24th American Century Celebrity Golf Championship @ Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course July 19-21, 2013
By Sharon Gay
Twenty-eight year old Michael Fred Phelps II has retired from swimming and evidently taken up golf with a passion. Since the Olympic Champion retired from swimming he’s played in pro-ams at the ARIA Resort & Casino's 12th Annual Michael Jordan Celebrity Invitational, Ryder Cup, and Phoenix Open. He currently stars on Golf Channel’s “The Hank Haney Project,” getting lessons from Tiger Woods’ former instructor.
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The American swimmer is the most decorated Olympian of all time, with a total of 22 medals.
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Phelps is making his debut this summer at the 24th annual American Century Celebrity Golf Championship at Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course July 19-21, 2013.
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Other new golfers in the tournament this year include San Diego Charges tight end Antonia Gates, Denver Broncos coach John Fox, Golden State Warriors forward David Lee, NASCAR’s Michael Waltrip and Larry the Cable Guy.
Veteran golfers include Super Bowl veteran quarterback for the Green Bay Packers and the highest paid footballer in NFL history – Aaron Rodgers; Golden State Warriors superstar – Stephan Curry; Everybody Loves Ray Romano, America's favorite Celebrity Golfer – Sir Charles Barkley. John Elway, Olympic skier Bodie Miller will join other celebrities in the tournament hoping to win the beautiful Waterford crystal trophy.
Phelps recently played in ARIA Resort & Casino's 12th Annual Michael Jordan Celebrity Invitational at Shadow Creek In North Las Vegas in April. Michael Jordan declined the Lake Tahoe tournament this summer after being a fan favorite at many tournaments in the past.
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Sports and entertainment celebs are teeing it up from July 16-21 at the American Century Championship – one of the world’s premier celebrity golf tournaments now in its 24th year.
The event is owned by NBC Sports and sponsored by financial services company American
Century.
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Fans that turn out to watch the event are rewarded with a stunning Lake Tahoe front venue – Edgewood Country Club, great food and drinks at Edgewood's award-winning 19th hole restaurant, Brooks Bar & Grill, friendly autograph signing with some of the biggest names in sports and some noteworthy musicians from Rascal Flats, comedian Ray Romano, and other actors and TV personalities.
Total Purse – $600,000
First Prize – $125,000
Second Prize – $50,000
Third Prize – $35,000
Winners
Rhoden is an eight-time champion
Quinn is a four-time champion
Tolliver is a three-time champion
Wagner is a two-time champion
Chandler is a one-time champion
This tournament has a $600,000 purse and live weekend telecasts by NBC Sports. To date the American Century Championship at Lake Tahoe has raised over $3 million for local and national charities.
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NFL Hall of Fame QB John Elway won the first annual Korbel Hole-in-One Contest. and $5,000 was donated to Lake Tahoe Community College Foundation by Korbel.
Regular tournaments participants include Chris Chandler, Jack Wagner, John Elway, Charles Barkley, Jerry Rice and over 80 other sports and entertainment luminaries.
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Last summer's tournament winner Dan Quinn, Ernie Els’ part-time caddie and five-time total winner of the American Century Championship, is the top choice of Harrah’s & Harveys Lake Tahoe Race & Sportsbook to win the celebrity golf tournament at Edgewood.
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Among the other big-name players available for public wagering at Harrah’s & Harveys Lake Tahoe: John Smoltz (5-1), John Elway (10-1), Jerry Rice (30-1), Ray Allen (40-1), Steph Curry, Chipper Jones and Aaron Rodgers (50-1), Alex Smith, Dan Quail and Michael Phelps (100-1), Steve Spurrier (200-1), and Shane Battier, Ray Romano and Urban Meyer (300-1). Charles Barkley is listed at 500-1.
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Advance tickets are available online and daily during the tournament at the gate. Tickets are also available for sale at 127 Raley's, Nob Hill and BelAir locations throughout Northern California and Nevada.
