FITCHBURG, Wis. — Former Hartford men's golf team member Jerry Kelly held on to defend his title at the American Family Insurance Championship at University Ridge Golf Course on Sunday.
Kelly, who entered Sunday's final round two shots off the lead for third place, solidified the title after sinking a putt for par on 18 in front of a hometown crowd. Finishing Sunday's round with a 66 (-6), he held off Fred Couples and Miguel Angel Jiménez, who tied for second, by one stroke with a 14-under 202 to become the first back-to-back champion of the American Family Insurance Championship.
Kelly previously earned medalist honors at the American Family Insurance Championship in 2019, which was the last running of the event. The victory is his first of the season and his eighth since he turned 50 to become eligible for the PGA Tour Champions in 2017.
Last August, Kelly claimed a two-shot victory at the Bridgestone SENIOR PLAYERS Championship, held at Firestone in Akron, Ohio.
Compiling a career stroke average of 75.9 during his collegiate career, including a 74.7 average in 1987-88, Kelly paced the Hawks to four consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances during his career. Kelly tallied 27 top-10 finishes with the Hawks, including four first-place, seven second-place, six third-place and one fifth-place performances.
Inducted into Hartford's Athletics Hall of Fame in 2002, Kelly was a four-year member of the Hawks men's golf team from 1986-89. During his time at Hartford, he was a four-time All-New England performer, earning First Team All-New England honors in 1985-85 and again in 1988-89. In addition, Kelly received NCAA All-Region distinction in 1986-87.
A native of Madison, Wis., Kelly turned professional after graduating. His best career year came in 2002, when he finished fourth on the PGA Tour money list and won the PGA Tour's Sony Open and Advil Western Open.
Kelly graduated from Hartford's Barney School of Business with a degree in business. He Received an Honorary Doctorate of Humanities from the University of Hartford in June 2009.
