Hall of Fame Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jerome Bettis leads current Steelers cornerback Patrick Peterson after the first round of the American Century Championship golf tournament.
Bettis finished the first day of the celebrity golf tournament with five points in the event’s modified Stableford scoring system and tied for 44th place. Bettis shot a 10-over-par 82 in the first day of the tournament, making one birdie and 10 pars.
Bettis has been playing in the event, held at Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course in Stateline, Nevada, for years. He finished 15th in 2020.
Peterson scored no points and finished the first day tied for 52nd in the 93-person field. He shot an 87, offsetting three birdies with five double bogies.
Bettis had 19 points and Peterson finished with eight points in 2022.
Of other Pittsburgh interest, former Pitt wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald ended the first day in 64th with -2 points. Bettis and Fitzgerald had a playful exchange before the tournament.
“I think it’s like 1-1-1 over the last three years,” Bettis said. “He’s my nemesis.”
“I’m not a rival of his, I just like beating him up on the golf course,” Fitzgerald said.”
Plum native and West Virginia alum Pat McAfee was tied for 74th at -4. Ex-Penn State kicker Robbie Gould had 13 points, tied for 20th.
RELATED: Jerome Bettis, Larry Fitzgerald Talk Trash Before Golf Tournament
Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry led the entire field after the first day with 27 points, followed by Dallas Stars forward Joe Pavelski with 23 and Anaheim Ducks winger Alex Killorn with 21.
http://www.scoring.r2it.com/golf/acc/Leaderboard.aspx
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.
Saturday’s second round and Sunday’s final round will both be broadcast on NBC (WPXI-TV locally) and Peacock, starting at 2:30 p.m.