The American Century Championship By The Numbers – Including the 90 Celebrities Teeing Off in Tahoe This Week
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Prominent, popular women and sports newcomers set to tee off at 2025 American Century Championship
The American Century Championship will take place July 9-13 at Lake Tahoe. Annika Sorenstam, WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert, and Today show host Dylan Dreyer are among the stars competing. The tournament has raised more than $8 million for local and national charities. More than 70,000 fans are expected to attend the tournament, which will be broadcast on NBC, GOLF Channel, and Peacock TV. The winner of the tournament will take home a $150,000 prize fund, with the top prize going to the winner of last year’s tournament. The event will be held at the Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course.
Among the lineup of women, Annika Sorenstam — an 11-time major champion and one of the most accomplished golfers in history — returns to the field after a third-place overall finish in last year’s tournament. With 72 LPGA titles and 90 international wins to her name, Sorenstam remains a perennial favorite and a serious contender atop the leaderboard.
Joining her is tournament newcomer Cathy Engelbert, the Commissioner of the WNBA and the first woman to serve as CEO of a Big Four professional services firm, Deloitte. Engelbert brings not only executive leadership to the event, but also a strong competitive spirit, having played both Division 1 basketball and lacrosse at Lehigh University. Since taking the reins of the WNBA in 2019, Engelbert has overseen an era of unprecedented growth, including record-setting revenue, attendance, and television viewership.
George Kittle, the charismatic and dominant tight end for the San Francisco 49ers, enters the championship for the first time. A six-time Pro Bowler known for his energy, toughness, and leadership, Kittle joins a stacked field of more than 80 sports and entertainment stars — ranging from current NFL athletes to Hall of Famers — all competing for $750,000 in prize money and raising funds for local and national charities.
Joining Sorenstam and Engelbert among the women are Dylan Dreyer, a fan-favorite broadcaster and meteorologist from NBC’s Today show, and Kathryn Tappen, a seasoned and respected voice in sports media, currently featured on NBC Sports and the NHL Network. Both women bring poise, passion, and growing reputations on the course to this year’s tournament.
Set for telecast on NBC, GOLF Channel, and Peacock, the 54-hole competition takes place Friday-Sunday, July 11-13, with the week’s activities kicking off on Wednesday, July 10, with celebrity-amateur activities. Among the biggest names returning for 2025 are Charles Barkley, Aaron Rodgers, John Smoltz, Nate Bargatze, both Travis and Jason Kelce, plus defending champion Mardy Fish.
The tournament has raised more than $8 million for regional and national charities, with this year’s champion set to take home a $150,000 first-place prize. More than 70,000 fans are expected to gather along the picturesque shores of Lake Tahoe, creating an electric atmosphere at one of the most scenic stops in all of golf.
Celebrity golf sights and sounds of morning practice round
The 36th American Century Championship tournament doesn’t start until Friday. Celebrities have already taken to the green for practice rounds on Wednesday, July 9. The Office actor, Brian Baumgartner, was the first to tee off at Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course. NFL Hall of Famer Jerome Bettis wasted no time after sinking his ball in hole No. 8. Former MLB all-star pitcher, David Wells, was refueling with both a drink and snack in hand before his drive athole No. 4. New Orleans Saints safety, Justin Reid, greeted the crowd with smiles following his tee off hole No., 5 and took selfies before he carted off to the fairway.
Here are some sights and sounds of the celebrities who arrived at Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course early for a morning round.
Brian Baumgartner
It was still early, just after the morning round had started when The Office actor, Brian Baumgartner, known for playing Kevin Malone, rolled onto hole No. 9 and waved at the camera. Baumgartner and his crew settled onto the tee box, practicing swings.
The actor spoke to his fellow players, discussing how to offer golf advice throughout the day. After the warm up was complete, Baumgartner was the first to tee off, outfitted in black, save his white shoes and gold sunglasses. After the crack of the club meeting the ball, he walked away and said, “Do as I say, not as I do.”
Jerome Bettis
NFL Hall of Famer Jerome Bettis wasted no time after sinking his ball in hole No. 8, and went right to practicing putting while he waited for the rest of his group to complete the hole.
At hole 14, he said his game today has been okay, but has been better at times. His goal is to stay within himself and neutral.
After each hole, the former Pittsburgh Steeler willingly provided autographs, but said his one rule is one autograph per person. He signed flags, notepads and even a shirt while the fan wore it.
