Jim McMahon Enjoys a Better Outlook Despite Poor Play at American Century Championship

South Shore, Lake Tahoe, Nev. – Jim McMahon has known his share of painful injuries during his days as a Pro Bowl quarterback in the NFL. Those injuries left the iconic quarterback struggling with knee injuries, hip injuries and arthritis throughout his body.

He also suffered with lower back pain during play this weekend that caused him to give ground in his final two rounds at the American Century Championship. He started with two birdies and a respectable 15 points on Friday. But he gave most of those points back with a couple of poor rounds on the weekend.

The event uses a modified Stableford format that awards graduated points for pars or better. Two points are subtracted for a double bogey or worse.

But there was some great news since last summer for the hard-nosed quarterback that led the Chicago Bears to the 1986 Super Bowl title.

He had been diagnosed with the onset of dementia and endured headaches so painful that all he could do was lie in his dark bedroom to ease the pain.

“I was spending a lot of time in my bedroom, laying in the dark, said McMahon as he was receiving treatment on his lower back. “ The only time I felt halfway decent was lying down. When you lay down the pressure kind of came off the vertebra and it released some of the fluid.

But last November, McMahon found a doctor in New York City, who found that McMahon’s problem was caused by two vertebra in his neck that were twisted 22 degrees from the norm. He did not suffer from the onset of dementia.

“Those twisted vertebra were choking off my spinal cord,” said McMahon. “I got a guy who figured out how to adjust those at levels C1 and C2. He said he couldn’t reverse the damage, but he could relieve the pain.

“I went there for 10 days straight and saw him twice a day. The first time he did it he didn’t think it would hold because it had been out of whack for 20 years. Sure enough the muscles pulled it back and I couldn’t even move my head the next day. But since he did it the second time, it’s been fine as far as the headaches anyway.”

And McMahon now has a different outlook, despite his worst showing at the celebrity golf event.

“I don’t want to kill myself anymore,” said McMahon. “My head hurt so bad that I can see how these guys are killing themselves.”

But McMahon doesn’t want anyone to feel sorry for him. He didn’t hesitate when asked if all the pounding he took as a quarterback had been worth it.

“Hell yeah, he said. “I got invited here since I played. If we hadn’t won anything, I wouldn’t have gotten invited out here. I love coming here. I don’t come here to win this tournament. I’ve met some good people over the years.”

The event will be televised by NBC on Sunday from 3-6 p.m. (EDT).The winner receives $125,000 from the total purse of $600,000.

By Craig Smith, former director of media relations for the U.S. Golf Association.

Ray Allen Celebrates 38th Birthday at American Century Championship

South Shore, Lake Tahoe, Nev. – Ray Allen is celebrated as a two-time NBA champion and the all-time leader in 3-point field goals, but Saturday at the American Century Championship he was celebrated for turning 38 years old.

The long-range sharp-shooter and 10-time All-Star struggled in his second round, making just one birdie and compiling a two-round total of just 15 points in the modified Stableford format that awards points on a graduated scale for pars or better. But, he smiled and greeted fans after his round none-the-less.

“The people out here sang Happy Birthday to me all day long and it was something that I have never experienced before,” said Allen. “I have been out here for my birthday before but this crowd was bigger and larger than ever before.”

The warm reception, however, only masked the disappointment in his game that came from being exhausted after a demanding 7-game NBA Championship Series against the San Antonio Spurs. Allen continued mightily with clutch 3-pointers again and again.

A year ago, Allen withdrew after a tiring season with the Boston Celtics, where he won his first NBA title in 2008. But, he couldn’t stay away in 2013, making this his 10^th American Century Championship.

“I’m completely exhausted,” admitted Allen. “But if I’m not with my family, I couldn’t be in a better place.

“I love playing golf and it’s everything I do when I’m not playing basketball. It keeps me in tune with my body. I make sure I get rest when I have that early tee time; it gives me structure, and it’s helped me improve my basketball game.”

But in a light moment earlier in the week when the much younger long-range bomber Stephen Curry pressed Allen for a few insider secrets to his longevity and accomplishment, Allen told Curry only what he already knew.

“I told him just to take care of his body,” said Curry, as he headed off to yet another scheduled appointment that comes when you win an NBA title.

