The American Century Championship 2026 starts Wednesday, July 8, at Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course in Nevada and runs through Sunday, July 12, bringing more than 80 celebrities back to the shore of Lake Tahoe. Joe Pavelski returns as the defending champion in a field that also includes Stephen Curry and Tony Romo.
The search for this year’s title matters now because live coverage begins Friday, July 10, and the first competitive round starts at 7:45 a.m. on Peacock and NBCSN. The tournament, now in its 37th year, is built around a three-day, 54-hole competition, even though the overall schedule stretches across five calendar days with Celeb-Am and Practice Rounds on Wednesday and Thursday before the scoring rounds begin.
That opening stretch is part of what gives the event its shape. Wednesday, July 8, and Thursday, July 9, both start with Celeb-Am and Practice Rounds at 8:00 a.m., then Friday brings the American Century Championship First Round at 7:45 a.m. Saturday follows with the American Century Championship Second Round at 7:45 a.m., and Sunday closes with the American Century Championship Final Round at 7:45 a.m. before the Winner’s Trophy Presentation at 3:00 p.m. on 18 Green.
The purse adds another layer to the week. The total is $750,000, with $150,000 for the winner, $70,000 for second and $40,000 for third, a payout structure that leaves the rest of the field playing for placement, points of pride and a share of the remaining money. The event also raises money for local and national charities, which is part of why it has stayed on the calendar for so long.
What is left open is the rest of the field around Pavelski, Curry and Romo. The schedule is set, the defending champion is back and the broadcast window begins Friday, but the full list of celebrity challengers is still the detail that will decide how much attention the opening round gets. By Sunday afternoon, the title will be handed over at 18 Green, and Pavelski will either still be the name to beat or the former winner everyone is chasing.
