Michael Dillon interviews celebrities at ACC golf tournament
Nine-year-old Michael Dillon returns to get fresh celebrity interviews at the American Century Championship at Edgewood Tahoe Resort on Friday.
The celebrity golf tournament started as a way for NBC to fill time during the baseball players strike in 1990, and has since grown exponentially to become one of the hottest tickets around Northern Nevada.
This year’s American Century Championship celebrity golf tournament will start with practice rounds on Wednesday and Thursday at Edgewood Tahoe, with the three-day tournament on Friday-Sunday.
The ACC drew a record crowd of 77,049 fans in 2024.
Here’s a quick primer for first-timers or veterans heading to the lake for the ACC celebrity golf tournament.
Tahoe celebrity golf tickets
If you don’t have tickets already, it’s too late for Friday and Saturday. Officials say they are sold out for daily passes for those two days.
A tournament spokesman told the RGJ tickets are limited to help enhance fan comfort, experience and safety, especially along the lake holes.
Weeklong passes are still available for $162.02. Tickets are available online at americancenturychampionship.com.
Single-day tickets are $44.30 for Wednesday and Thursday, and $56.62 for Sunday.
There are no ticket sales at the gate.
The buzz
The crowd gathers along both sides of hole No. 17, the boaters on the beach side and the gallery on the course side. The usual golf decorum is absent here; music blasts from speakers on the boats and fans sing and scream and clamor for autographs.
There are hundreds of boats in the water and thousands of spectators on the sand.
Fans like to throw footballs and basketballs to the golfers, usually with pens taped to them so they can sign and throw them back.
Tips for attending the Tahoe celebrity golf tournament
To follow your favorite celebrities, there are tee time sheets available each day around the entrance gate and near the first and 10th holes, as well outside the clubhouse at Edgewood.
The sheets include the groupings, which tees they are starting on and at what time they tee off. There are also volunteers all around the course who can guide you to where you want to go.
Other things to know
- Only clear bags are allowed on the grounds.
- Some celebrities are happy to sign autographs while some are reluctant. Bring a Sharpie to help your chances.
- The best areas to get their attention are near the practice putting green and by the driving range, both of which are short walks from the clubhouse.
- Play tends to be backed up on No. 17, so golfers usually have a few minutes the area near the tee box to chat and sign autographs.
Parking limited, card-only payments at Edgewood
Unless you get there before sunrise, you probably won’t be able to park on the street outside Edgewood. Parking on the road directly outside Edgewood fills up very early each morning.
Parking is best in one of the nearby hotel garages in South Lake Tahoe. Shuttle buses frequently run down to the entrance and inside the gates.
Concession stands payments will be credit or debit card payment only; no cash will be accepted. The use of “grab ‘n go” serving will be utilized where possible.
The celebrities
Most of the celebrities are friendly and are there to enjoy themselves. Only about 10-15 golfers in the 90-player field have a real chance to win, and they might be a little more focused on their game.
The first groups tee off at 7:45 a.m. Friday through Sunday. The winner is usually finishing around 3 p.m. Sunday.
Former tennis player Mardy Fish is the defending champion.
Boat access to Edgewood Tahoe
Boats congregate along the shore at holes No. 17 and No. 18. Passengers can get on the beach at both; No. 17 in particular is known for its raucous atmosphere.
But you can’t get onto the rest of the golf course from the shore unless you have a ticket. The earlier you get there, the closer to shore you can get. The area fills up with hundreds of boats by late morning, especially on Friday and Saturday.
Weather forecast
Temperatures are forecast to be in the low to mid 80s Wednesday-Sunday, but the sun is intense due to Tahoe’s high elevation (6,225 feet above sea level). Wear sunscreen.
More numbers
- $150,000 – First-place prize
- $8 million plus – Charitable donations through the years to national and local nonprofits
- 83 – Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course ranking in Golf Digest’s Top 100
- 77,049 – attendance at 2024 American Century Championship
- 12% – Increase in ticket sales as of July 1, 2025, compared with that date last year
- 400-plus – Volunteers who make the tournament possible
On TV
American Century Championship Tournament Airtimes
- Friday, July 11: Peacock, 1-3 p.m. (Live)
- Friday, July 11: GOLF Channel 5-7 p.m. (tape delay)
- Saturday, July 12: NBC, Peacock 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m. (Live)
- Sunday, July 13: NBC, Peacock 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m. (Live)
Scoring
The tournament will be scored using a modified Stableford format, which encourages more aggressive play. The format awards points per hole as follows: double-eagle: 10, hole-in-one: 8, eagle: 6, birdie: 3, par: 1, bogey: 0, double bogey: minus 2.
Elite duo
Jim McMahon and Jack Wagner have played in all 35 previous events and will be back for the 36th.
Prize money
The total purse is $750,000 with the winner taking home $150,000. Second place picks up $70,000 and third place earns $40,000.
