European golf legends Darren Clarke and Thomas Bjørn captured the inaugural team-format title at the 2025 American Family Insurance Championship in Madison, Wisconsin, finishing four strokes clear of the field at 32-under-par.
The pair closed out the 54-hole event at TPC Wisconsin with a 7-under 64 in Sunday’s better-ball round, holding off four teams tied for second. Clarke and Bjørn opened the tournament with a 59 in better-ball play on Friday, followed by a 58 in Saturday’s scramble format.
“We just were focused on not doing anything stupid,” Clarke said in a PGA interview. “Like we did all we can try and give ourselves two putts, two opportunities, both hit in the fairway and we did that.”
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This marks the fifth PGA TOUR Champions win for the 56-year-old Clarke and the first for the 54-year-old Bjørn.
“We both are hard workers, always have been,” Bjørn said in a PGA interview. “And obviously Darren and I, we’ve known each other for 30-plus years… To do this together is pretty special.”
Tournament host and Wisconsin native Steve Stricker teamed with brother-in-law Mario Tiziani to tie for second at 28-under, alongside Alex Cejka-Søren Kjeldsen, Doug Barron-Dicky Pride, and Steve Flesch-Paul Goydos.
Stricker, who played through physical discomfort, noted, “My body just isn’t feeling that well. Got some things to deal with… I still enjoy playing but I don’t enjoy playing the way I feel today.”
Cejka and Kjeldsen posted the round of the day with a 12-under 59. Barron and Pride followed closely with an 11-under 60, while Flesch and Goydos recorded a 7-under 64, according to the official results.
Former champions Ernie Els and Tim Herron finished 26-under after a final-round 66. Bernhard Langer and Steven Alker shot 63 to finish one stroke behind the second-place tie.
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This year marked a major change for the tournament, which shifted to the PGA TOUR Champions’ only team event format. Players competed in better-ball rounds on Friday and Sunday, with Saturday’s round contested in a scramble format.
“I think the format is great,” said Bjørn. “It’s great to do something different for once… I think that everybody has enjoyed themselves.”
The American Family Insurance Championship has raised nearly $20 million for charity since its inception in 2016.