The 24^th American Century Championship continues through the weekend with television coverage by NBC on Saturday and Sunday from 3-6 p.m. (EDT).

By Craig Smith, former director of media relations for the U.S. Golf Association.

Stephen Curry Takes 36-Hole Lead at the American Century Championship

South Shore, Lake Tahoe, Nev. – Stephen Curry, the four-year NBA sharp-shooter with the Golden State Warriors, made four birdies over the last eight holes Saturday to take the 36-hole lead by a point at the American Century Championship.

Curry has 47 total points in the modified Stableford format that awards graduated points for pars or better, while former NHL standout Jerome Roenick and former NFL quarterback Chris Chandler have 46 points.

“Considering the circumstances, this is the best I have ever played,” said Curry, who doesn’t play at all during the NBA season. “That’s pretty crazy. I didn’t expert that coming in.”

Curry made four birdies in a six-hole stretch from holes 11 through 16, but lost his momentum with bogies on holes 17 and 18. Overall, he had five birdies and three bogey for a real score of 2-under-par 70.

Chandler, a past champion, had 22 points in his second round, but felt he wasn’t as consistent as he needed to be.

“I fell asleep again from holes six through eight, just like yesterday,” said Chandler, who bogeyed all three of the holes. “But all in all, I hit the ball well today and hopefully, I can run a few putts in on Sunday.”

First-round leader Mark Rypien has 45 points and past champion Billy Joe Tolliver has 42 points heading into Sunday. Rypien led after the first day with 27 points, while Curry, who also played in this event in 2010, had 22 points after the first round.

The event will be televised by NBC on Sunday from 3-6 p.m. (EDT).The winner receives $125,000 from the total purse of $600,000.

By Craig Smith, former director of media relations for the U.S. Golf Association.

Mark Rypien Holds First-Round Lead by Two Points at the American Century Championship

South Shore, Lake Tahoe, Nev. – Former NFL quarterback Mark Rypien used an eagle and three birdies in his round Friday to hold the 18-hole lead by two points at the 2013 American Century Championship at Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course.

Rypien finished with 27 points while actor Lucas Black scored 25 points and former NFL quarterback Chris Chandler totaled 24. The 54-hole event, now in its 24^th year, uses a modified Stableford scoring system that awards graduated points for pars or better.

Rypien won the inaugural event in 1990 and finished second a year ago and he has eight top-10 finishes in 21 starts.

“I got it going on my first nine holes and scored 19 points on that side (holes 10-18), by far my best in all the years I have played here,” said Rypien. “The fountain of youth is not in my favor, but I think I am playing better golf now than when I first came out here.”

Rypien’s round was buoyed by an eagle 3 on the par-5 16^th hole where he hit a hybrid club to 8 feet and made the putt.

Black had his best round in three years at the event, shooting a 1-under-par 71. Chandler led for a time on the second nine before making a double bogey on his second to last hole (the 8^th)

Defending champion Dan Quinn, a five-time winner and former NHL star, struggled with only 13 points and last year’s runner-up Jack Wagner finished with only 10 points.

The event will be televised by NBC on Saturday and Sunday from 3-6 p.m. (EDT).

By Craig Smith, former director of media relations for the U.S. Golf Association.

Olympic Swimmer Michael Phelps Prepares for his First American Century Championship

South Shore, Lake Tahoe, Nev. – Michael Phelps stood on the tee at the par-3 164-yard seventh hole during Thursday’s practice round at the Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course and came up well short with his tee ball.

It didn’t matter. The large crowd cheered and chanted USA in recognition of the 18-time Olympic gold medal winner who is playing in his first American Century Championship, beginning Thursday.

“This is brutal,” said Phelps, who carries about an 18 handicap but has carded a few good rounds in the mid-80s this year. “I don’t understand how it can be that hard to hit this little tiny white ball and hit it straight every time. But, it just doesn’t happen for me.

“It’s been an eye-opening experience for me because I’ve usually been able to pick everything up fairly quickly. I have a goal of being a low handicap golfer. But for me to do that it’s going to take some time and it’s going to take a lot of frustration. But I’m going to stay with it”

And he is getting the help of famed teacher Hank Haney, who has instructed some of the world’s best, including 14-time major golf championship winner Tiger Woods.

