Tony Romo wins at American Century Championship after three-way tie and two hole sudden-death playoff

STATELINE, Nev. - Record-setting crowds watched the 33rd annual American Century Championship at Edgewood Tahoe this week, and they saw some great golf. Tony Romo rolled in a clutch five-foot birdie putt on the second playoff hole to outgun Joe Pavelski and Mark Mulder and capture his third American Century Championship celebrity golf tournament title Sunday.

It was the first time in the tournament's history to have a three-way tie at the end of 54 holes, and the fifth playoff.

All three birdied the first playoff hole, the 591-yard, 5-par 18th. Then it was back to the 18th tee for the third time Sunday.

Winner of the tournament in 2018 and 2019, Romo is a well-known standout amateur golfer who has started multiple PGA Tour events as a sponsor exemption. The former Dallas Cowboys quarterback turned CBS Sports NFL analyst travels home to play Monday at 8:30 a.m. in the 36-hole U.S. Amateur qualifying tournament at Tempest Golf Club in Gladewater, Texas.

"The goal is to win," said Romo of the tournament. "The ultimate goal is getting better."

His $125,000 first place prize goes to tournament charities because Romo competes as an amateur in all of his tournament play.

“I had to keep patient,” stated Romo, who missed six putts of 20 feet or less throughout the round and trailed Mulder by as many as six points early in the back nine. “Coming from behind is a great feeling. All the wins here are special but this one was different because my boys are 10 and eight years old and they were into it.”

“For some reason, I just got conservative,” said Mulder, the former MLB all-star pitcher who has also won three of the celebrity tournaments in Lake Tahoe. Mulder had control on the back nine and missed a nine-foot putt in regulation that would’ve won him his fourth American Century Championship. Pavelski, the star right-winger from the Dallas Stars, had an 18-foot eagle putt to win the tournament on the first playoff hole but that slid by, pushing all three into the second extra hole. It would have made him only the second active player to win the tournament following Mario Lemieux’s title in 1998.

World Golf Hall of Famer Annika Sorenstam birdied the 18th hole Sunday to finish in a tie for fourth place with Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Adam Thielen at 58 points. Mardy Fish, the 2020 champion and U.S. Davis Cup Captain, finished sixth with 56 points. Defending champion Vinny Del Negro tied for 18th with 39 points.

Charles Barkley, who has improved his golf game over the years, was a hit at the Caesars Sportsbook. Barkley was +280 to be in the top 70. He was close with his tie at 74th place.

Another hot bet was Steph Curry and dad Dell. Steph was giving up 10 1/2 Stableford points to his dad but ended up ahead of him after the end of play Sunday by just two points.

Top 20 finishes

1 - Tony Romo - 25 - 62
T2 - Mark Mulder - 62
T2 - Joe Pavelski - 62
T4 - Annika Sorenstam - 58
T4 - Adam Thielen - 58
6 - MARDY FISH - 56
7 - MIKE MODANO - 55
8 - DEREK LOWE - 54
9 - AARON RODGERS - 50
10 - MARSHALL FAULK - 49
11 - TJ OSHIE - 47
12 - JAKE OWEN - 46
13 - KYLE WILLIAMS - 45
4 - JACK WAGNER 43
15 - CARSON PALMER - 42
T16 - JOHN SMOLTZ - 41
T16 - STEPH CURRY - 41
T18 - DELL CURRY - 39
T18 - ALFONSO RIBEIRO - 39
T18 -VINNY DEL NEGRO - 39

For the full list of scores, visit https://americancenturychampionship.com/.