(South Lake Tahoe Calif./Nev.) – The American Century Championship, celebrating 25 years as the No. 1 celebrity sports event in the USA, returns to Tahoe South, July 15-20, 2014, with a star-studded line-up of sports and entertainment celebrities. Fans will see Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry, Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, World Champion Miami Heat guard Ray Allen,  Olympic gold medalist Bode Miller, comedian Larry the Cable Guy and dozens of NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL Hall of Famers. (www.TahoeCelebrityGolf.com)

More than 80 sports legends and entertainment personalities will usher in the American Century Championship’s silver anniversary at Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course with the winner claiming $125,000 of the $600,000 purse.

Early commitments for the championship include NFL Hall of Famers Steve Young, Jerry Rice and John Elway; current Kansas City Chiefs and former 49ers quarterback Alex Smith; former major league All-Star Chipper Jones; actor-comedian Kevin Nealon; NASCAR drivers Denny Hamlin and Michael Waltrip; and Bush Center Wounded Warrior Champion Chad Pfeifer.

First-timers include Golf Channel’s Morning Drive show host Holly Sonders; actor-comedian Rob Riggle of The Daily Show and SaturdayNight Live, Alan Thicke of Unusually Thicke and Growing Pains fame; NCAA Champion University of Connecticut basketball coach Geno Auriemma; former NY Yankees catcher Jorge Posada and NFL Hall of Fame defensive tackle John Randle.

NBC Sports and NBC Sports Network will televise the tournament live as follows:

A re-air of the broadcasts on the Golf Channel will be announced soon.

NFL participants include Hall of Fame running backs Emmitt Smith, Marcus Allen, Marshall Faulk; former All-Pros Jerome Bettis, Tim Brown, John Lynch; and current starts Jared Allen of the Chicago Bears, Jason Witten of the Dallas Cowboys, Oakland Raiders kicker Sebastian Janikowski.

The NBA will be represented by five-time NBA champion and coveted coaching candidate Steve Kerr, Brooklyn Nets head coach Jason Kidd and former Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Clippers coach Vinny Del Negro.

Hockey checks in with All-Star goalie Martin Brodeur, Joe Sakic, Hall of Famer and $1 million 2011 tournament hole-in-one winner; former NHL All-Star center Jeremy Roenick, and 1980 Olympic Gold Medal winner and team captain Mike Eruzione.

Major League Baseball greats to appear include Hall of Famers Greg Maddux and Ozzie Smith; future HOF third baseman Chipper Jones; former All-Stars Vince Coleman, Kenny Lofton, Fred McGriff, David Justice, Tino Martinez and Kevin Millar; pitchers Tim Wakefield, Bret Saberhagen and Derek Lowe.

Elway, Wagner, Eruzione and Chicago Bears’ Super Bowl-winning quarterback Jim McMahon return as the four who’ve played all 25 years.

Tournament scoring is based on a modified Stableford format with 10 points for a double eagle, 8 for a hole-in-one, 6 for eagle, 3 for birdie, 1 for par, 0 for bogey, and minus 2 for double-bogey or higher. The 54-hole tournament has been played at Edgewood Tahoe’s 6,707-yard lakeside course since its inception in 1990. Inaugural American Century Championship winner Mark Rypien, a two-time NFL pro quarterback, will return to Edgewood Tahoe for the 25th anniversary with hopes of repeating his victory. Other returning champions include Hollywood actor Jack Wagner, a two-time American Century Championship winner, and eight-time winner Rick Rhoden.

Tournament title sponsor American Century Investments is a leading, privately-controlled investment management firm serving professionals, institutions, corporations and individuals. Through its ownership structure, more than 40 percent of company profits support research to help find cures for genetically-based diseases including cancer, diabetes and dementia.

In honor of American Century Investments Founder James Stowers Jr., an investment management innovator and philanthropist who recently passed away at the age of 90, the official national beneficiary of the 2014 tournament is the Stowers Institute for Medical Research (http://www.stowers.org/). The Institute is a 550-person, basic biomedical research organization focused on improving our understanding of fundamental biological processes and using this knowledge to guide the development of innovative approaches to treat, diagnose and prevent disease.   The Stowers Institute for Medical Research was established in 1994 through the extraordinary generosity of cancer survivors Mr. Stowers and his wife, Virginia, who dedicated their personal fortune to improving human health through basic research.  Each year, more than 40 percent of American Century Investments’ profits are distributed to the Institute. Total dividend payments since 2000 now exceed $1 billion.

Season Passes and daily tickets are currently available online at www.TahoeSouth.com and www.TahoeCelebrityGolf.com. Season passes are $50 through May 31; beginning June 1, it’s $60. Tickets are $15 each day for the Lake Tahoe Celebrity-Amateur on Tuesday, July 16; practice round on Wednesday, July 17; and the American Century Celebrity-Am on Thursday, July 18; and $25 for each tournament round,Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Kids 10 and under receive free admission – limit two — when accompanied by a paying adult.

Discounted Daily Tickets will be available beginning June 1 at 127 Raley’s, Bel Air or Nob Hill Foods locations throughout Northern California and Nevada. Tickets are $12 (regularly $15) for access Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, and $22 (regularly $25) for Friday, Saturday andSunday tournament action or $18 with a grocery purchase of $50 or more for up to four tickets.

The tournament is also offering complimentary tickets for all military. All active duty, reservists, National Guard and veterans can receive two complimentary tickets, including one for a guest  each day of the tournament. All service men and women who would like to attend must apply at https://americancenturychampionship.sheerid.com/ to redeem the special offer. At the events, participants must show photo ID along with the ticket voucher at tournament gates to receive the complimentary ticket(s).

The American Century Championship has a history of promoting and fundraising for military and first responder causes. In 2002, following the terrorist attacks of September 11, three New York City firemen who had worked tirelessly at Ground Zero were added to the celebrity field and the tournament raised over $150,000 for the Uniformed Firefighters Scholarship Fund to aid the children of those lost in that tragedy. In 2003-4 Mark Cuban’s Fallen Patriot Fund was the tournament’s charity beneficiary and $1.5 million was raised to aid military veterans with extraordinary needs upon returning home from fighting for America’s freedom.

For the latest details, photos, celebrity tweets and fan contests go to @ACChampionship on Twitter and Instagram andfacebook.com/LTCelebrityGolf. For tournament information: www.TahoeCelebrityGolf.com.

For real time updates on events, promotions, packages, conditions and events in South Lake Tahoe, visit The Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority on Facebook: www.facebook.com/TahoeSouth, Twitter: www.twitter.com/SouthShoreTahoe and YouTube: www.youtube.com/LTVA. For information about Lake Tahoe South Shore, call 1-800-AT-TAHOE (1-800-288-2463) or visit www.tahoesouth.com.