‘I May Be Coming In With No Expectations’

Grant Hill is a rookie at this year’s American Century Championship.

The biggest celebrity and athlete golf tournament in the country — the event features over 80 personalities — is taking place for its 36th edition in Lake Tahoe this weekend. Hill is one of many NBA greats, including former winner Steph Curry and his dad Dell Curry, along with Charles Barkley and Ray Allen who will be participating in the event.

Although Hill has been playing golf for the past five or six years, he’s new to this event. The first time he watched the American Century Championship was in 1996, shortly after his NBA career began.

Hill — a basketball Hall of Famer and a two-time champion at Duke — says he’ll be a “little nervous” playing for the first time at the tournament.

“I remember the first time I watched it on TV in ’96 my fellow rookie, co Rookie of the Year, Jason Kidd, was playing in it, and that was the first time that I became aware of it,” says Hill in a one-on-one interview. “As I’ve gotten into golf in the last five-to-six years, it’s always been a dream of mine to be here and play here, and was really thrilled when I got the email invitation to come.

“I’m excited,” Hill continues. “I’m a little nervous. It’s going to be 80,000 spectators that are expected to be there this weekend. It should be a lot of fun, it’ll be more fun if I play well.”

The 52-year-old seven-time All-Star says he’s a “pretty good golfer,” but he acknowledges he doesn’t have expectations of winning the tournament his first time around.

“I’m a pretty good golfer, I’m not here with the idea of winning it,” says Hill. “That’s not my goal. I’m about a 13 handicap and just getting better and better. I’m playing probably my best golf the last two months or so. I’m new to this, but I think as a result, I’m not coming in with unrealistic expectations. I may be coming in with no expectations.”

Hill says the objective is to “play as well” as he can play and wants to familiarize himself with the course at Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course. His betting odds of winning are 250-to-1 according to Caesars Sportsbook, which is tied for the 36th-best odds. That’s not bad considering Hill has better odds than fellow NBA players Seth Curry, Vince Carter, Kyle Lowry and Barkley.

“Play as well as you can play,” says Hill of his objective entering the tournament. “Obviously, the Stableford format, you want to get points and you want pars and birdies, but bogeys is getting points too. How can I get a point every hole? Being very strategic, making good decisions, I’ve been here, I’ve played the last three days, so I’ve gotten myself familiar with the surroundings of the course.

“Just push myself,” Hill continues. “I’m competing against myself, which sounds so cliche, but it’s the truth in golf. Just keep fighting, keep pushing, keep believing and keep swinging.”

Curry — who won in 2023 but missed last year’s tournament due to his participation with Team USA — is the co-favorite to win the tournament, along with several others, including Los Angeles Lakers swingman Austin Reaves.

Hill says Curry, Reaves, Allen and former Duke Blue Devils guard Gerald Henderson are the best basketball golfers he’s ever seen and considers them to be on his Mount Rushmore.

“I’ve played with Steph, obviously, I’ve seen Steph play and win it a few years ago, the American Century Championship,'” says Hill. “Last summer, we were together with the US international team for six-and-a-half weeks on our way to Paris, and we played a couple of times in Abu Dhabi, and got a chance to watch him play. Austin Reeves, who was with the World Cup team in 23 he and I played a ton. We probably played about seven-to-eight rounds during that run. He’s really good too. Those two are really, really talented.

“And then Gerald Henderson,” Hill continues. “I haven’t seen him play, but I know he’s a new guy, but he played competitively, I think he was recruited for golf in high school, and chose basketball, He’s pretty solid as well. I know Ray Allen’s a good golfer. I put those four at the top. Those are my four on the Mount Rushmore of basketball guys who can go.”

The total purse is $750,000 for the tournament and the first-place winner will get $150,000, the most prestigious prize in celebrity golf. The first round will start today and is broadcast on NBC.

“It’s going to be fun,” says Hill. “Tell everybody to check it out. It’s a fantastic event. You got some great stars and celebrities and current and former athletic greats. It’s just a fun, fun weekend, and there’s some pretty good golf as well. It should be a lot of fun to watch the American Century Championship.”