Retired NHL forward Joe Pavelski claimed his first American Century Championship on Sunday at Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course in South Lake Tahoe, closing with a decisive eagle on the par-5 18th hole. The 41-year-old finished with 73 points under the event’s modified Stableford system, collecting 29 points in the final round to secure a wire-to-wire victory. Pavelski’s total left him nine points clear of Baseball Hall of Famer John Smoltz, who ended at 64 points. Country singer Jake Owen finished third on 62, while former U.S. soccer international Taylor Twellman placed fourth with 61. Golden State Warriors guard and 2023 champion Stephen Curry, returning after skipping last year’s tournament for the Paris Olympics, was fifth on 58 after a closing double bogey. The win delivered Pavelski $150,000 from the event’s $750,000 purse and made him the third NHL player to capture the 36-year-old celebrity tournament, which features a 90-player field drawn from sports and entertainment and is broadcast across NBC platforms. Pavelski had finished runner-up twice and third once in his previous nine appearances, finally breaking through in a week that also marked his 41st birthday and 17th wedding anniversary.