Celebrity chasers flock to Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course

By Kathryn Reed

STATELINE – It doesn’t matter that Jack Yoder wasn’t alive when Mike Eruzione was making a name for himself as captain of the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team. Getting the player’s autograph – again – was a dream as good as gold for the Sacramento youth.

Yoder ran under the rope as Eruzione was walking toward him on the 18th hole at Edgewood Tahoe on Thursday. Yoder learned about Eruzione’s accomplishments from his parents while attending previous American Century Celebrity Golf Tournaments.

His younger brother, Tommy, not long after, was boasting about having gotten Boston Celtic’s Ray Allen’s signature.

Action at Edgewood Tahoe on July 15 starts at 9:30am with Jim McMahon, Bode Miller and Robbie Gould teeing off. Photos/Kathryn Reed

Some people, though, don’t even know who some of the most popular celebrities are. Two girls in their late 20s asked who Michael Jordan is. The guy they were with promptly informed them Jordan “is the greatest basketball player ever.”

Someone else asked who the guy in red is. “Tim Brown – future hall of famer,” came the response from a woman walking by. The wide receiver played for the Raiders for 16 years, earning the nickname Mr. Raider.

July 14 was the celebrity-amateur round of the tournament at Stateline. People who have enough money can write a check to play with one of the celebrities. And some of them have a sense of humor.

When Brown was introducing himself to the four guys he was about to tee off with, they said something about their birthdays. Theirs, they said, was the same as Brown’s. Brown was so intrigued he turns to those he knows in the bleachers on the first hole to tell them. Then the guys start laughing and say they were kidding – they had just been reading Brown’s bio the night before.

Players participated in another “sport” between holes 17 and 18. Each was handed a bottle of Korbel Champagne, told to shake it and then see how far they could send the cork.

It’s a good thing Allen is still playing basketball. His initial attempt fizzled.

As he walked by the markers of better cork poppers, he joked, “See, those are all the alcoholics in back.”

Actor Oliver Hudson was leading at that time with about a 70-foot rip of the cork.

Several of the celebs were out on the putting green and driving range in anticipation of the real event that begins today and concludes Sunday. Based on where some of the balls were on the driving range, more practice is needed.

Each day fans are out seeking autographs. Former NBA all-star Penny Hardaway was signing whatever was put in front of him – including a basketball shoe.

Despite the high water of Lake Tahoe, plenty of boaters found a slice of beach to anchor on along the 17th hole. A bar closer to the clubhouse caters to the people on that side of the rope.

This is the third trip to the tournament for one guy from Kansas City who was with friends on a boat. He had autographs of every player from KC. He, too, is a Eruzione fan.

“I watched the 1980 Games. I cried during that game,” this grown man said. Then he smiled. “I watched (Eruzione) putt in.

“They have some of the top dogs playing here.”

ngg_shortcode_0_placeholder (Click on photos to enlarge.)