Tolliver wins his third title at American Century Championship
At the American Century Championship, Billy Joe Tolliver won his third title, setting a record with 84 points in the modified Stableford system at the celebrity tournament.
Tolliver said, “I told my caddie last night that I’m not straying from the game plan. I’m hitting the shots I always hit, the same club, the same everything. In this format, especially with a par-5, par-3 and par-5 finish, somebody could get 28 points if they are incredibly lucky, so I had to go make a score.”
At Edgewood Tahoe, the former NFL quarterback eagled the last hole and it had two birdies in his final round. Against the Dallas Cowboys’ quarterback Tony Romo, former Atlanta Braves’ pitcher John Smoltz, actor Jack Wagner and Hall of Fame quarterback John Elway, he finished ahead with 19 points. Tolliver won $125,000 for adding to his 1996 and 2005 titles.
The previous record of 78 was broken by Tolliver’s 84 total points. In 2007, the previous record was set by a former Atlanta Falcons’ quarterback, Chris Chandler.
Elway made double bogey on the last hole, although he had a chance to finish alone in second place. He missed his eagle putt, even though he reached the 546-yard, par-5 16th in two.
Elway said, “I played the best golf I could. I knew he was going to be tough to catch because he wasn’t going to back up as well as he’s been playing. One thing I’ve learned over time is that you can’t make too many things happen. I was just trying to make every second shot I could.”
Rick Rhoden, two-time defending champion scored 23 points to place eighth with a 58 total and rallied to finish among the top 10. In 20 appearances, it is the first time Rhoden has finished outside the top four. Scoring 23 points and finishing in a tie for 22nd, Michael Jordan scored his best round of the tournament. Charles Barkley, the left-handed golfer was not able to avoid finishing last in the 82-player field for the fifth straight year. With -93 points, Barkley concluded play, six fewer than American bobsled gold medalist Steven Holcomb.
