Minnesota Scene: Steve Stricker commits to play in his first 3M Championship

Steve Stricker, Wisconsin's most popular golfer, on Friday committed to the 3M Championship, the PGA Tour Champions' annual stop at TPC Twin Cities, a tournament official confirmed.

The 12-time PGA Tour winner from the Madison, Wis., area will be a gallery favorite when the 3M is played Aug. 4-6.

Stricker, who turned 50 in February, had played a limited schedule the past few years. He finished Round 2 at the British Open 2 over par, the 25th straight major he has made the cut.

Stricker began hosting the Champions Tour's American Family Insurance Championship last season in Madison. He tied for third in his debut performance last month.

Brian Stensaas

Two days before players start arriving in Mankato for their 52nd and final training camp there, the Vikings announced Friday that they have signed rookie defensive tackle Chunky Clements.

The 6-2, 295-pound Clements played at Illinois. In 46 games, he had 99 tackles, 25.5 of them for a loss, with six sacks.

Matt Vensel

The Spring Creek Motocross Nationals will be held Saturday in Millville, Minn. The first motos in the 250 Class and 450 Class will start at 1 p.m., the second at 3 p.m.

Two of the competitors will be brothers Jeremy and Alex Martin, whose parents own the track. Jeremy has placed first twice in the 250 Class on his home course in the past three years.

• Former Gopher Alicia Hicken-Franklin, an assistant at Denver the past 16 years, was named the associate men's and women's swimming and diving coach at Minnesota. She was a six-time Big Ten champion.

• Jenny Fuller was named Northern State's softball coach.