Annika Sorenstam Versus the Men Again at the American Century Championship

2014 AMERICAN CENTURY CHAMPIONSHIP LINEUP TO FEATURE ANNIKA SORENSTAM VERSUS THE MEN, AGAIN, IN TAHOE JULY 15-20

The American Century Championship in Lake Tahoe, usually won by long-driving baseball, football or hockey players, offers a dramatic shift in its competitive landscape next week with the addition of LPGA legend and Hall-of-Famer Annika Sorenstam to the field.

The legendary women’s golf superstar, owner of 89 international tournament wins and over $22 million in prize money, is among the most successful players in the history of the sport. Now a part-time resident of Lake Tahoe and the mother of two children, Sorenstam will tee it up on even terms with the accomplished pro athlete golfers in the nationally televised, 54-hole, $600,000 competition at Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course, a three day tournament from July 18-20.

Sorenstam, 43, is 11 years removed from her memorable international foray onto the men’s PGA TOUR at the 2003 Colonial Open in Fort Worth, Texas. Under the media spotlight, she went toe-to-toe with the best players in the world, missing the cut by three strokes and earning global fame and respect for taking on an unprecedented challenge. Sorenstam announced her retirement in 2008 and her last tournament start came in that season’s year-end ADT Championship.

More than 80 of the biggest sports and entertainment stars and celebrities will tee it up at the famed Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course for this year’s celebrity golf tournament, vying for the $125,000 winner’s share of the $600,000 purse.

Other top name players in the 2014 field are Charles Barkley, Aaron Rodgers, John Elway, Steph Curry, Jerry Rice, Roger Clemens, Steve Young, Alex Smith, Greg Maddux, John Fox and Carson Palmer.

Former LPGA great Annika Sorenstam is the Harrah’s/Harveys Lake Tahoe Race & Sports Book‘s choice to win the event, listed as a 2-1 favorite. John Elway at 12-1 and Stephen Curry at 10-1 are among other title contenders. Right behind Annika are: defending champion Billy Joe Tolliver at 9-2, eight-time tournament champion Rich Rhoden at 5-1, Jack Wagner, Mark Mulder, and Jeremy Roenick at 7-1 and Mark Rypien and John Smoltz at 8-1. Roger Clemens at 18-1 and Jerry Rice at 30-1 are also in the hunt.

The American Century Championship is celebrating its 25th Anniversary in 2014 with a special salute to America’s Armed Forces. As part of that initiative, Col. Chad Pfeifer, three-time winner of President George W. Bush’s Warrior Open and the 2011 National Amputee Tournament champion, will also join the field. Pfeifer lost his left leg in an IED explosion while on patrol in Iraq in 2007.

NBC, NBCSN and Golf Channel will televise the tournament as follows:

Round One

Friday, July 18 4-7 p.m. ET (1-4 p.m. PT) Live, NBCSN

Round Two

Saturday, July 19 3-6 p.m. ET (Noon-3 p.m. PT) Live, NBC

Round Three

Sunday, July 20 3-6 p.m. ET (Noon-3 p.m. PT) Live, NBC

Further information on the tournament can be found at www.tahoecelebritygolf.com.