STATELINE, Nevada — Mardy Fish is back on top at Edgewood Tahoe, joining a select group of celebrities to win three or more times at Edgewood Tahoe.
Fish, a former tennis pro, scored 20 points on Sunday to give him 72 for the three-day American Century Championship celebrity golf tournament.
He also won in 2020, when no spectators were allowed on the course due to the pandemic, and again in 2024.
Defending champion Joe Pavelski finished second with 66 points and Steph Curry, the 2023 champion, was third with 59. Annika Sorenstam, playing in the same group as Fish and Pavelski, was fourth with 58.
Fish picked up $150,000 for the win.
The attendance for the entire tournament was announced at a record-setting 86,038 spectators.
Putter was working
Fish said Sunday was the best he has putted at Edgewood. It was his 13th time playing in the tournament.
The sun was behind clouds most of the day, which made for a slightly different finishing day.
“It was tough, kind of different conditions with no sun. It’s usually — I haven’t played very many, if any, rounds here not in full sun. It’s such a beautiful place. And then you sort of can’t escape it either. So you’re searching for shade and stuff like that. It’s just a different setup,” Fish said. “But again the golf course is perfect. I did enough to win. I didn’t play my best today, but I did enough.”
He said improving his putting was a goal in recent months.
“It’s the most I’ve worked on it. So I’ve never really, in my sporting life, I’ve never worked on something as hard as I can and not gotten better at it,” he said. “I can sort of rely on my work ethic from my tennis days.” Fish said.
Pavelski was was hoping to defend his title, but said a couple mistakes hurt his chances.
“You get a taste of winning it. That’s the only thing on your mind. Coming down the stretch, I really wanted to knock that second one on the green, have a putt just in case, create a little bit more excitement,” Pavelski said. “You’re always standing up there thinking there’s a path to get to the playoff here, find a way to win. Didn’t end up hitting the right shot. But it was just a tremendous week, for sure.”
Curry, the Golden State Warriors All-Star forward, enjoys tremendous fan support at Edgewood and he appreciates the cheering.
“Obviously you’d love to have played a little bit better and be in contention. But the memories you create with the week you spend here is awesome,” Curry said. “Golf game is in shape, but just too many mistakes in the middle of the round. Start making me chase a little bit. Always good learning experiences. That’s what golf is, right?”
Sorenstam was disappointed in her finish, saying she played a little too aggressively, trying to make up ground on Fish and Pavelski.
“I got sick to my stomach. I had the chance. I felt like I had the opportunity to do it, the door was open, and just kind of let it slip away. So disappointing, for sure,” Sorenstam said. “It’s great to be here. I love it here. The tournament’s great. American Century does such a good job. My parents, the crowds are great, great to be here, very honored. Just wish I would have — I know I’m not going to get many more chances, so it’s just disappointing at the time, but super thankful to be here.”
Starting a tradition
American Century Investments is trying to start a tradition at Edgewood, akin to The Masters, in which the winner gets a lab coat.
American Century directs 40 percent of dividends to the Stowers Institute for Medical Research in Kansas City, which has resulted in a donation of more than $2 billion since 2000.
ACC Top 10
Name, total points
- 1 Mardy Fish 72
- 2 Joe Pavelski 66
- 3 Stephen Curry 59
- 4 Annika Sorenstam 58
- 5 John Smoltz 55
- 6 Tony Romo 52
- 7 Derek Lowe 50
- 8 Taylor Twellman 47
- 9 Matt Boldy 43
- T10 Dell Curry 42
- T10 Dwight Freeney 42
Most wins at ACC
Rick Rhoden has won the most American Century Championships, with eight between 1991 and 2009.
Dan Quinn won five between 1992 and 2012.
Billy Joe Tolliver won four between 1996 and 2013.
Two have won three titles at Edgewood: Mark Mulder and Tony Romo.
Three have won two titles at Edgewood: Jack Wagner, Mark Rypien and Fish.
Wagner is the only non-professional athlete to have won the event, and Mulder is the only one to win three consecutive times.
The profession with the most wins is football (12), followed by baseball (11), ice hockey (7), tennis (3), acting (2), and basketball (2).
Barkley bet
Charles Barkley finished in 69th place, denying his backers who bet he would finish in 63rd place or better.
Caesars Sportsbook set the line on Barkley, the NBA Hall of Famer and TV announcer, on his finish in the tournament.
Gene Upshaw Scholarship
South Tahoe High School graduate and Lake Tahoe Community College student Valery Gonzalez is the recipient of this year’s $10,000 Gene Upshaw scholarship.
Gonzalez has been attending Lake Tahoe Community College, studying to become a physical therapist, and she will continue her studies at Chico State.
Gonzalez was raised by a single mother in South Lake Tahoe and college was not on her mind as a child.
“I grew up in an area where I was always seeing financial struggles. So that kind of grew into me, not really thinking that I was going to have the opportunity to go to college. It wasn’t really something that I ever saw from anyone in my family. I didn’t really know the importance of it,” she said. “It wasn’t until I got to around high school, my brother came back — after having been away for some time, and I was ready to settle. I was ready to get right into the workforce because I knew that I needed to help my family. So college wasn’t even in my mind at that point.
“When my brother came back and he saw that I was ready to settle for something that isn’t very ideal. I wasn’t going to be very happy doing it, he told me, no, you need to go and get an education.”
This article originally appeared on Reno Gazette Journal: Mardy Fish wins third American Century title
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