SOURCE: Lance Armstrong Foundation 20th Anniversary of Premier Event in Celebrity Golf at Edgewood Tahoe, July 14-19 LAKE TAHOE, NV–(Marketwire – May 21, 2009)
– The green and blue hues that dominate the color palette of the Lake Tahoe area will be joined by streaks of LIVESTRONG® yellow at the 20th annual American Century Championship, July 14-19 at Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course. With the Lance Armstrong Foundation (LAF) designated the official tournament charity for the fourth year in a row, the 2009 championship will help build awareness of the LIVESTRONG Global Cancer Campaign, while raising funds for the LAF. The global fight against cancer will share the spotlight with the most recognizable and star-studded field in celebrity golf. Returning players include Michael Jordan, Dan Marino, Charles Barkley, Tony Romo, Ben Roethlisberger, Ray Romano, Mario Lemieux, Lawrence Taylor, Dale Jarrett and Jerry Rice. They’ll be joined by tournament newcomers Matt Cassel, Ozzie Smith, Matt Leinart and Wade Phillips. Annually, the leaderboard includes the likes of Jordan, Elway, Romo and Taylor along with previous champions like Lemieux and Rick Rhoden, who has started more than 30 PGA Champions Tour events since he turned 50 years old. The LIVESTRONG Global Cancer Campaign seeks to end the stigma associated with cancer and turn cancer victims into survivors build an international grassroots movement that will take cancer from isolation to collaboration and work with world leaders to transform cancer from obscurity to priority. The Campaign coincides with LAF founder Lance Armstrong’s return to cycling and will culminate with an international cancer summit in Dublin, Ireland, August 24-26. “The Lance Armstrong Foundation will be a primary focus of the tournament this year,” said Jon Miller, executive vice president of NBC Sports. “The American Century Championship has a long history of supporting important causes. That effort goes to the next level in 2009 as we celebrate our 20th anniversary by encouraging everyone to join in the fight against cancer.”
The 54-hole American Century Championship has been played at Edgewood Tahoe’s 6,707-yard lakeside course since its inception in 1990. Defending champion Rhoden counts 2008 as his seventh win. Past champions include Chris Chandler, Jack Wagner, Billy Joe Tolliver, Lemieux and Mark Rypien. Rhoden’s toughest competition may come from four-time winner Dan Quinn, who fell just one point shy of capturing his 5th title.