Andrew Whitworth
Super Bowl champion and former NFL Pro Bowler, Andrew Whitworth, eyed down hole No. 6. Before teeing off the downhill hole, he conferred with other players, pointing out towards the green with his club, his 6′ 7″ stature dwarfing the club.
Justin Reid
New Orleans Saints safety, Justin Reid, greeted the crowd with smiles following his tee off hole No. 5. He didn’t hesitate to sign kids hats, and take selfies before he carted off to the fairway.
Reid is a first-timer at the tournament.
David Wells
Former MLB all-star pitcher, David Wells, was refueling with both a drink and snack in hand before his drive at hole No. 4. After his swing, he stopped for autographs, where he grooved to James Brown’s, I Got You and asked the kids (under 10) whose notebook he was signing, “Do you remember this song?”
Tim Simons
Actor and comedian, Tim Simons, known for Veep and most recently Netflix’s Nobody Wants This, teed off hole No. 17. Of all the holes on the course, this beachside hole was particularly windy. Simons and the crowd anxiously watched where the ball would land. Despite the tricky conditions, the ball made a relatively safe landing, to which the crowd applauded.
The tune changed on the green, where he bent over in disappointment. He rallied a smile for the crowd, which he later signed items for, stopping to remark and laugh at signing one crowd member’s dish towel.
Stephen Curry returns to American Century Championship to reclaim title
Stephen Curry will defend his title of two years ago in the 36th annual tournament, July 9-13, at Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course. Curry’s wire-to-wire victory included four eagles highlighted by a second-round hole-in-one on the 152-yard 7th hole followed by a celebratory sprint from tee to green. The tournament will feature Hall of Famers from the NFL, NBA and MLB, active and retired players, and Hollywood actors, comedians and entertainers. The three-day, 54-hole event includes a $750,000 purse, with $150,000 going to the winner, plus a charity component for local and national non-profits. The event will be televised by NBC Sports, GOLF Channel and Peacock over the course of the three days in South Lake Tahoe on July 9, 13, and 18.
The last memory the Golden State Warriors superstar has from Lake Tahoe was walking off the 18th green clutching the winner’s trophy amid pandemonium after dropping a dramatic 18-foot eagle putt for victory. He’ll join 2024 winner Mardy Fish, the former tennis star, sharing the informal moniker of “co-champions.” Curry’s winning putt dropped Fish into the runner-up spot.
Stephen Curry raised the winner’s trophy in 2023. Provided / American Century Championship
Curry’s wire-to-wire victory included four eagles highlighted by a second-round hole-in-one on the 152-yard 7th hole followed by a celebratory sprint from tee to green, the most prominent viral sports video highlight of 2023. https://www.nbcsports.com/watch/golf/curry-goes-wild-after-ace-at-lake-tahoe
It will once again be a Curry family affair with Dell and Seth Curry also joining the celebrity field of 90 sports and entertainment stars. The tournament will feature Hall of Famers from the NFL, NBA and MLB, active and retired players, and Hollywood actors, comedians and entertainers. The three-day, 54-hole event includes a $750,000 purse, with $150,000 going to the winner, plus a charity component for local and national non-profits.
South Shore’s most popular special event includes fan favorites Charles Barkley, Tony Romo, Travis and Jason Kelce, Colin Jost, Miles Teller, Ray Romano, Nate Bargatze, Larry the Cable Guy, Brian Baumgartner and Jack Wagner, who along with Jim McMahon are the only two players who’ve competed in every tournament. Current NFL stars feature 2024 MVP Josh Allen, first timer George Kittle of the Forty Niners, Aaron Rodgers, Baker Mayfield, Davante Adams, Kyle Juszczyk, Adam Thielen, Trevor Lawrence, Matt Ryan and New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel.
NFL Hall of Famers feature Jerry Rice, Steve Young, John Elway, Emmitt Smith, Marcus Allen, Charles Woodson, Tim Brown, Brian Urlacher, DeMarcus Ware and Dwight Freeney. Retired MLB superstars include Alex Rodriguez, Albert Pujols, Hall of Famer Joe Maurer, Kevin Millar, Jimmy Rollins and Chase Utley.
In addition to the “co-champions,” top players feature Annika Sorenstam, Joe Pavelski, the former Dallas Stars and San Jose Sharks center, MLB Hall of Famer John Smoltz, former Red Sox pitcher Derek Lowe and NBA Hall of Famer Ray Allen.
The tournament’s format and setting perfectly complement the Tahoe vibe, with players and galleries enjoying beachfront and mountain views between the action during the day and the 24-hour lifestyle throughout the evenings.
