LAKE TAHOE — The American Century Championship, the celebrity golf tournament at Lake Tahoe celebrates its 21 birthday, July 13-18. Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley, Tony Romo, Bode Miller, Troy Aikman, Jerry Rice, Don Cheadle, Mario Lemieux, Taylor Hicks are among the 80 sports and entertainment stars and Hall of Famers competing in the 54-hole, $600,000 tournament on NBC Sports.
 
South Shore Lake Tahoe is the place to be for celebrity sightings, parties and superstar entertainment throughout the week. The increased participation of entertainment luminaries and hot, new personalities and athletes has tournament buzz starting early. The event has evolved into a local and national institution, attracting record galleries and attention. 
 
For the fifth consecutive year, the official tournament charity is LIVESTRONG — the organization founded by cancer survivor and champion cyclist Lance Armstrong to inspire and empower people affected by cancer. Since the tournament’s inception in 1990, more than $3 million has been raised for a variety of national and local charities. 
 
Newcomers this year include Jared Allen, the Minnesota Vikings’ All-Pro, 2010 Olympic US Hockey Team captain Jamie Langenbrunner, professional skateboarder Ryan Sheckler, former Major League Baseball All-Stars and teammates Greg Maddux and John Smoltz.
 
More than two decades of memories plus sports and entertainment superstars has made the American Century Championship network television’s longest running celebrity golf tournament. NBC Sports will televise the second and final rounds of the tournament live on Saturday, July 17 and Sunday, July 18 from noon-3 pm PT/ 3-6 pm ET both days, with Friday’s opening round on ESPN2, 4-6 pm PT/ 7-9 pm ET.
 
Tickets are available in advance and daily at the gate. Prices are $15 each day for the Lake Tahoe Celebrity-Amateur on Tuesday, July 13, the practice round on Wednesday, July 14, and for the American Century Celebrity-Am on Thursday, July 15; and $25 for each tournament round, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. A Season Pass for $60 provides admission for all six days of the event. Kids 10 and under are free with a paid adult. For tournament tickets, information and lodging packages, visit: www.TahoeSouth.com. Discounted tickets are on sale at participating Raley’s, Nob Hill and Bel Air Foods supermarkets: http://www.TahoeCelebrityGolf.com/tickets.html.
 
The American Century Championship will award $600,000 in prize money — with $125,000 to the winner. Scoring is based on a modified Stableford format with 10 points for a double eagle, 8 for a hole-in-one, 6 for eagle, 3 for birdie, 1 for par, 0 for bogey, and minus 2 for double-bogey or higher. The 54-hole tournament has been played at Edgewood Tahoe’s 6,707-yard lakeside course since its inception in 1990.
 
Defending champion and eight-time winner Rick Rhoden will likely see his stiffest competition from Dallas Cowboys QB Tony Romo, who finished second last year. Four-time winner Dan Quinn and past champions Chris Chandler, Jack Wagner, Billy Joe Tolliver, Mario Lemieux and Mark Rypien will also give Rhoden a run for his money.
 
The increased visibility of celebrities from the arts and entertainment fields includes actors Ray Romano, showcasing his newly acquired talents from the Golf Channel’s Haney Project: Ray Romano, Everybody Loves Raymond, and Men of a Certain Age; Don Cheadle of Crash, Hotel Rawanda and Oceans Eleven; Oliver Hudson of Terms of Engagement; Taylor Hicks of American Idol; Stone Phillips, former Dateline anchor; Brian Baumgartner of the hit television comedy, The Office; John O’Hurley of Seinfeld and Dancing With the Stars; Jack Wagner, prime time drama star and 2006 champion; and Bruce McGill, a leading character actor in numerous films, including Animal House, Cinderella Man, and W.
 
From the comedic ranks are Kevin Nealon of Showtime hit, Weeds, and iconic Saturday Night Live character; and Alfonso Ribeiro, Fresh Prince of Bel Air’s “Carlton” character.
 
The National Football League contributes its own group of big names with the aforementioned Romo, Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers and AJ Hawk, current and future Hall of Famers John Elway, Marcus Allen, Dan Marino, Jerry Rice, Marshall Faulk and Tim Brown. Carson Palmer of the Bengals, Matt Cassell of the Chiefs, 2007 champion Chris Chandler, Matt Schaub of the Texans, and Wes Welker of the Patriots. All-Pro DE Jared Allen and Former NFL Pro-Bowler Rodney Harrison will make their inaugural appearances in this year’s tournament.
 
Basketball will be represented by legends Jordan and Barkley as well as Ray Allen of the Boston Celtics, Jason Kidd of the Dallas Mavericks, Chris Paul of the New Orleans Hornets, Shane Battier of the Houston Rockets, Vinny Del Negro, and tournament newcomers Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors, and Deron Williams of the Utah Jazz.
 
Hockey checks in with Mario Lemieux, Brett Hull, Jeremy Roenick, Grant Fuhr, 1980 Olympic Gold Medal winner and team captain Mike Eruzione, and new to the tournament this year, Jamie Langenbrunner, captain of the 2010 US Hockey Team.
 
The NFL coaching ranks (current and former) include Mike Shanahan, Herm Edwards, Jack Del Rio, and Ken Whisenhunt. Kansas City Chiefs Head Coach Todd Haley and Notre Dame Head Coach Brian Kelly will play in the American Century Championship for the first time this year.
 
MLB All-Stars Greg Maddux and John Smoltz will make their first appearance at the celebrity golf tournament, along with baseball greats Kenny Lofton, Bret Saberhagen, Vince Coleman, Joe Carter, Ozzie Smith and of course tournament champ, Rick Rhoden.
 
Tournament title sponsor American Century Investments is a leading privately controlled investment management firm serving investment professionals, institutions, corporations and individual investors. Through its ownership structure, more than 40 percent of company profits support research to help find cures for genetically-based diseases including cancer, diabetes and dementia.

Photo information
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Eighty stars including Kevin Nealon and Charles Barkley will be at Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course, July 13-18, as Tahoe’s celebrity golf tournament turns 21.

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Sign me up! Tony Romo is a contender to win this year’s American Century Championship after finishing a close second in 2009.