​With a smooth finish on Sunday, Mardy Fish captured his third American Century Championship title. The former tennis star, who has already claimed the celebrity golf tournament in 2020 and again in 2024, closed out the event with a strong closing stretch at Edgewood Tahoe, securing the win in a year when Jannik Sinner claimed his second straight Wimbledon crown. When NBC Sports’ Jimmy Roberts asked whether Fish ever wondered what might have happened if he had chosen golf as his primary sport, Fish laughed and replied that he believes he chose well, though he is clearly hooked on golf. “No, I think I played the right sport, but I am obsessed with this game,” he said. “I do love playing. This is the best week of the year. It’s the best email of the year when you get the invite.”
Unlike his earlier wins in South Lake Tahoe, Nevada, Fish essentially secured the trophy before reaching the final hole. Joe Pavelski, aiming for a second consecutive ACC title, needed an eagle and ended up hitting his ball into the water while going for it. The pressure built for Fish on the 16th hole, where an imperfect second shot landed in a greenside bunker, but he recovered with a birdie from the bunker to hold onto a six-point lead, ultimately defeating Pavelski in the modified Stableford scoring format.
The event also featured notable results: NBA superstar Steph Curry finished third with 59 points, followed by LPGA legend Annika Sorenstam with 58, and MLB Hall of Famer John Smoltz with 55. Fish reflected on the closing moments, saying, “I figured if I didn’t go backward, I would maybe be OK. And the conditions were pretty tough here in the last couple of holes.”
This victory places Fish in a tie for fourth on the ACC all-time list, alongside Tony Romo and Mark Mulder, each with three championships. The all-time record remains with Rick Rhoden, who has eight wins, followed by Dan Quinn with five and Billy Joe Tolliver with four. In the current leaderboard, the top finishers were: Mardy Fish at 722 points, Joe Pavelski at 663, Steph Curry at 594, Annika Sorenstam at 585, John Smoltz at 556, Tony Romo at 527, Derek Lowe at 508, Taylor Twellman at 479, Matt Boldy at 431, and Dwight Freeney at 42. This result adds another chapter to Fish’s storied multi-sport career and keeps his legacy as a three-time ACC champion intact.