STATELINE, Nev. — Former San Jose Sharks captain and longtime NHL player Joe Pavelski put it all together Sunday to win his first American Century Championship celebrity golf tournament at Edgewood Tahoe.
Pavelski had 29 points in the modified Stableford scoring system during Sunday’s final round to finish with 73 points, capping off his day by making an eagle putt at the par-5 18th hole. Pavelski, who was making his ninth appearance in the event, won the event by nine points over Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher John Smoltz, who finished with 64.
After making the long putt on the picturesque finishing hole on the shore of Lake Tahoe, Pavelski pumped his fist, hugged his son, Nathan, just off the 18th green, and later dove into the water.
Pavelski’s victory comes after Warriors great Steph Curry won the tournament in 2023.
“I don’t even know what to say, actually,” said Pavelski, who played with the Sharks from 2006 to 2019 and retired last year. “This place is amazing. You heard all the rumors that not a lot of current athletes are winning. Steph went and did it. So I had to retire a year ago to get this thing.”
Pavelski, who finished second behind ex-tennis player Mardy Fish last year, entered the day tied for first place with former soccer player Taylor Twellman with 44 points each. Pavelski double bogeyed the first hole and bogeyed the second, both par-4s, but had five birdies, 10 pars, and the eagle on 18 to end his remarkable day.
Pavelski finished with a tournament-best 4-under-par 68, matched only by Smoltz’s Sunday round.
“I think, coming into the round today, I felt really confident about my game,” said Pavelski, who went 7-under over his final 16 holes and won $150,000 of the $750,000 purse.
“It’s going to sound stupid, but I hit two fairly decent shots on one and make a double bogey, and hit two fairly decent shots on number two and make a bogey. I was just kind of searching for it, scratching my head a little bit and trying to tell myself to be patient, there’s a lot of golf left. And the birdie on 3 was huge.”
Pavelski’s victory capped off a memorable weekend, as he turned 41 on Friday and celebrated his 17th wedding anniversary with his wife, Sarah, on Saturday.
“Just an amazing week,” Pavelski said. “This place is incredible. Means the world to me.”
Curry birdied four of his first 16 holes and put himself within striking distance of the lead. But he triple bogeyed the final hole and finished with 58 points, good enough for fifth place.
Country music star Jake Owen finished alone in third with 62 points, followed by Twellman (61).
Charles Barkley, the NBA Hall of Famer, followed his best-ever round on Friday with a couple of tough rounds and finished tied for 69th, meaning those who bet on him to finish among the top 65 at sports wagering outlets lost their bet.
A handful of former champions made the top 10 – former Oakland A’s pitcher Mark Mulder (57), a three-time winner; LPGA great Annika Sorenstam (55), three-time winner and former Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo (54); and defending champion Mardy Fish, a former tennis pro (53) and two-time winner here. Actor Michael Peña (51) finished in 10th place.
Pro football Hall of Famer Jerry Rice finished 22nd (28), 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk finished tied for 59th (-8), and tight end George Kittle was 81st (-34).