The 2025 American Century Championship will utilize the Modified Stableford format whereby points are awarded by score per hole. Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course, a George Fazio design, has been rated by Golf Digest Magazine as one of “America’s Top 100 Golf Courses.”
The event will be televised by NBC Sports, GOLF Channel and Peacock over the course of the three days.
American Century Investments, the title sponsor of the championship since 1999, continues its role in partnership with NBC Sports, the Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority, Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course and the South Tahoe community.
Since its inception in 1990, the American Century Championship has donated more than $8 million to local and national non-profits including the Stowers Institute for Medical Research, a 500-person, nonprofit basic biomedical research organization.
Jimmy Fallon vs. DJ Khaled tee off for laughs to air Friday night on NBC
Late-night king Jimmy Fallon and music mogul DJ Khaled are set to face off in “The Cardigan Classic” The four-hole match was filmed on the shores of Lake Tahoe at the Edgewood Tahoe Resort in July. The Golf Channel will begin airing the special on Sept. 16. It was part of the 35th American Century Championship with 90+ sports and entertainment celebrities who competed for charity at EdgewOOD Tahoe resort from July 12 to 14. The special will be available Saturday on Peacock, NBC’s streaming service, and Sunday on NBC Sports.
Late-night king Jimmy Fallon and music mogul DJ Khaled are set to face off in “The Cardigan Classic” filmed on the shores of Lake Tahoe at the Edgewood Tahoe Resort during the American Century Championship in July.
This four-hole match brings the party to the putting green when Fallon trades his desk for a driver. On the other side of the tee is DJ Khaled, the Grammy-winning producer known for dropping beats and catchphrases, and now dropping golf balls.
It’s a match-up with these two larger-than-life personalities bringing their A-game and humor to the course.
The stakes are high, a bespoke red cardigan and bragging rights.
“It’s called The Cardigan Classic,” Fallon proudly explained. “The winner gets a red cardigan. There are other prizes out there in the golf world, which is a green blazer. This is a red cardigan.”
Showman Khaled promised that “history will be made” and advised Fallon to bring “a golf bag and a big brown paper bag.”
Khaled quickly clarified that the brown bag could be for “crispy hundreds” or charitable donations, dubbing it the “give-back bag.”
The match happened on two of Edgewood Tahoe Resort’s most iconic holes, the par-3 17th and the par-5 18th. They play each hole twice.
“The Cardigan Classic” is a fast-paced, four-hole sprint. It is golf distilled to its most exciting elements. It was part of the 35th American Century Championship with 90+ sports and entertainment celebrities who competed for charity at Edgewood Tahoe Resort from July 12 to 14.
American Century Investments is the title sponsor of the American Century Championship. Behind the scenes, NBC Sports, Words & Music Productions, and Electric Hotdog are bringing this spectacle to life.
Steve Sands, Peter Jacobsen, Roger Maltbie, and Kira K. Dixon are the dream team of golf commentators hosting the event
If you can’t catch “The Cardigan Classic” live on NBC, the special will be available Saturday on Peacock, NBC’s streaming service. The Golf Channel will begin airing it on Sept. 16.
Late-night king Jimmy Fallon faces off with music mogul DJ Khaled in “The Cardigan Classic” at Edgewood Tahoe Resort. Brenna O’Boyle / Tahoe Daily Tribune
Tahoe celebrity golf fan guide: What to know as ACC tees off at Edgewood Tahoe
The celebrity golf tournament started as a way for NBC to fill time during the baseball players strike in 1990. Tickets are available online at americancenturychampionship.com. The first groups tee off at 7:45 a.m. Friday through Sunday. Former tennis player Mardy Fish is the defending champion of the American Century Championship at Edgewood Tahoe. The three-day tournament runs from Friday to Sunday at the Tahoe golf course in South Lake Tahoe, Nevada. The tournament is one of the hottest tickets around Northern Nevada. It’s too late to buy tickets for Friday and Saturday, but tickets for weeklong passes are still available for $162.02. The winner of the tournament will receive $8 million plus $150,000 in donations through the Charitable Charitable Foundation through the years to local nonprofits and national and national charities. The event is free to attend. It is open to the general public, but there is a $5 entry fee for golfers with a valid ID.
This year’s American Century Championship celebrity golf tournament will start with practice rounds on Wednesday and Thursday at Edgewood Tahoe, with the three-day tournament on Friday-Sunday.
The ACC drew a record crowd of 77,049 fans in 2024.
Here’s a quick primer for first-timers or veterans heading to the lake for the ACC celebrity golf tournament.
