Handicaps of the Stars: How celebs, athletes’ games stack up at the American Century

Celebrities: they’re just like us! A lot of them play golf, with varying degrees of success. And a lot of them keep handicaps, with varying degrees of accuracy.

This week, an eclectic carnival of golf-loving actors, athletes and other A-listers parade before the public at the American Century Championship at Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course in Stateline, Nev.

In advance of the modified-Stableford competition, which wraps up Sunday afternoon, here’s a look at every player in the field’s (reported) handicap.

American Century Championship celebrity handicaps

Marcus Allen – 8
Ray Allen – 0.3
Saul “Canelo” Alvarez – 13
Bret Baier – 2.1
Charles Barkley – ?

Once known for a swing that looked more like a spasm, Charles Barkley has been rounding his game into shape under the tutelage of instructor Stan Utley. Exactly how good he’s gotten is difficult to say, as Barkley’s handicap is not listed. But bookmakers aren’t bullish on him. Sir Charles enters Tahoe at 7,500-1 to win, the longest odds of any player in the field.

Brian Baumgartner – 9.2
Jerome Bettis – 8
Jay Bilas – 6.7
Chauncey Billups – 12
Joe Buck – 5
Reggie Bush – 18
Derek Carr – 4
Vince Carter – 9
Roger Clemens – 6
Dell Curry – 1.7
Seth Curry – 1
Stephen Curry – +1

In spikes, as in sneakers, Stephen Curry has a knack for knocking down bombs. He’s not bad from tee to green either. In the last two iterations of the Tahoe event, Curry has finished 7th and 4th.

Terrell Davis – 14
Vinny Del Negro – 2
Jay DeMarcus – 13.5
Kira K. Dixon – 12.2
Dylan Dreyer – 24
Mardy Fish – +2
Larry Fitzgerald Jr. – 4.9
Ryan Fitzpatrick – 12
Doug Flutie – 14
Kyle Fuller – 5
Tom Glavine – 3
Robbie Gould – 5
Greg Maddux – 4
AJ Hawk – 12
Travis Kelce – 14
Brian Kelly – 13.6
Derek Lowe – 1
Kyle Lowry – 10
Patrick Mahomes – 7.7

Breaking 80 is a great round for the Kansas City Chief wunderkind QB, a relative newbie to the game who hits the ball a long way with a gentle fade. Something to watch is whether Mahomes will strike a tee shot that connects accidentally with his Chiefs teammate, tight end Travis Kelce, who is also in the field.

Joe Mauer – 6
Brian McCann – 3.5
Sean McDermott – 20
James McMahon – 9.2
Al Michaels – 16.4

Do you believe in miracles? It would take one for the famed broadcaster to be in the hunt.

Kevin Millar – 5
Mike Modano – 0
Mark Mulder – 0.5
Matt Nagy – 14
Kevin Nealon – 19
John O’Hurley – 11.5
TJ Oshie – 1
Carson Palmer – 4
Joe Pavelski – 1
Sean Payton – 14
Doug Pederson – 8
Michael Pena – 4.8
Patrick Peterson – 4
Dan Quayle – 11.3
Alfonso Ribeiro – 2.6
Jerry Rice – 1.4
Rob Riggle – 10
Aaron Rodgers – 5
Jimmy Rollins II – 13
Ray Romano – 14

Not everyone loves Raymond’s swing, not even Raymond. “I play tons of golf,” Romano told GOLF.com in a 2017 interview. “And I still pretty much stink.” Little suggests that much has changed.

Tony Romo – +1.8

The quarterback-turned-commentator is the odds-on Vegas favorite, listed at 3-2 in the event. And why not? He has won this tournament twice, in 2018 and 2019, and has cut his teeth in four PGA Tour events.

Joe Don Rooney – 8
Kyle Rudolph – 13
CC Sabathia – 26
Bret Saberhagen – 3.3
Sterling Sharpe – 2
Alex Smith – 6
Emmitt Smith – 12
John Smoltz – +1

Tiger Woods once praised Smoltz as having the finest swing he’d ever seen from an amateur. Hyperbole? Perhaps. But this season alone, Smoltz has competed in four PGA Tour Champions events, most recently the American Family Insurance Open in June, where he finished 79th, three shots clear of two-time U.S. Open champ Andy North.

Annika Sorenstam – 0

The 10-time major champion and World Golf Hall of Famer has made multiple American Century appearances, her best showing coming in her 2014 Tahoe debut, when she finished in a tie for second behind former NFL quarterback Mark Rypien. This will be Sorenstam’s final tournament before she pegs it at the U.S. Senior Women’s Open in July.

Michael Strahan – 7
Golden Tate – 6
Larry the Cable Guy – 10.3

According to a swing analysis by Peter Kostis, the Cable Guy needs work on his lower-body action. According to the Cable Guy himself, his real problem is keeping his belly from popping out from underneath his shirt.

Joe Theismann – 5.4
Adam Thielen – .7
Justin Timberlake – 4.3

Tournament organizers in Tahoe have yet to receive an official handicap filing from the pop star. But Timberlake is listed as a 4.3 at Lakeside Golf Club, in Burbank, Calif., one of the clubs to which he belongs. Like a tune sung in falsetto, that number sounds a bit high, at least according to one GOLF Magazine reporter, who accompanied JT on a round and says that he would peg Timberlake at closer to a 1 or 2.

Justin Tuck – 11
Brian Urlacher – 3.2
Chase Utley – 8
Shane Victorino – 13
Mike Vrabel – 13
Jack Wagner – 0
Tim Wakefield – 1
DeMarcus Ware – 21
David Wells – 8
Andrew Whitworth – 3.7
Kyle Williams – 0
Charles Woodson – 13.6
Steve Young – 15