Predictions for Aaron Rodgers, Travis Kelce, Top Stars at American Century Golf

This year's American Century Championship isn't scheduled to feature two of the top celebrity-athlete golfers from the past few years. Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry have faced off at both this tournament and Capital One's The Match.

Curry won the American Century last year.

However, neither Curry nor Mahomes is in the star-studded 2024 field—Curry is preparing for the Olympics with Team USA, so his absence is unsurprising.

Fans should still be treated to an exciting weekend of golf—and celebrity watching—this weekend at Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course in Stateline, Nevada. The annual three-round event will still feature plenty of notable names and will benefit the Stowers Institute for Medical Research and the Eat. Learn. Play. Foundation.

2024 American Century Championship

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Travis Kelce

Where: Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course

When: July 12-14

Prize Purse: $600,000

TV and Live Stream Schedule

Friday: 4 - 6 p.m. ET on Peacock, 8:30 - 10:30 p.m. ET on Golf Channel

Saturday: 2:30 - 6 p.m. ET on NBC, Peacock

Sunday: 2:30 - 6 p.m. ET on NBC, Peacock

Notable Participants

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Charles Barkley

This year's list of celebrities includes many repeat participants. Topping the list of notable names are New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers, Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, NBA Hall of Famer Charles Barkley, Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen, former NFL quarterback Tony Romo, golf analyst Hally Leadbetter, former LPGA star Annika Sörenstam, comedian Rob Riggle and actor Miles Teller.

New to the field in 2024 are stars like former NFL center Jason Kelce, former MLB star Albert Pujols, Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence and actor Rob McElhenney.

The draw of the tournament is as much about the star interactions as it is the golf. Not every competitor will have a realistic chance to win.

"Just don't feel bad if you hit somebody because they bought the ticket knowing it's a bunch of amateurs out there trying to play golf," Travis Kelce said to his brother on their New Heights podcast (h/t Siobhan McAndrew of the Reno Gazette-Journal).

However, some celebrities may surprise fans with their level of skill during the tournament. Travis Kelce, for example, won last year's long-drive contest, while Romo has won the event three times.

Preview and Predictions

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Tony Romo

The American Century Championship involves a number of traditions, like the long-drive contest, hole-in-one challenge and charity chip challenge. It's also held at the same location, along the south shore of Lake Tahoe.

The tournament itself is a 54-hole event that uses a modified Stableford scoring format—which incorporates a points system based on how golfers fare on each hole. Under the format, an albatross (three-under par) is worth 10 points, a hold-in-one is worth eight points, an eagle is worth six points, a birdie is worth three points and a par is worth one point. A bogey is worth zero points while a double-bogey or worse is worth minus-two points.

Though perhaps not as important as in stroke play, consistency still matters. This is why some of the field's most experienced golfers are likely to fare the best. Rodgers, for example, has played in many golfing events outside of the American Century.

Rodgers participated in The Match IV and The Match VI. He also won the 2023 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am alongside Ben Silverman.

"It's really significant," Rodgers said after the event, per Jake Curtis of FanNation. "It's always been on my bucket list."

Rodgers also finished fifth at last year's American Century and should be a real threat this weekend. While Kelce isn't a stranger to golf, he probably won't be in the mix on the final day—he finished 71st in 2023.

Romo is probably the golfer to beat heading into the weekend, as he has loads of experience outside of this event. Back in 2022, Tiger Woods named Romo and MLB Hall of Famer John Smoltz as two of the best non-golfers he's played with.

Smoltz should be a factor this weekend, as should former tennis star Mardy Fish—who finished second in last year's tournament and won in 2020. Former MLB pitcher Mark Mulder is back in the event as well and has equaled Romo's three tournament wins.

The prediction here is that we have another repeat winner who takes a step closer to Rick Rhoden's record of eight victories.

Prediction

1. Tony Romo

2. Annika Sörenstam

3. Mardy Fish

4. Mark Mulder

5. Aaron Rodgers