Like every other stop on the PGA Tour Champions, Steve Stricker won the 2022 Ally Challenge at Warwick Hills Golf Club. Stricker posted a winning score of 15-under par to best Brett Quigley by a single stroke last year. This will be the sixth time the tournament has been played in Gran Blanc with past winners, Paul Broadhurst, Jerry Kelley, Jim Furyk and Joe Durant hoisting the trophy.
Already committed for this year’s event the field will include Bernhard Langer, Jim Furyk, defending champion Steve Stricker, Jerry Kelley, David Toms and Justin Leornard.
As always it will be a close contest with familiar names on the leaderboard.
The tournament week begins Monday, August 21, with the second annual McLaren Adaptive Golf Clinic.
Together with McLaren Health Care and the McLaren Flint Foundation, the tournament has once again teamed up with the National Amputee Golf Association (NAGA) and the U.S. Adaptive Golf Alliance (USAGA) to put on a clinic featuring trained adaptive golf coaches providing instruction to a group of more than 20 adaptive golfers using a wide array of adaptive golf equipment. Attendees will experience an atmosphere of camaraderie and include McLaren Health Care physical therapy patients and participants identified by NAGA, USAGA, and The Disability Network.
Adaptive golf is a rising movement in golf to continue to grow the game and provide people with physical disabilities the tools and training to enjoy the game.
“The McLaren Adaptive Golf Clinic clearly underscores the power of golf to bring people of diverse abilities, motivation, ages and backgrounds together for a common purpose,” said Laurie Prochazka, vice president of marketing at McLaren Health Care. “It is so inspiring to watch these coaches interact with adaptive golfers to teach techniques and skills that enable them to continue to enjoy the game they love. Words cannot describe the joy on the faces of participants as they hit their shots on the range and realize they can still play golf, regardless of their physical limitations. With our partners, McLaren is very proud to have taken a leading role in building awareness of adaptive golf as a growing movement in the sport.”
There is still space for additional participants in the McLaren Adaptive Golf Clinic. For more information about the Clinic, including how to participate, please contact Tracy Ramin at tracyramin@yahoo.com or Laurie Prochazka at laurie.prochazka@mclaren.org.
New this year on Monday at Warwick Hills, the tournament will welcome the PGA JR. League Championship to The Ally Challenge presented by McLaren. This group of youth players form five teams across the Genesee County region and have played competitively all summer. The event will serve as the league’s season-ending Championship round, offering a very special opportunity to play a tournament-ready PGA TOUR Champions course. The PGA JR. League Championship is sponsored by Security Credit Union.
The Women of Influence Luncheon presented by Dream Title & The Brokerage Real Estate Enthusiasts returns to tournament week this year and will once again celebrate the power and accomplishments of women on Thursday, August 24 at 12 p.m. in the Beer Garden on Hole No. 17 at Warwick Hills. For more information, including how to purchase tickets to the Luncheon, the public can contact the tournament sales office at rpabreza@theallychallenge.com.
The Ally Challenge will hold two concerts with big name entertainers. Hall of Fame member and former Eagles lead guitarist, Don Felder will entertain at the Concert @17 on Friday after the first round of play is completed.
On Saturday country music star and 2022 CMA Entertainer of the year, Miranda Lambert will headline the sixth annual Ally Community Concert. The concert will take place on the driving range at Warwick Hills Golf & Country Club with the gates scheduled to open at 5:30 P.M.
Access to both concerts simply requires a valid tournament ticket for the day of the concert.
Something new for 2023. The Ally Challenge has teamed up with Zehnder’s of Frankenmuth to enhance the complimentary Sunday breakfast for all fans onsite from 8:30 – 11 A.M. Everyone can enjoy Zehnder’s Chicken & Waffles, between the 9th and 18th greens.
There’s something for everyone at The Ally Challenge presented by McLaren thanks to the tournament’s many fan destinations, all open to the public, ranging from live music¾to enjoyable ways to view the competition¾to fun for the kids¾to Birdie Time is Miller Time. See below for the full list.
Tickets for the Ally Challenge presented by McLaren are on sale now. The tournament is open to spectators from Thursday (August 24) to Sunday (August 27) and ticket prices start at $10. Upgraded ticket experiences include access to The Porch @ 9 & 18 and Front of Stage tickets for the Ally Community Concert. For a complete listing of ticket options please visit the tournament website at theallychallenge.com.
