Colin Jost’s Almost Magic Shot at the Celebrity Golf Tournament

What’s Happening in Lake Tahoe?

The American Century Championship is a golf tournament happening in Lake Tahoe. Some well-known people (like sports stars and actors) are playing and are near the top of the competition. But a bit lower on the scoreboard, a famous person almost did something super cool on Saturday.

Colin Jost’s Almost Perfect Shot

Colin Jost is an actor and comedian. He is 44 years old and married to actress Scarlett Johansson. On Saturday, he played golf starting at the 10th hole and later got to the 17th hole. This hole is a par-3 (that means a good player is expected to take 3 hits to get the ball in). He hit his ball from the start (the "tee") and almost got an ace — that’s when you sink the ball in one shot! His ball stopped just an inch away from the hole (the "cup").

What he did next (step by step):

1. He threw his arms up in the air.
2. He ripped off his sunglasses.
3. He embraced the loud cheers from the crowd.

Important: Even though this was awesome, it was his best moment in the whole tournament so far.

Family Cheering Him On

This is a special week for Colin. He got his wife Scarlett and their 5-year-old son Cosmo to come watch him play this year. Before his near-ace, he shared a funny quote from Scarlett:

“Well, Scarlett was like, ‘Baby, if you’re going to win this thing, I gotta be there. Like, I gotta see the champ in action.’ Because she kind of knew this was my year,” Jost said just three minutes before his near-hole-in-one.

How Is Colin Doing Overall?

Sadly, that cool shot on the 17th was by far his best through two full rounds (that’s 36 holes of golf). He only managed two birdies (finishing a hole one shot better than expected), and both happened on Saturday. His scorecard has lots of bogeys (one shot worse than expected) and double bogeys (two shots worse). Because of that, he is out of contention (not able to win) in a stacked field (a group with many strong players).

Who Is Winning?

Right now, the leader is Mardy Fish, who already won this tournament twice (in 2020 and 2024). Close behind are past winners:

• Joe Pavelski
• Steph Curry
• Tony Romo

Also still in the game are past second-place finishers Annika Sorenstam and John Smoltz.

Summary

Colin Jost thrilled fans with a near hole-in-one at the American Century Championship, but his overall score keeps him out of the top race. Meanwhile, Mardy Fish leads a packed field of celebrities and athletes, with many past champions close behind. Colin’s family, including Scarlett Johansson and son Cosmo, were there to cheer him on.

FAQ

Q1: What is an "ace" in golf?
A1: An ace is when a player hits the ball from the start and it goes directly into the hole in just one shot. It’s also called a hole-in-one!

Q2: Who is Colin Jost?
A2: He is a 44-year-old actor and comedian, married to movie star Scarlett Johansson, and they have a 5-year-old son named Cosmo. He is playing in this celebrity golf tournament.

Q3: What do words like birdie, bogey, and double bogey mean?
A3: They are simple score tags:

• Birdie: you finished the hole using one fewer hit than the expected number (par).
• Bogey: you used one extra hit.
• Double bogey: you used two extra hits.

Q4: What does "out of contention" mean?
A4: It means a player’s score is too high (not good enough) to have a realistic chance of winning the tournament.

Q5: What is the American Century Championship?
A5: It’s a golf event in Lake Tahoe where famous folks like actors, comedians, and sports stars compete. This year, many past winners and runners-up are playing, making it a "stacked field" (very strong group).