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NBC Sports and NBC Sports Network will televise the tournament live as follows:
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Friday, July 19: 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. ET; 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. PT (live) on NBC Sports Network
Saturday, July 20: 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. ET; 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. PT (live) on NBC
Sunday, July 21: 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. ET; 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. PT (live) on NBC
Future Tournament Dates
- 2013: July 16-21
- 2014: July 15-20
- 2015: July 14-19
- 2016: July 12-17 (tentative)
Celebrity Golf 2013 List of Celebrity Players
Marcus Allen NFL Hall of Fame RB
Ray Allen NBA Guard: Miami Heat
Charles Barkley NBA Hall of Fame
Shane Battier NBA Forward: Miami Heat
Brian Baumgartner Actor: The Office
Jerome Bettis Former NFL All-Pro RB: Pittsburgh Steelers
Lucas Black Actor: Fast and the Furious
Martin Brodeur NHL All-Star Goalie, New Jersey Devils
Tim Brown Former All-Pro Wide Receiver
Joe BuckSports Anchor
Joe Carter Former MLB All-Star OF
Chris Chandler Former All-Pro NFL Quarterback
Vince Coleman Former MLB All-Star OF
Stephen Curry NBA PG: Golden State
Vinny Del Negro Former NBA Head Coach
Jay Demarcus Rascal Flatts: Bass
Trent Dilfer Super Bowl Winning QB
Jermaine Dye Former MLB All-Star OF
Herm Edwards Former NFL Head Coach
Bill Engvall Comedian: Blue Collar Comedy Tour
John Elway NFL Hall of Fame QB
Mike Eruzione Captain, 1980 US Hockey Captain
Marshall Faulk NFL Hall of Fame RB: Class of 2011
Grant Fuhr NHL Hall of Fame Goalie
John Fox NFL Head Coach: Denver Broncos
Éric Gagné Former MLB All-Star & Cy Young Winner
Troy Glaus Former MLB All-Star 3B
Goose Gossage Baseball Hall of Famer
Robbie Gould NFL All-Pro K: Chicago Bears
Trent Green Former NFL QB
Denny Hamlin NASCAR Driver
Penny Hardaway NBA All-Star G: Phoenix Suns
Rodney Harrison Former NFL All-Pro Safety
AJ Hawk NFL LB: Green Bay Packers
Trevor Hoffman Former MLB All-Star P
Sebastian Janikowski NFL Pro Bowl K: Oakland Raiders
Dan Jansen Olympic Gold Medal Speed Skater
Chipper Jones Former MLB All-Star 3B
David Justice Former MLB All-Star
Steve Kerr Former NBA G & NBA Broadcast Analyst
Larry the Cable Guy Comedian: Blue Collar Comedy Tour
Kenny Lofton Former MLB All-Star OF
Derek Lowe Former MLB All-Star PJohn Lynch Former NFL Pro-Bowl S
Greg Maddux Former MLB All-Star Pitcher
Fred McGriff Former MLB All-Star
Jim McMahon Former NFL All-Pro QB
Kevin MillarFormer MLB 1B and OF
Bode Miller Olympic Gold Medalist: Vancouver Super Combined
Mike Modano NHL All-Star Forward: Dallas Stars
Jamie Moyer MLB All-Star P
Mark Mulder Former MLB All-Star P
Kevin Nealon Actor/Comedian: Weeds, SNL
John O'Hurley Actor
Carson Palmer NFL All-Pro QB: Oakland Raiders
Michael Phelps 18 time Olympic Gold Medalist
Dan Quinn Former NHL Center
Ahmad Rashad NFL Pro-Bowl WR: Minnesota Vikings
Rick Rhoden Professional Golfer, Former MLB All-Star Pitcher
Alfonso Ribeiro Actor: Fresh Prince of Bel Air
Jerry Rice Former NFL All-Pro WR
Aaron Rodgers Superbowl MVP, NFL QB: Green Bay Packers
Jeremy Roenick Former NHL All-Star
Ray Romano Comedian/Actor: Everybody Loves Raymond
Joe Don Rooney Rascal Flatts: Lead Guitarist
Mark Rypien Former All-Pro NFL QB
Bret Saberhagen Former MLB Pitcher/World Series MVP
Joe Sakic Former NHL All-Star Center, Colorado Avalanche
Detlef Schrempf Former NBA All-Star Sterling Sharpe
Former NFL All-Pro WR
Kelly Slater Former NFL All-Pro Surfer
Alex Smith NFL QB: San Francisco 49ers
Emmit Smith NFL Hall of Fame RB
Mike Smith NFL Head Coach: Atlanta Falcons
Ozzie Smith Former MLB All-Star SS
John Smoltz Former MLB All-Star Pitcher
Steve Spurrier Univ. of South Carolina Football Coach
Ryan Succop NFL K: Kansas City Chiefs
Joe Theismann Former NFL All-Pro QB
Billy Joe Tolliver Former NFL QB
Brian Urlacher Former NFL All-Pro LB
Jack Wagner Actor: Melrose Place
Tim Wakefield Former MLB All-Star P
Michael Waltrip NASCAR Driver
David Wells Former All-Star Pitcher
Gary Williams Host: Morning Drive
