Wagner wins celeb tourney; Sakic sinks hole-in-one
By Dan Hinxman, Reno Gazette-Journal
STATELINE – The best golfer at Edgewood Tahoe this past week didn’t play a single hole in the 22nd annual American Century Championship celebrity golf tournament.
But he did play a major role.
PGA Tour player David Berganio Jr., caddied for longtime friend Jack Wagner, and when Wagner’s big lead began to evaporate Sunday, Berganio helped steer him to victory.
Jack Wagner
“It’s a combination of friendship and a pro going, you know, ‘Hey, dude, work through this. You gotta work through this,’” Wagner said after eking out a three-point win over Romo. “’You’re as good or better than anyone else out here on the greens. You’re the best putter by far in the tournament. Knock it in.’ …
“Today I stayed pretty positive. That’s a lot to do with David, by the way.”
Wagner, who led throughout the tournament, had a 10-point lead through the first nine holes over playing partner Tony Romo, but Romo’s six-point eagle on No. 11 closed the gap.
By the time the two reached the par-3 17th, Wagner’s lead was down to two. He sank a 10-footer for birdie right after Romo missed his 12-foot birdie try, and then both players hit their second shot on 18 into Lake Laimbeer. Romo needed to make about a 30-footer to force Wagner to get up and down in three shots, but he missed and Wagner claimed his second ACC title in five years.
It put the finishing touches on a day of quality golf, with Wagner shooting a three-under 69 and Romo shooting a 66. Wagner finished with 80 points, the second-highest total in the tournament’s modified Stableford scoring history (since 2003).
Wagner also became the first golfer since 2003 to go wire-to-wire, capturing the $125,000 check as the tournament celebrated a record weeklong crowd of 40,156, about 6.5 percent higher than the previous record set last year.
Wagner’s check was tiny, though, compared to the one Joe Sakic received. The retired NHL star aced the 167-yard 17th hole to win $500,000, nearly the amount of the entire purse ($600,000). The ace was worth $1 million, half of which goes to the Lance Armstrong charity, Livestrong.
