Sports greats, Justin Timberlake among stars to play 2016 Tahoe celebrity golf tournament

A blockbuster gathering of 90 major sports and entertainment stars — including Charles Barkley, Justin Timberlake and five NFL starting quarterbacks — have signed on for the 27th annual American Century Championship, July 19–24 at Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course. The 54-hole tournament will be televised live on NBC Sports and NBCSN.

America’s No. 1 celebrity golf tournament will feature a host of active players from football, basketball and hockey as well as prominent artists from film, television, music and comedy. In addition to Barkley and Timberlake, some of the bigger names include Aaron Rodgers, Jerry Rice, John Elway, Steve Young, Jim Harbaugh, Larry Fitzgerald, Andre Iguodala, T.J. Oshie, Emmitt Smith, Larry the Cable Guy, Willie Robertson of “Duck Dynasty” and Kevin Nealon. See the attached player's list below.

The 2016 American Century Championship is scored with a Modified Stableford format and features a $600,000 purse with $125,000 for the winner. In addition to high-stakes competition, the tournament will raise money for the Stowers Institute for Medical Research, a non-profit, basic biomedical research organization dedicated to improving human health by studying the fundamental processes of life. Regional Lake Tahoe non-profits also benefit from the tournament, which has raised over $4 million for charity.

With celeb-am competition beginning on Tuesday, July 19, it’s six days of celebrity sightings, celebrations and a fair share of wild swings, long putts and errant golf shots along the famed lakefront course.

The field will also include a long list of famous first-timers with current NFL stars Larry Fitzgerald of the Arizona Cardinals joined by Brandon Marshall of the New York Jets, and Golden Tate of the Detroit Lions, Andre Iguodala of the 2015 World Champion Golden State Warriors, Hall of Fame wide receiver Cris Carter, former MLB star Todd Helton, Cincinnati Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis, Dallas Stars All-Star center Tyler Seguin and NASCAR driver Brian Vickers.

Five women will make their inaugural appearances at Tahoe, including two-time Olympic Soccer Gold Medalist Abby Wambach, 2013 Women’s World Long Drive Champion Heather LeMaster, model and aspiring LPGA player Paige Spiranac, NHL on NBC host Kathryn Tappen, and Golf Channel host Blair O’Neal. Golf Channel host Lisa Cornwell returns for 2016, bringing the number of female competitors to six, the largest in tournament history.

The elite field of athletes includes 11 Hall of Famers and dozens who earned Most Valuable Player awards. Among the NFL Hall of Famers are Marcus Allen, Tim Brown, John Elway, Jerry Rice, Marshall Faulk, Jerome Bettis and the aforementioned Emmitt Smith, Steve Young and Cris Carter.

They will be joined by a strong contingent of active NFL quarterbacks including 2014 MVP Aaron Rodgers of the Green Bay Packers, Blake Bortles of the Jacksonville Jaguars, Ryan Fitzpatrick of the New York Jets, Alex Smith of the Kansas City Chiefs and Carson Palmer of the Arizona Cardinals. Other active NFLers include wide receiver Wes Welker, Arizona Cardinals cornerback Patrick Peterson, Cincinnati Bengals linebacker A.J. Hawk and placekickers Sebastian Janikowski of the Oakland Raiders and Robbie Gould of the Chicago Bears. Former stars include recently retired Jared Allen, Brian Urlacher, Rodney Harrison, Sterling Sharpe, Joe Theismann, Hines Ward and NBC Sunday Night Football analyst Cris Collinsworth.

The coaching delegation features Steve Kerr of the defending NBA Champion Golden State Warriors, Jim Harbaugh of Michigan, Brian Kelly of Notre Dame, Marvin Lewis of the Bengals, and former coach turned analyst Herm Edwards. Former Vice President Dan Quayle also returns to the field in 2016.

Major League Baseball pitchers are well represented by defending champion Mark Mulder, Hall of Famer Greg Maddux, Roger Clemens, Trevor Hoffman, David Wells, Bret Saberhagen, Tim Wakefield, Josh Beckett and Derek Lowe. Former stars Chipper Jones, Joe Carter, David Justice, Kenny Lofton, Pudge Rodriguez, Kevin Millar will be going deep at Tahoe.

In addition to Mulder, previous winners include Mark Rypien, the former NFL Pro Bowl quarterback who claimed the inaugural victory in 1990 and again 25 years later in 2014, and actor/singer Jack Wagner who walked away with victories in 2011 and 2006. One of golf’s longest-running broadcast television events, the American Century Championship has been staged at Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course in the recreation/gaming destination resort town since its inception in 1990. It’s an annual reunion for players and fans celebrating the area’s most popular summer event in the relaxed setting and spectacular beauty of Lake Tahoe. More than 40,000 are expected to line the fairways, beaches and party from aboard speed boats, sailboats and chartered yachts along the shoreline.

Celebrations that include footballs, basketballs, baseballs and hockey pucks tossed by players to beachcombers and bikini-clad fans along No. 17, the lakefront par 3 party hole have become an annual attraction for TV viewers and attendees alike.

The interaction between players and galleries is what keeps the fans coming back. There’s Charles Barkley’s running commentary and worry about his infamous swing and apologies for errant shots; Jerry Rice running post patterns along the beach and reaching up for a pass lofted by an NFL quarterback; Alfonso Ribeiro, now the host of America’s Funniest Home Videos, reprising his “Carlton” dance from The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air -- all that plus the selfies, autographs and good times that brand this tournament as singular.

Televised coverage of the tournament will be aired live on NBC Sports and NBCSN. First round Friday coverage airs live on NBCSN, 3-5p.m. PST, 6-8p.m. ET. Second round Saturday and final round Sunday coverage is live on NBC, noon-3p.m. PT, 3-6 p.m. ET.

For the third year, the American Century Championship is offering complimentary tickets for all U.S. military. All active duty, reservists, National Guard and veterans can receive two complimentary tickets, including one for a guest each day of the tournament. All service men and women can apply at: https://verify.sheerid.com/americancenturychampionship/ to redeem the special offer. At the events, participants must show photo ID along with the ticket voucher at tournament gates to receive the complimentary admission.

Advanced tickets are also available online at www.TahoeSouth.com. Tickets are $20 each day for the Lake Tahoe Celebrity-Amateur on Tuesday, July 19; practice round on Wednesday, July 20; and the American Century Celebrity-Am on Thursday, July 21; and $30 for each tournament round, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, July 22-24. Kids 10 and under receive free admission – limit two - when accompanied by a paying adult.

Specially priced tickets are on sale at Raley’s, Bel Air and Nob Hill Foods June 13 through July 24. Tuesday through Thursday tickets are $17 (save $3) in the stores and $20 at the gate. Friday through Sunday tickets are $27 in the stores and $30 at the gate. Limit 4 per customer.

The Patron Badge for all week admission is available through June 15 for $60 online, a $10 savings. Tickets are also available on-site the days of the tournament.

ACC 16 Player List.pdf by Carson Now