FDNY `Heroes' Join Celebs in American Century Event July 20-21 On NBC Sports; Uniformed Firefighters Scholarship Fund Gets Prize Money and More From Lake Tahoe Tourney.

Sports Editors/Golf Writers & Columnists

NEW YORK--(BW SportsWire)--June 19, 2002

In a unique 9-11 fundraising initiative, three New York City firefighters will compete among 78 sports and entertainment stars in pursuit of $500,000 in prize money at the nationally televised American Century Celebrity Golf Championship next month in South Lake Tahoe, Nev.

The three FDNY golfers will join Michael Jordan, John Elway, Emmitt Smith, Mario Lemieux, Jason Kidd, and other celebrity golfers in the 13th annual event, which will be televised live by NBC Sports on Saturday, July 20, 4-6 p.m. ET, and Sunday, July 21, 3-6 p.m. ET.

Amidst the stars from baseball, football, basketball, hockey, movies, television and politics, Kevin O'Brien, Tom McCann and Guy Warren will represent the Fire Department of New York (FDNY) as the tournament's "true heroes," donating their prize money to the Uniformed Firefighters Association Scholarship Fund (UFASF), which provides educational financial support for the families of firefighters both living and deceased.

The tournament, owned and operated by NBC Sports, will also promote awareness and raise money for the scholarship fund through several other means, including:

-- Tournament title sponsor American Century Investments will launch the
fundraising campaign at the New York City announcement with a donation of
$10,000;

-- The tournament will donate to the fund all prize money earned by its amateur
golfers;

-- A sports memorabilia auction of items donated by tournament participants
will be conducted during tournament week in Lake Tahoe;

-- NBC Sports will provide Public Service Announcements within the weekend NBC
telecasts for the FDNY and the UFASF to promote the fund;

-- The tournament will give one of the firemen the opportunity to sink a
60-foot putt for $1 million, to be donated to the Scholarship Fund. The fund
will receive a $10,000 consolation prize if the putt is missed.

"Since September 11, the outpouring of support for the brotherhood of firefighters has been enormous, but this is the first time we've been given a chance to perform, to compete, to earn our way. And that, of course, is what we are all about," said O'Brien, a member of the FDNY Special Operations Command, who was part of the search, rescue and recovery effort at Ground Zero in the days following the attack. "Somebody mentioned that with the national TV, the galleries and the prize money that there would be a lot of pressure. When we heard that, we just smiled."

"There's little question as to who the fans and television viewers will be rooting for this year," said Gordon Snyder, Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer for Kansas City-based American Century. "We are honored to have these brave firemen in the field."

"These three firefighters provide a different and poignant definition of 'celebrity golfer.' We are happy to have them represent the Fire Department of New York along with America's indispensable emergency and rescue workers," offered Jon Miller, Senior Vice President of Programming for NBC Sports.

O'Brien, a 9 handicap from Staten Island, served for 10 years as the tournament director of the firemen's Alfred E. Ronaldson Golf Tournament, which last year raised $500,000 for the families of fallen firefighters. McCann, a 6 handicap from Queens, is a 19-year fireman out of Bushwick, Brooklyn, and Midwood, Queens, who joined his brethren by spending his off-duty hours at Ground Zero for days following Sept. 11. Warren, a Lake Success resident now retired after a decorated career, ran off the golf course on that fateful day, hopped on his motorcycle and made it to Ground Zero to assist in rescue efforts before the collapse of the World Trade Center North Tower. Warren is a 4 handicap.

The star-studded tournament has become a prominent part of the professional golf landscape since its launch in 1990 because of its major celebrity participants and live, weekend television exposure on NBC. ESPN will provide two hours of coverage of Friday's opening round.

The 54-hole, stroke-play competition, featuring a $100,000 first prize, is played at the picturesque Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course in South Lake Tahoe, Nev., site of the 1985 U.S. Senior Open.