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First tee announcer brings the laughs at American Century Championship

STATELINE, Nev. – Of course, the celebrities playing at the American Century Championship provide plenty of entertainment, but one place fans are guaranteed to get a laugh is the first tee. That’s thanks to announcer Nick Casanova, who has been making fans and the celebrities themselves laugh for the past five years.

“As a leap day baby, he’s the youngest player to play in the event at 11 years old, Taylor Twellman,” was one of Casanova’s favorite announcements he wrote. It even got a laugh from Twellman himself.

Most of the fun facts are centered around the celebrities’ youth and high school sports careers, sibling rivalries or careers they’ve had outside of their known career.



Nick Casanova is the first tee announcer.
Laney Griffo / Tahoe Daily Tribune

One example Casanova gave was that he learned from reading Aaron Rodgers’ book, that Rodgers has an ancestor who was tried for witchcraft. So in Rodgers’ introduction, he said the NFLers’ quick Achilles recovery might have been because Rodgers himself is a witch.

Cassanova does all his own research for the introductions, and the celebrities don’t know what he’s going to say.



“The internet is a hell of a place,” said Casanova,

When asked what kind of feedback he gets from the celebrities, he said he tries to avoid eye contact with them. But most celebrities can be seen laughing at Casanova’s intros. And he keeps getting invited back, so he must not have offended anyone too badly.

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