SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Nev. — Carolina Panthers wide receiver Adam Thielen took a one-point lead over playing partner Mardy Fish on Friday after the first round of the American Century Championship.
Thielen had an eagle and three birdies at Edgewood Tahoe in a 24-point round under the modified Stableford scoring system. Players receive a point for par, three for birdie and six for eagle, and two points are deducted for double bogey or worse.
“It makes it easy playing with a guy like this that is so consistent and good tempo, makes good shots all day,” Thielen said about Fish, a former tennis player. “So definitely helped me with my mindset and just kind of sticking with it.”
NHL player Joe Pavelski and former major league pitcher Derek Lowe were tied for third with 21 points, followed by Dell Curry and Mark Mulder at 19. John Smoltz was alone in seventh with 18, and LPGA Tour great Annika Sorenstam had a 17-point round.
Charles Barkley had two front-nine birdies in a three-point round — the first time in tournament history that he has had positive points. The former NBA star was tied for 48th.
“I had a great time,” Barkley said. “It’s the best I’ve ever probably played anywhere, probably. But I played really well. I was really confident. I played great today, and I’m really looking forward to the next couple days.”
Former NFL wide receiver Tim Brown won a $250,000 MasterCraft X24 boat with a hole-in-one on the 143-yard, par-3 12th. He used a 9-iron.
“I didn’t even know about the boat,” Brown said. “I saw the boat there, and [playing partner] Marcus Allen said, ‘Man, you just won a boat!’ I was like, ‘What?’ We really went crazy after that, getting up on the boat, dancing, doing the whole thing. It was a great moment.”
Brown was in the group with 17 points.
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