Former Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jerome Bettis made a big move up the leaderboard in the second round of the American Century Championship celebrity golf tournament on Saturday.
Bettis shot a 10-over 82 for five points in the tournament’s modified Stableford scoring system on Friday. But in the second round at Edgewood Tahoe South in Stateside, Nevada on Saturday, Bettis ripped a four-over 76, scoring 18 points to finish the second day with 23 and in 29th place.
Only nine players in the field had a better Saturday than the former Steelers running back and Hall of Famer. Bettis has been playing in the tournament for multiple years. He finished 15th in 2020.
Bettis enters the final day of competition on Sunday 27 points behind leader Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors, who has 50 through two rounds. Tennis star and former American Century Championship winner Mardy Fish is tied for second with NHL player Joe Pavelski. They each have 47 points.
Former Penn State kicker Robbie Gould is having the best tournament of those of local interest. He has 27 points through two rounds and entered Sunday tied for 18th place.
Steelers cornerback Patrick Peterson had a much better second day of the event. After scoring one point on Friday, he had 12 on Saturday to move into 40th place.
Pitt alum Larry Fitzgerald also rebounded from a tough Friday to put up 11 points on Saturday. He is in 48th place entering Sunday’s play.
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Plum native and West Virginia alum Pat McAfee is tied for 67th at -11.
The tournament has been played annually since 1990. Last year’s winner was former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo, his third title. Two athletes with Pittsburgh connections have won the event. Former Pittsburgh Penguins center Dan Quinn won it five times, in 1992, 2001, 2002, 2004 and 2012. Mario Lemieux won it during his first retirement in 1998.
Former MLB pitchers Mark Mulder and Rick Rhoden and NFL quarterback Billie Joe Tolliver are the other multiple-time winners.
The final round of the event on Sunday will be televised on NBC and Peacock, with WPXI-TV having local coverage starting at 2:30 p.m.