Tahoe celebrity golf tickets
If you don’t have tickets already, it’s too late for Friday and Saturday. Officials say they are sold out for daily passes for those two days.
A tournament spokesman told the RGJ tickets are limited to help enhance fan comfort, experience and safety, especially along the lake holes.
Weeklong passes are still available for $162.02. Tickets are available online at americancenturychampionship.com.
Single-day tickets are $44.30 for Wednesday and Thursday, and $56.62 for Sunday.
There are no ticket sales at the gate.
The buzz
The crowd gathers along both sides of hole No. 17, the boaters on the beach side and the gallery on the course side. The usual golf decorum is absent here; music blasts from speakers on the boats and fans sing and scream and clamor for autographs.
There are hundreds of boats in the water and thousands of spectators on the sand.
Fans like to throw footballs and basketballs to the golfers, usually with pens taped to them so they can sign and throw them back.
Tips for attending the Tahoe celebrity golf tournament
To follow your favorite celebrities, there are tee time sheets available each day around the entrance gate and near the first and 10th holes, as well outside the clubhouse at Edgewood.
The sheets include the groupings, which tees they are starting on and at what time they tee off. There are also volunteers all around the course who can guide you to where you want to go.
Other things to know
Only clear bags are allowed on the grounds.
Some celebrities are happy to sign autographs while some are reluctant. Bring a Sharpie to help your chances.
The best areas to get their attention are near the practice putting green and by the driving range, both of which are short walks from the clubhouse.
Play tends to be backed up on No. 17, so golfers usually have a few minutes the area near the tee box to chat and sign autographs.
Parking limited, card-only payments at Edgewood
Unless you get there before sunrise, you probably won’t be able to park on the street outside Edgewood. Parking on the road directly outside Edgewood fills up very early each morning.
Parking is best in one of the nearby hotel garages in South Lake Tahoe. Shuttle buses frequently run down to the entrance and inside the gates.
Concession stands payments will be credit or debit card payment only; no cash will be accepted. The use of “grab ‘n go” serving will be utilized where possible.
The celebrities
Most of the celebrities are friendly and are there to enjoy themselves. Only about 10-15 golfers in the 90-player field have a real chance to win, and they might be a little more focused on their game.
The first groups tee off at 7:45 a.m. Friday through Sunday. The winner is usually finishing around 3 p.m. Sunday.
Former tennis player Mardy Fish is the defending champion.
Boat access to Edgewood Tahoe
Boats congregate along the shore at holes No. 17 and No. 18. Passengers can get on the beach at both; No. 17 in particular is known for its raucous atmosphere.
But you can’t get onto the rest of the golf course from the shore unless you have a ticket. The earlier you get there, the closer to shore you can get. The area fills up with hundreds of boats by late morning, especially on Friday and Saturday.
Weather forecast
Temperatures are forecast to be in the low to mid 80s Wednesday-Sunday, but the sun is intense due to Tahoe’s high elevation (6,225 feet above sea level). Wear sunscreen.
More numbers
$150,000 – First-place prize
– First-place prize $8 million plus – Charitable donations through the years to national and local nonprofits
Charitable donations through the years to national and local nonprofits 83 – Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course ranking in Golf Digest’s Top 100
– Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course ranking in Golf Digest’s Top 100 77,049 – attendance at 2024 American Century Championship
– attendance at 2024 American Century Championship 12% – Increase in ticket sales as of July 1, 2025, compared with that date last year
– Increase in ticket sales as of July 1, 2025, compared with that date last year 400-plus – Volunteers who make the tournament possible
On TV
American Century Championship Tournament Airtimes
Friday, July 11: Peacock, 1-3 p.m. (Live)
Peacock, 1-3 p.m. (Live) Friday, July 11: GOLF Channel 5-7 p.m. (tape delay)
GOLF Channel 5-7 p.m. (tape delay) Saturday, July 12: NBC, Peacock 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m. (Live)
NBC, Peacock 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m. (Live) Sunday, July 13: NBC, Peacock 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m. (Live)
Scoring
The tournament will be scored using a modified Stableford format, which encourages more aggressive play. The format awards points per hole as follows: double-eagle: 10, hole-in-one: 8, eagle: 6, birdie: 3, par: 1, bogey: 0, double bogey: minus 2.
Elite duo
Jim McMahon and Jack Wagner have played in all 35 previous events and will be back for the 36th.
Prize money
The total purse is $750,000 with the winner taking home $150,000. Second place picks up $70,000 and third place earns $40,000.