Patrick Mahomes to participate in American Century celebrity golf tourney at Lake Tahoe
Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes has proven he can dominate on the football field.
Now, the 2018 NFL MVP and reigning Super Bowl MVP will showcase how he fares on a golf course.
Mahomes is scheduled to join teammate Travis Kelce as well as a host of former and current superstar athletes and entertainers at the American Century Championship celebrity golf tournament July 10-12 at Lake Tahoe, Nevada, according to the ACC.
“As a company that’s been headquartered in Kansas City since 1958, American Century Investments is excited and proud to welcome KC Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes to this year’s tournament,” American Century president and CEO Jonathan Thomas said in a statement. “While this year will be a different experience for the players and fans alike due to the pandemic, what hasn’t changed is our continued focus on having a positive impact on the world by supporting incredible charities.”
According to the ACC, all prize monies will be donated to social justice causes, COVID-19 relief and regional Lake Tahoe non-profit organizations. The tournament has a long history of raising funds for charity — in excess of $5 million to date, according to even organizers.
Celebrities expected to join Mahomes and Kelce include Tony Romo, Charles Barkley, Aaron Rodgers, Steph Curry and Chiefs super-fan and actor Rob Riggle.
The celebrity tournament will be played as Nevada continues to deal with an uptick in COVID-19 coronavirus cases. The state had totaled 19,101 confirmed cases and 511 deaths as of Wednesday evening, according to the Nevada Health Response’s official website.
As of Monday, El Dorado County health officials had reported 21 new COVID-19 cases, including eight confirmed cases in the Lake Tahoe region last weekend, according to SouthTahoeNow.com.
Organizers of the 31st edition of the annual golf event said they have taken steps to address safety of participants.
Fans will not be allowed to attend and participants and staff are expected to adhere to social-distancing guidelines. Additionally, NBC, which is broadcasting the tournament, and tournament partners Edgewood Tahoe and host hotels have put together a safety plan. Arrangements include enhanced cleaning protocols at the course and hotels, sanitation stations on the course and restrictions on large, organized evening events.
According to a June 4 news release from the ACC, only celebrities and essential tournament staff will be allowed on the course.
“Once our due diligence established that the tournament could be conducted safely, we were compelled to do everything possible to go forward in support of our friends in the Lake Tahoe resort community, who have hosted the event for 30 years,” Thomas said in early June. “The American Century Championship remains a prominent brand-building event that provides a platform for us to tell a national television audience about how our firm is having a positive impact on society.
“Also, we’re excited to bring a live, competitive sporting event to TV viewers, something that has been deeply missed over the past few months.”
Chiefs fans hoping to catch a televised glimpse of Mahomes and his golf swing will have multiple opportunities. July 10’s round is scheduled to air live on NBCSN, while the action on July 11-12 is set to air live on NBC. Encore presentations are scheduled to air that Friday on NBCSN, with the Golf Channel picking up coverage on Saturday and Sunday.
