Joe Pavelski stood alone as the winner of the American Century Championship at Lake Tahoe on Sunday, July 13.
The former NHL star capped off his 41st birthday weekend, going wire-to-wire in the celebrity golf tournament at Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course and finishing with a total of 73 in the modified Stableford scoring system the tournament uses.
Pavelski left do no doubt, sealing his victory with an eagle on the final hole. He finished nine points ahead of Baseball Hall of Famer John Smoltz, who rallied on the final day to finish second after entering the day tied for sixth.
Pavelski entered the final round on Sunday tied for first with former soccer player Taylor Twellman. The two were even at 44 after the first two rounds. Twellman dropped off in the final round and finished fourth. Country singer Jake Owen finished third.
Other notable names in the tournament include Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry (5th place), NFL quarterback Aaron Rodgers (15th), who recently signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers, and Basketball Hall of Famer and TNT analyst Charles Barkley (69th).
Pavelski announced his retirement from the NHL on July 16, 2024, after 18 seasons, tallying 1,068 career points (476 goals, 592 assists) in 1,332 regular-season games for the Dallas Stars and San Jose Sharks.
Pavelski finished second to former tennis player Mardy Fish at Edgewood in 2024 and was third in 2023 when Curry won.
Pavelski earned $150,000 for winning the American Century Championship , which he said will likely go towards a new MasterCraft boat. This is the ninth year Pavelski has played the tournament at Edgewood; he has regularly been among the top contenders.