"Golf junkie" Steph Curry returns to celebrity golf tournament

A self proclaimed golf junkie, NBA Most Valuable Player and Golden State Warrior Steph Curry, is enjoying his return to Lake Tahoe to golf in the American Century Championship at Edgewood Tahoe. This, his second visit to the tournament is special as he is playing with his dad, retired NBA player Dell Curry.

"It's special," said Curry during a press conference on Thursday after his round of play in the Celebrity-Am tournament. "It will probably get really competitive between us two, which is how it always is. We love that kind of back and forth on the coursel so to do it in this kind of setting is very special."

The younger Curry played at the annual classic in Tahoe in 2014, and his dad originally played in 1998 so this is the first time they'll play together, and the first time the tournament has has a father-son duo playing.

Originally slated to miss the stop in Tahoe because of the Olympics, Steph pulled out for a run at the gold due to nagging injuries which surfaced late in the Warrior's season. While disappointed to miss Rio, Curry has used golf to recover.

"I need to do to prepare my body," said Curry. "It is a nice, built-in mental break as well to be able to play some golf and be out here and enjoy this experience."

A contender in the 2014 celebrity tournament, Curry said he has a goal of beating his dad, teammate Andre Iguodala and having good rounds of golf.

"I don't get to do it but once a year," he said of playing in tournaments, except for local tournaments back home in Oakland. "I enjoy that atmosphere (of the tournament), because you play golf all the time but you don't get to play in front of this many people and feel the energy of the crowd. You hit a bad shot, they boo; you hit a good shot, they cheer you. It's awesome. So I love it."

"I remember back when I was 10 and my dad was telling me, 'Hey, I'm going on a trip this week to play out in Lake Tahoe", said Curry. "I didn't really know where Lake Tahoe was back then, living back in North Carolina."

Curry was asked about the sportsbook giving him 6-1 odds to winning the American Century Championship. "The funny part is, I feel like somebody is stalking me, like, at my local course and sizing up my game," he added. "I don't know how they come up with the odds; I just got off the basketball court. I'm pretty confident, let's just say that, in my game right now, for what it is. So if that means a win, then I'll be real happy."

Golf has many more variables than a basketball court but likened the two sports to what it takes to succeed: routine and confidence.

"I have much less confidence on the greens than I do on the court," he said. "Everybody asks if putting is like shooting free throws. Like that six-footer for par or something like that. It has a very similar kind of mindset....it's just you, the ball and the target."

Curry did point out that his is in Lake Tahoe to have fun and enjoy the game of golf.

Perhaps the most premier trio to hit the links on Friday will be both Steph and Dell Curry, along with Iguodala. They tee off at 9:50 a.m.