Sports legends, celebrities sign on for 26th American Century Championship at Lake Tahoe

There’s one place where NFL, NBA, NHL and MLB rivalries meet annually to settle old scores. The venue: Lake Tahoe. The event: The American Century Championship. At stake: a share in the $625,000 prize purse. The scene: Six days of fist bumps, high fives, autograph signing, photos with fans, laughs galore and some great golf.

A blockbuster lineup of sports legends, all-stars, Olympians and hall of famers plus Hollywood celebrities of film and television will go tee to green July 14-19 at the 26th American Century Championship at Edgewood Tahoe Golf Club.

The No. 1 celebrity golf tournament in America brings plenty of high-stakes competition, thrills and a fair share of wild swings, long putts and errant golf shots to the famed Edgewood course as a field of more than 80 players tee it up and put their game on before galleries totaling some 40,000 who line fairways, beaches and watch aboard speed boats, sailboats and chartered yachts along the shoreline.

Only the American Century Championship matches sports powerhouses such as Aaron Rodgers, Charles Barkley, Jerry Rice, Steve Young, Roger Clemens and Bode Miller with diverse celebrities such as Larry the Cable Guy, Willie Robertson of “Duck Dynasty” and Kevin Nealon in the 54-hole Modified Stableford format golf tournament. Go here for the players list.

Televised coverage of the tournament is aired live on NBC Sports and NBCSN with additional coverage on Golf Channel. First round Friday coverage airs live on NBCSN, 6-8 p.m. PST, 3-5 p.m. EST. Second round Saturday and final round Sunday coverage is live on NBC, noon-3 p.m. PST, and 3-6 p.m. EST.

Defending 2014 champion Mark Rypien, the Washington Redskins’ former Super Bowl XXVI MVP (1992), who won the very first American Century Championship in 1990, returns this year as well as past winners, three-time champion Billy Joe Tolliver, and eight-time champion Rick Rhoden.

The American Century Championship annually brings in a bevy of new superstars to keep the player list fresh and packed with new faces among the pro sports and entertainment fields. First timers in 2015 are former fashion model and actress Kim Alexis; former tennis star and author James Blake; former MLB All-Star pitcher David Cone; country musician, rapper and southern rock anthem songwriter Colt Ford; Notre Dame head football coach Brian Kelly; actor comedian Rob Riggle of the “Daily Show,” “Saturday Night Live” and “22 Jump Street;” Carolina Panthers head coach Ron Rivera; and Brandon Weeden of the Dallas Cowboys.

Three recently elected Hall of Famers are Jerome Bettis, “The Bus” of Pittsburgh Steelers fame; Tim Brown, Oakland Raiders; and John Smoltz, of the Atlanta Braves. Smoltz will join his former pitching rotation mates Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine.

NFL stars also include Hall-of-Famers John Elway, Marcus Allen, Jerry Rice, Emmitt Smith and Steve Young. Current stars include 2014 MVP Aaron Rodgers of the Green Bay Packers, five-time Pro Bowl and All Pro defensive end Jared Allen, Pro-Bowlers Patrick Peterson of the Arizona Cardinals and Wes Welker, Denver Broncos, plus Kansas City QB Alex Smith. Recently retired superstars include Chicago Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher and Rodney Harrison of the New England Patriots.

In addition to Rivera and Kelly, coaches in the field include South Carolina’s Steve Spurrier and former Jets and Chiefs head coach Herm Edwards.

The American Century Championship has an impressive lineup of former Major League Baseball players including pitching Hall of Famer Greg Maddux; two-time All-Star and six-time stolen base champion Vince Coleman; All-Star pitchers David Cone, aforementioned Roger Clemens, Trevor Hoffman, Derek Lowe, Mark Mulder, Bret Saberhagen, John Smoltz, Tim Wakefield, and David Wells; World Series champion first baseman Kevin Millar and All-Star catcher Ivan Rodriguez and outfielders David Justice and Kenny Lofton.

National Hockey League stars include: Hall-of-Famers Mike Modano and Joe Sakic; All-Star goalie Martin Brodeur, and famed center Jeremy Roenick; and U.S. Hockey team captain Mike Eruzione, best known for scoring the winning goal in the 1980 “Miracle on Ice” game against the Soviet Union. Other notable Olympians include U.S. Ski Team alpine ski racer and gold medalist Bode Miller; Tennis Olympic silver medalist Mardy Fish and Olympic gold medalist speed skater Dan Jansen.

Film, television, comedy stars include Anthony Anderson of ABC’s hit comedy “Black-ish,” Brian Baumgartner, best known for his role as Kevin Malone in “The Office;” Actor Dennis Haysbert, Oliver Hudson of the ABC hit drama series “Nashville” and CBS Comedy “Rules of Engagement”; longtime American Century player and fan favorite, actor/comedian Kevin Nealon of “Saturday Night Live” and “Weeds;” “Seinfeld” actor and National Dog Show host John O’Hurley; and Alfonso Riberio, best known for his role as Carlton Banks on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.

Retired U.S. Army Corporal Chad Pfeifer, an Iraqi War Veteran and amputee whose golf-centered rehabilitation turned him into a top-tier tournament player, joined the field in 2014. Pfeifer returns this year along with retired Army Sgt. Maj. Rodney Gorman who won the Bush Center’s fourth annual Warrior Open at Las Colinas Country Club in October, 2014.

For the second year, the American Century Championship is offering complimentary tickets for all U.S. military. Beginning May 1, 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 by going to https://verify.sheerid.com/americancenturychampionship2015/ 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 ticket(s).

For the latest details, photos, celebrity tweets and fan contests go to @ACChampionship on Twitter and Instagram and facebook.com/LTCelebrityGolf. For tournament information: www.TahoeCelebrityGolf.com.

For real time updates on promotions, packages, conditions and events in South Lake Tahoe, visit The Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority on Facebook: www.facebook.com/TahoeSouth, Twitter: www.twitter.com/SouthShoreTahoe and YouTube: www.youtube.com/LTVA. For information about Lake Tahoe South Shore, call 1-800-AT-TAHOE (1-800-288-2463) or visit www.tahoesouth.com.