Top celebrities to play at Lake Tahoe

Michael Jordan and Charles Barkley have agreed to play again this summer in the annual celebrity golf tournament at Lake Tahoe along with first-time players Mark McGwire, Troy Aikman and Rush Limbaugh.

Comedian Dennis Miller and actors Dennis Quaid, Craig T. Nelson and Michael O'Keefe -- who played caddy Danny Noonan in the movie Caddyshack -- are among the other celebrities debuting in the American Century Championship, July 18-20.

Tournament sponsors on Tuesday released the list of the field of 78 for the three-day tournament at Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course on the shores of Lake Tahoe in Stateline, Nev.

"This year's field is the best in the 14-year history of the tournament," said Jon Miller, senior vice president for NBC Sports, which owns the event and televises Saturday's and Sunday's rounds live.

Jason Kidd, Jerry Rice, John Elway, Mario Lemieux, Marshall Faulk, Emmitt Smith, Chris Webber, Marcus Allen, Mike Schmidt, Carlton Fisk and Ivan Lendl are among those making repeat performances

Other newcomers include NBA stars Scottie Pippin and Jerry Stackhouse, NFL standouts Sterling Sharpe and Derrick Brooks, Notre Dame football coach Tyrone Willingham, boxing champion Arturo Gatti and Olympic gold medalists Lisa Fernandez and Cammi Granato.

"We're trying to get the 78 most famous celebrities and athletes we can find who like to play golf," tourney spokesman Phil Weidinger said.

"The event is in its 14th year and it's been on network TV for a number of years, so we're starting to get more exposure," he said.

"It doesn't hurt that people see we're in one of the world's most beautiful places and they see all these people on TV having a wonderful time," he said.

Former NHL star Dan Quinn, who has claimed the $100,000 winner's check the past two years, will return this year along with ex-pitcher Rick Rhoden, who has won the tourney five times.

Others include Ray Allen, Tom Tolbert, Digger Phelps, former vice president Dan Quayle, former Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura, Corey Nakatani, Kevin Nealon, Jack Wagner, Maury Povich, Stone Phillips, Bode Miller, Johnny Mosely, Dan Jansen, Brian Urlacher, Steve Spurrier, Joe Theisman and sports columnist Michael Wilbon.

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