Steph Curry leads America Century Championship

STATELINE, Nevada — Buoyed by a hole-in-one on No. 7, Steph Curry finds himself in an unusual spot on the golf course.

Curry, the Golden State Warriors All-Star guard will head into the final round Sunday at the 2023 America Century Championship in the lead with 50 points, ahead of both Mardy Fish and Joe Pavelski, who have each 47. This is the first time Curry has had the lead after two rounds of the event.

Curry’s ace on the 152-yard hole No. 7 was his second ever and the first in a tournament. After he saw his ball fall in the cup Curry threw down his hat and ran down the fairway with his arms widespread. It was the first ace on No. 7 in the 34-year history of the tournament, and fifth overall.

Players are awarded one point for pars, three points for birdies and six points for eagles. Double bogeys or worse account for two-point deductions. Curry’s ace was worth six points.

Curry said his adrenaline level is already high in the tournament and the ace just added to it.

“I’m actually glad I held it together for the most part. In the middle of the round, I had a couple of bad shots, I had a bad break on the par-3, but to come back and finish even last five holes, six holes, for me that’s the most — I guess I’m impressed with for the day after the hole-in-one because it could have gone all over the place with where my excitement level was,” Curry said.

Curry said he will draw on his basketball experience to help him Sunday.

“Just being in those situations where the stakes are high. You want something really bad and you have to kind of sleep on the thoughts that you’re having about what might happen the next day,” Curry said. “There’s a little bit of similarity, but for the most part, when I wake up in the morning, come to the course, again you have to kind of treat it like a normal round. I’m sure I’ll have some kind of anxiousness and jitters just because you’re kind of out of your comfort zone a little bit.”

Curry is proud of his run down the fairway after the ace, saying: “I just know the sprint was phenomenal. Great form. I had a couple moments to celebrate, the hat came off, the glove went off. Tried to get the crowd into it. I don’t know what my speed was, but it was up there. It…