LAKE TAHOE, Nev. – The lineup of stars just got brighter for the American Century Championship with an influx of first-time NFL participants featuring All Pros Drake Maye, New England Patriots quarterback, and Kyle Hamilton, Baltimore Ravens safety, plus a trio of head coaches: Mike Macdonald of the Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks, Robert Saleh, new head coach of the Tennessee Titans, and Kevin O’Connell of the Minnesota Vikings.  

NBA star Payton Pritchard of the Boston Celtics and former coach Doc Rivers will also be making their initial appearances, as will four-time NHL All-Star Brady Tkachuk of the Ottawa Senators. Brett Young, country music singer and songwriter, adds to the entertainment side of the celebrity ledger, while sportscaster Sean McDonough enhances the media component.

The 37th annual American Century Championship, celebrity golf’s most popular tournament with more than 80 sports and entertainment superstars, is July 8-12 at Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course and aired on NBC Sports. The three-day, 54-hole event includes a $750,000 purse, with $150,000 going to the winner, plus a charity component for local and national non-profits.

On Saturday, July 11, the U.S. Air Force will do a special flyover of the course in honor of America’s 250th birthday. Also new this year will be the unveiling of a special tournament song. “Tahoe Nights” by Rascal Flatts will be shared during the week, and the band will be playing it during their show at Caesars Republic. Returning this year is the fantasy golf game with a vacation at next year’s golf tournament as the prize, and new on the 14th hole is “Bullseye Bucks,” where the crowd can win money, and American Century will be giving away $1M for a hole-in-one of the 17th, and a boat will be given away for a hole-in-one on the 12th hole.

The tournament’s “rookies” will join favorites Stephen Curry, Charles Barkley, Jason Kelce, Nate Bargatze, Colin Jost, Tony Romo, Miles Teller, Ray Romano, Rob Mac, Larry the Cable Guy, Anthony Anderson and Jack Wagner, who, along with Jim McMahon, are the only two players who’ve competed in every tournament.

Current NFL stars include Baker Mayfield, Davante Adams, Trevor Lawrence, and Kyle Juszczyk. Hall of Famers feature soon-to-be-enshrined Larry Fitzgerald, Steve Young, Jerry Rice, Charles Woodson, Brian Urlacher, DeMarcus Ware, Jerome Bettis, Tim Brown, Marcus Allen and Dwight Freeney. Drew Brees is also making a tournament comeback since his last appearance in 2007. 

Defending champion Joe Pavelski returns along with top players Annika Sorenstam, MLB Hall of Famer John Smoltz, former Red Sox pitcher Derek Lowe and NBA Hall of Famer Ray Allen.

For fans looking to take in the action, daily general admission tickets and week-long Grounds Badges are available online at: www.eventbrite.com (Tickets are only available online through the official American Century Championship channel.)

Tickets for Wednesday’s and Thursday’s Celebrity-Amateur play are $50 each day with Tournament rounds Friday, Saturday and Sunday at $60 daily. A Grounds Badge for all five days – Wednesday through Sunday – is just $175, a savings of $105. The number of daily tickets is limited, with Friday/Saturday sellouts typical, so fans are encouraged to act now to secure their spot among the stars. All ticket purchases will be online in advance – same day tickets will not be available at the gate.

For active duty and retired veterans, a limited supply of complimentary tickets for one person plus a guest for either Wednesday or Thursday rounds is available beginning April 1, two tickets maximum. Visit https://acc.spinzo.com for instructions.

The 2026 American Century Championship will utilize the Modified Stableford format whereby points are awarded by score per hole. Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course, a George Fazio design, has been rated by Golf Digest Magazine as one of “America’s Top 100 Golf Courses.”

American Century Investments, the title sponsor of the championship since 1999, continues its role in partnership with NBC Sports, the Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority, Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course and the South Tahoe community. The tournament’s host hotels are Caesars Republic (formerly Harveys) and Harrah’s, along with community partners including Bally’s, Golden Nugget, and Margaritaville. American Century Investments offers $1 million for an ace on No. 17 during the three competitive rounds split with the Stowers Institute for Medical Research; Mastercraft Boats will be offering a $325,000 X24 speedboat for an ace on No. 12, Friday through Sunday (Jimmy Rollins sailed home last year with an ace and Tim Brown, the former Raiders wide receiver, also won a boat in 2024), and Travis Mathew provides giveaways, interactive games and items for purchase. For a list of all 2026 tournament sponsors: americancenturychampionship.com.

Since its inception in 1990, the American Century Championship has donated more than $8 million to local and national non-profits.