2020 American Century Champion Mardy Fish gives us a look at this year’s event

STATELINE, Nev. (KOLO) - There weren’t many kayakers out on the water near South Lake Tahoe Thursday afternoon. There weren’t many boaters or golfers either.

But give it about a month or so. There will be tens of thousands of people at Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course for the American Century Championship Celebrity Golf Tournament.

“Best week of the year is all I can say,” said 2020 champion Mardy Fish.

High praise from the previous champion who returned to Edgewood. He’ll have a shot at his second this summer.

“You feel like you should be playing great all the time but there’s pressure, and crowds and all that stuff. It’s not as easy as it seems,” Fish joked of having to perform along with 86 other celebrities.

And that’s coming from the guy who holds the course record - shooting a round of 63 back in 2020.

This year’s celebrity slate includes familiar faces like Steph Curry, Patrick Mahomes, and Charles Barkley. 16 Hall of Famers will make the trip. Davante Adams, JJ Watt, and Zach LaVine highlight the eight first timers. Three-time champ Tony Romo is the odds-on favorite at 5 to 2. Fish is second at 11 to 4.

“Try to jump in the lake a couple of times a day as well. It’s good for the soul it feels like,” Fish said of enjoying the elements but also keeping a competitive mindset. “My kids are fairly easy, and my wife is great about letting me come out and practice a little bit, and then I want to spend time with them around here as well. They get to see their grandparents come around as well which we don’t get to see too often. Selfishly it’s an incredible week.”

That incredible week starts July 12 with two days of practice rounds.

The real deal lasts July 14-16.

Tickets start at $30. A four-day grounds pass is also available for $125.

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