To think where he was health-wise just six months ago, Steve Stricker has done anything but ease back into things.
Playing in his third event in three weeks, Steve Stricker is contending at the first PGA Tour Champions major of 2022.
Stricker made a birdie on all five of the par-5s at Greystone Golf & Country Club in Birmingham, Alabama. He had seven birdies in all and kept his card clean and walked off the course to sign for a 65. He leads by two over Miguel Angel Jimenez and Wes Short, Jr., after 18 holes.
It was a few weeks after leading the U.S. to a resounding win in the 43rd Ryder Cup in September that he was struck with an illness that remains a mystery. Stricker, 55, said he lost considerable weight while suffering from a condition that caused inflammation around his heart. He spent 11 days at the University of Wisconsin Hospital with an ailment that simply started as a cough.
In his first round back 13 days ago, he fired a 67 at the Insperity Invitational outside Houston. He followed that up with scores of 65 and 70 and finished tied for second.
Last week, he shot 68-73-70 at the Mitsubishi Electric Classic in Atlanta en route to a T-10 finish.
Since his return, in seven rounds of competition consisting of 126 holes, Stricker has 36 birdies and just 10 bogeys.
Stricker won the Regions Tradition in 2019 and he has four majors on the senior circuit, seven Champions wins in all.
