in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where he worked at a country club and was a walk-on with the University of New Mexico golf team. After two years at University of New Mexico, Byrum transferred to New Mexico State in Las Cruces where one of his teammates was Bart Bryant.

Smith, Council Bluffs, Iowa native, has 7 top 25 finishes on the PGA TOUR Champions this year. He is the fourth generation in his family to be in the industry. Smith credits his father, a golf course superintendent for more than 35 years, for getting him involved in golf. Smith has worked as a club professional earlier in his career. He was the assistant professional at Edmundson GC in Iowa as well as Three Crowns GC in Wyoming.

KELOLAND Media Group is the Official TV Station Partner of the Sanford International. During tournament week watch KELOLAND TV for daily tournament forecast updates direct from the KELOLAND Live Doppler HD Storm Center. Get weather information anywhere, anytime with the KELOLAND Storm Tracker app. Courtesy of KELOLAND Media Group and Onsight 24/7 patrons may watch the Sanford International build LIVE 24/7 at www.keloland.com/sports/sanford-international.

Tickets to the inaugural Sanford International Presented by Cambria are now on sale. Patrons may purchase tickets at www.sanfordinternational.com or by phone at 877-748-3376. Tickets start at $10. The prices listed on the Sanford International website are what you pay during checkout because all facility and processing fees are included.

About the Sanford International
The Sanford International Presented by Cambria, the first ever PGA TOUR Champions event to be contested in South Dakota, will be played at Minnehaha Country Club the week of September 17-23, and will feature a $1.8 million purse. A five-year agreement is in place through 2022. In its inaugural year, the Sanford International will focus on charitable giving and making a lasting impact in Sioux Falls. For more information about the tournament, please visit www.sanfordinternational.com. You can also follow the tournament on social media via Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

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.