Stephen Curry Leads Early at 2026 American Century Championship

On Friday, July 9, 2026, the American Century Championship opened at Edgewood Tahoe Resort with a Modified Stableford format. Former NBA MVP Stephen Curry posted 25 points, placing him third overall. Former NHL forward Joe Pavelski surged to the lead with 29 points after eagling the 18th hole, while former tennis pro Mardy Fish recorded 27 points to sit in second. Austin Reaves, the Los Angeles Lakers guard, opened with a score of 10 points, tying for 25th. The top ten also featured Tony Romo (23 points), Annika Sörenstam (22), John Smoltz and Derek Lowe (19 each), Vinny Del Negro (18), Ray Allen (17), and several former athletes tied at 16 points.

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The ACC employs a Modified Stableford system: an albatross earns 10 points, a hole-in-one 8, an eagle 6, a birdie 3, a par 1, a bogey 0, and a double-bogey –2. This scoring encourages aggressive play, a factor evident in the high-scoring opening round. The field of 90 celebrities will complete 54 holes, with 36 holes remaining on Saturday and Sunday.

Joe Pavelski atop stacked leaderboard after American Century Championship's first round

• Joe Pavelski – defending champion, recorded five birdies, four bogeys, eight pars and an eagle on the final hole.

Joe Pavelski atop stacked leaderboard after American Century Championship's first round

• Mardy Fish – two-time ACC winner (2020, 2024), posted a 68-stroke round, the lowest raw score despite trailing Pavelski by two points.

Joe Pavelski atop stacked leaderboard after American Century Championship's first round

• Stephen Curry – 2023 champion, logged six birdies, two bogeys and one double-bogey; his performance was 3-over on par-3s and 5-under on all other holes.

Joe Pavelski atop stacked leaderboard after American Century Championship's first round

• Tony Romo – three-time champion (2018, 2019, 2022), rebounded from an opening double-bogey with five birdies to finish fourth.

Joe Pavelski atop stacked leaderboard after American Century Championship's first round

• Annika Sörenstam – World Golf Hall of Famer, eagled the third hole and posted 22 points despite limited recent tournament play.

Joe Pavelski atop stacked leaderboard after American Century Championship's first round

Tournament organizers noted that the “crowds packed for Friday’s action, which sold out,” reflecting strong fan interest. Participants emphasized the event’s camaraderie, describing it as a “family sort of event” and “the best week of the year.” Several competitors expressed a desire to see NBA star LeBron James join future editions.

Past American Century Championship winners Curry, Fish, and Pavelski talk golf, LeBron, the week at Lake Tahoe

Sources differ on the relationship between raw stroke totals and point totals. Fish’s 68-stroke round was better than Pavelski’s 69 strokes, yet Pavelski led by two points because the Modified Stableford system rewards low-score holes more heavily. No additional clarification on how pars versus birdies affected the point differential was provided.

Joe Pavelski atop stacked leaderboard after American Century Championship's first round

• “17 is just a full adrenaline rush, playing that hole and being in front of the fans and the lakeside there,” — Stephen Curry, NBA star

Past American Century Championship winners Curry, Fish, and Pavelski talk golf, LeBron, the week at Lake Tahoe

• “Game face — yeah, it worked out last year.” — Joe Pavelski, former NHL star

Past American Century Championship winners Curry, Fish, and Pavelski talk golf, LeBron, the week at Lake Tahoe

• “I felt bad for the rest of the competition, and I wanted somebody else to win,” — Mardy Fish, former tennis pro

Past American Century Championship winners Curry, Fish, and Pavelski talk golf, LeBron, the week at Lake Tahoe

The tournament will resume with 36 holes on Saturday and Sunday. Players will aim to improve their point totals under the same Modified Stableford rules, while organizers anticipate continued sell-out crowds and heightened media interest.

Joe Pavelski atop stacked leaderboard after American Century Championship's first round