In between shots, Phelps took time to tape a commercial for the U.S. Golf Association campaign against slow play and reiterated that he has no plans to swim competitively again.

“There are no plans to head back to swim at Rio (in 2016),” said Phelps. “I did everything that I really wanted to do and that’s how I wanted to hang my suit up when I retired. I now enjoy just kind of being on my own schedule and being able to play golf whenever I and being able to travel whenever I want.”

The event will be televised by NBC Sports Network from 4-7 p.m. (EDT) on Friday and by NBC on Saturday and Sunday from 3-6 p.m. (EDT).

By Craig Smith, former director of media relations for the U.S. Golf Association.

Dan Quinn Hopes to Defend his Title at 2013 American Century Championship With Improved Game

South Shore, Lake Tahoe, Nev. – Defending champion Dan Quinn won his fifth title at the American Century Championship at Edgewater Tahoe Golf Course last year, but he shared the spotlight during the week with professional golfer and friend Ernie Els, for whom he caddies part-time on the PGA Tour.

Els won the 2012 British Open several hours before Quinn, a former NHL star, held off former quarterback Mark Rypien, 66-60, in a Stableford scoring system that awards graduated points for pars or better.

“My game’s a little bit better than last year,” said Quinn, who arrived in Tahoe early in the week in order to get adjusted to the time difference. “I didn’t play real well last year, but I just ended up winning because I putted well on Sunday.”

Another favorite in the field is actor/singer Jack Wagner, who won the 2011 title

Wagner is one of four golfers who have played in all previous 23 events. The others are former NFL quarterbacks John Elway and Jim McMahon, and former hockey player, Mike Eruzione.

There are 14 celebrity newcomers to the event, including 18-time Olympic gold medal swimmer Michael Phelps. But, the all-time favorite celebrity playing on the 6,875-yard layout is Charles Barkley, who has played all but one year since 1993.

The event will be televised by NBC Sports Network from 4-7 p.m. (EDT) on Friday and by NBC on Saturday and Sunday from 3-6 p.m. (EDT).

By Craig Smith, former director of media relations for the U.S. Golf Association.

Dan Quinn Storms Back In Final Round To Win His Fifth American Century Championship

Stateline, Nev. – Dan Quinn birdied three of his first seven holes Sunday to pull ahead and then stretched his lead on the back nine to earn a six-point victory over former NFL quarterback Mark Rypien in the American Century Championship at Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course.

Quinn finished with 66 points. Rypien was second with 60 points and Hall of Fame quarterback John Elway finished third with 59 points. It was the fourth win at the event for Quinn, a former NHL star who will caddie for Ernie Els at next week’s Canadian Open. Els won the British Open earlier in the day.

Quinn, who collected $125,000 from a total purse of $600,000, started the day three points behind second-round leader Rypien, who had 43 points after 54 holes. The event uses a Stableford scoring system that awards graduated points for pars or better.

Billy Joe Tolliver finished fourth with 58 points; Romo was fifth with 56 points, and Joe Theismann was sixth with 53 points. Former MLB pitcher Mark Mulder, who shared the first-round lead with defending champion Jack Wagner, finished in seventh place with 52 points. Wagner slipped to eighth place with 51 points.

At the half-way point, Quinn held a 52-50 lead over Rypien. The former hockey player birdied the par-4 11^th to move in front by four points over Rypien and five points over Romo with three good scoring holes remaining; especially the par-5 16^th and 18^th.

Quinn then made a 25-footer for birdie on 16 to close the door on his challengers.

“My thought was just to get that putt to the hole,” said Quinn. “When I made it I thought, ‘Unless I did something crazy I looked pretty solid.’”

Romo failed to birdie the 16^th and then took a double bogey on the final hole to lose two points.

“I just need to compete more,” said Romo, who heads to training camp next week. “I don’t play enough to compete in a three or four-day event. Golf is a tough game.”

 “I’m lucky to be in the position I am in,” said Quinn after Saturday’s second round. “I think it will be decided on the last three holes and that’s exactly what NBC wants.”

He was wrong. Quinn salted the win away long before that.

By Craig Smith, former director of media relations for the U.S. Golf Association.