Brian Baumgartner holds the key to enjoying celebrity golf: 'I know I'm not going to win'
Part of the appeal of the celebrity golf tournament every summer is watching professional athletes and performers get humbled on the golf course.
Brian Baumgartner epitomizes that.
Baumgartner, who starred in the TV show 'The Office' for nine seasons, was at Edgewood Tahoe on Tuesday to help promote the 36th American Century Championship celebrity golf tournament, set for July 11-13.
Baumgarter has played the event 18 times, with his best finish being 30th place in 2020, the year no spectators were allowed due to the pandemic.
Baumgartner proudly brought up that 30th place finish several times Tuesday while enduring numerous media interviews over several hours.
'For myself, there is the idea of an ordinary guy, an 'every-man' guy who maybe a few times a round hits a really great shot that makes people feel like they're a part of this too,' Baumgartner said. 'Not that I'm putting myself as the representative for everybody watching.
'But I do think that's part of what makes this special. You see people who have struggled publicly with golf, like Charles (Barkley) or Larry the Cable Guy or Ray (Romano) or whoever else. I think that's part of what makes the event so spectacular.'
Defending champion Mardy Fish and 2021 ACC champion Vinny del Negro were also on hand via video, and they were quick to ramp up the banter and playful teasing with Baumgartner that usually occurs on the course.
'I don't know why they don't pair me with Mardy and Vinny in the first round every year. I think that's a mistake,' Baumgartner said, smiling. 'But at least being out here together is part of what makes it so special.'
Advice for newcomers
San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle is joining the field for the first time this summer.
Baumgartner said the main tip he would offer Kittle and all the newcomers is to realize bad shots are going to happen.
'The key to that is to let it go,' Baumgartner said. 'In golf it's very different from these other sports that a lot of them play or are known for.'
He said to just have fun and enjoy the tournament is his other bit of advice.
'On my first tee shot, I know I'm not going to win, so I'm really just trying to beat certain guys, play better than I did the year before, and compete and have a good time,' Baumgartner said.
The tournament
Spectators along the fairways each year like to call out 'Kevin,' his character's name in 'The Office.'
Baumgartner told a story about how fans were yelling 'Kevin' at him one time at Edgewood and he decided to play along when he turned around and saw who the fans were really yelling at — Kevin Nealon, walking several yards behind him.
Playing in front of the sometimes raucous galleries at Egewood, especially on holes No. 17 and No. 18, can actually help his golf game, Baumgartner said.
'On those holes where there's a lot of people, I focus in so strongly,' he said. 'And then you get out to the middle of the course, No. 3 and 4, par-5s, where there's maybe not so many people around and I kind of relax a little bit, and then things go to hell in a handbasket.'
His nerves kick in before his first tee shot each day of the tournament, mainly due to anticipation and excitement.
'If I hit a good one there, I'm pretty happy,' he said. 'The environment is so special. It truly feels like it gets bigger every year.'
Brian Baumgartner talks about the upcoming show 'The Paper,' Tuesday
Brian Baumgartner talks about the upcoming TV show 'The Paper,' Tuesday at Edgewood Tahoe during media day for the ACC celebrity golf tournament.
'The Office' spin-off
Baumgartner is excited about a new TV show debuting this fall, 'The Paper,' billed as a follow-up to 'The Office,' with some of the same producers. 'The Paper' is a mockumentary sitcom about a newspaper in Toledo, Ohio.
'It's Greg Daniels and a lot of the creative team who were involved in our show. I can't wait to watch it,' Baumgartner said. 'His showrunner, Michael Koman, is married to Elly Kemper, who was on 'The Office.' They are super smart, incredibly funny people. I'm, sure it's going to be awesome. I can't wait to watch it.'
The ACC
Daily grounds tickets and week-long grounds badges for the tournament are available online at www.eventbrite.com.
Tickets for Wednesday's and Thursday's Celebrity-Amateur play are $40 each day, with tournament rounds Friday, Saturday and Sunday at $50 daily. A grounds badge for all five days — Wednesday through Sunday — is $150.
The number of daily tickets is limited, with Friday/Saturday sellouts typical. All ticket purchases must be made online in advance — same-day tickets will not be available at the gate.
For active-duty and retired veterans, a limited supply of complimentary tickets — good for one person plus a guest on either Wednesday or Thursday — will also be available beginning April 1, two tickets maximum.
The three-day, 54-hole event includes a $750,000 purse, with $150,000 going to the winner, plus a charity component benefiting local and national nonprofits.
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