Tony Romo, Al Michaels, Jerome Bettis, Chris Tucker Make Inaugural Appearances at Golf’s Leading Celebrity Event

Lance Armstrong Returns To Raise Funds for Cancer Research

(South Shore, Lake Tahoe, Nev.) – Hollywood and sports’ hottest commodities including Ray Romano, Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley, Matt Lauer, Donald Trump, Mario Lemieux, LaDainian Tomlinson, Tiki Barber, John Elway, Chris Webber and Jerry Rice will be among the 80 stars of stage, screen, sports arenas and stadiums at the 18^th annual American Century Championship, celebrity golf’s most popular event, at Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course, July 10 – 15.

The amped wattage of this year’s celebrity field is the brightest in the 18-year history of golf’s grandest gathering. The increased participation of entertainment luminaries and hot, new personalities and athletes has tournament buzz at an all-time high.

First timers include Sunday Night Football announcer Al Michaels, actor and comedian Chris Tucker, Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo, former NFL running back Jerome Bettis, actor Billy Crudup, and actor Lucas Black.

South Shore Lake Tahoe will be Hollywood North and New York West and the spot for celebrity sightings, parties and superstar entertainment throughout the week.

NBC Sports will televise the second and final rounds of the tournament live on Saturday, July 14 from 1 – 3 p.m. PT/ 4 – 6 p.m. ET and Sunday, July 15 from 12 – 3 p.m. PT/ 3 – 6 p.m. ET.  ESPN2 will carry Friday’s opening round from 4 – 6 p.m. PT/ 7-9 p.m. ET.

The American Century Championship will award $600,000 in prize money – with $125,000 to the winner. Scoring is based on a modified Stableford format with 10 points for a double eagle, 8 for a hole-in-one, 6 for eagle, 3 for birdie, 1 for par, 0 for bogey, and minus 2 for double-bogey or higher.

The 54-hole tournament has been played at Edgewood Tahoe’s 6,707-yard lakeside course since its inception in 1990. Defending champion Jack Wagner will likely see his stiffest competition from six-time winner Rick Rhoden, back in the tournament after a year’s hiatus, four-time winner Dan Quinn and past champions Billy Joe Tolliver, Mario Lemieux, Al Del Greco and Mark Rypien.

The increased visibility of celebrities from the arts and entertainment fields includes actor Don Cheadle, Bruce McGill, and the aforementioned Crudup and Black. And the comedic ranks joining the fun include Ray Romano, Cheech Marin, Anthony Anderson, Kevin Nealon and Chris Tucker.

The National Football League has piled-on the superstars. The All-Pros feature Ronde and Tiki Barber (caddying for his twin), LaDainian Tomlinson, Derrick Brooks, Drew Brees, Carson Palmer, Trent Green, Jason Taylor, and Ben Roethlisberger. Current and future Hall of Famers include John Elway, Marcus Allen, Jerry Rice, and Tim Brown.

Basketball will be represented by legends Barkley and Jordan as well as Ray Allen of the Supersonics, Jason Kidd of the Nets, and Chris Webber of the Detroit Pistons.

Other arenas – sports, political and television, will be represented by host of the Today Show Matt Lauer; former Vice President Dan Quayle; Olympic Medalists Brandi Chastain, Dan Jansen, Mike Eruzione, and Bode Miller; television’s Dan Patrick, Ahmad Rashad, Digger Phelps and Maury Povich.

The event is sponsored by American Century Investments, a premier investment manager serving financial intermediaries, institutions and individual investors.

Since its inception in 1990, Tahoe’s celebrity golf tournament has raised over $2 million for a variety of charities including the Uniformed Firefighters Association Scholarship Fund to provide college tuition assistance to the children of NYC firefighters lost on September 11 as well as Mark Cuban’s Fallen Patriot Fund to aid the families of soldiers killed or injured in Iraq and Afghanistan. 

For the second consecutive year, Lance Armstrong will collaborate with American Century making the Lance Armstrong Foundation the beneficiary of this year’s tournament. Last year, the investment firm introduced a new series of asset allocation funds under the LIVESTRONG Portfolios banner.

Tickets are available daily at the gate. Prices are $10 each day for the Lake Tahoe Celebrity-Amateur on Tuesday, July 10, the practice round on Wednesday, July 11, and for the American Century Celebrity-Am on Thursday, July 12, and $20 for each tournament round, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. For tournament tickets, information and lodging packages, visit: www.BlueLakeTahoe.com.

For further information, contact:

Steve Griffith

Pyramid Public Relations

212/643-1068 (East Coast)

Phil Weidinger

Weidinger Public Relations

775/588-2412 (West Coast)