STATELINE, Nevada – If it’s an act, The Miz does not get out of character very often.
The Miz, a WWE pro wrestler, will combine the showmanship of that sport with the usually more staid environment on the golf course.
But the celebrity golf tournament at Edgewood Tahoe is not known for being quiet, nor staid. It’s often a raucous affair, fueled by at least a little alcohol and a party-type atmosphere along the beaches and fairways.
The American Century Championship celebrity golf tournament is July 6-10 at Edgewood Tahoe.
The only time Miz, whose given name is Michael Mizanin, does get a little more sedate (at least at the media day event on Wednesday), is when he talks about his two young daughters, ages 4 and 2 1/2. He also recalls how some of his fondest memories are from going golfing with his father around Cleveland.
They would go play golf every Sunday.
“Some of those are the best times that I can remember with my dad, and that’s what I want to bring up my girls with,” Miz said.
This will be his first time in the ACC. And he is confident, to an extent, guaranteeing he will win, then asking Charles Barkley for advice.
Miz has 1,000-1 odds to win, compared to favorite Tony Romo at 11-4 and defending champion Vinny Del Negro at 9-2 and Mardy Fish, the 20202 champion, at 3-1.
Barkley, who is at 7,500-1 to win, told Miz to just have fun.
“It’s going to be the most fun week of your life. Everybody’s awesome,” Barkley said. “We used to have a couple of jackasses, they thought it was Game 7, thought they went WrestleMania. And the other guys are there just to have fun and we kicked them out of the tournament. So just come and have fun. It’s going to be an awesome week. The weather’s always perfect. But just come and have fun.”
Miz asked if Barkley had ever thought he could win the ACC.
“No, I’ve never been that drunk, Miz. I’ve never been,” Barkley said.
Miz answered that despite a terrible round Wednesday, he still thinks he can win the ACC.
“In my head there’s something wrong with me when I literally think I can win this whole tournament. No doubt in my mind. Even though I played like crap out there today,” Miz said.
Spectators sometimes get hit with errant shots in the tournament and Barkley said that is sobering for the golfer.
“I tell people, it’s all fun and games until after you hit the first person. And then you can barely take the club back,” he said. “You’re shaking so much standing over the ball you’re, like, ‘I’m going to hit this ball 10 yards because I don’t want to hit anybody hard again.’ But it’s stressful. It’s very stressful.”
Miz flew in to Lake Tahoe from New York about midnight on Tuesday, slept 6 hours, then was the first golfer on the course at 7:04 a.m. Wednesday for a practice round.
He admitted it was not a great round, but was ecstatic about holing out from the bunker on the par-3 hole No. 17, for a birdie there.
It was his first time at Lake Tahoe, but he has watched the tournament on TV.
He said the field has a mix of contenders, people who can actually win it, and celebrities who are just there to have fun and entertain the crowd.
He puts himself in both categories.
“I feel like I’m a contender, and I’m definitely going to entertain,” he said.
He plays golf often as he travels around the country for his WWE shows. There is a WWE Smackdown show in Reno that he won’t participate in, because it’s on the final day of the ACC, July 10.
“Whenever we’re on the road, I’ll try to find a golf course. I’ll bring my clubs,” he said.
He said playing golf helps him get his brain relaxed and puts him in a good state of mind.
He looks forward to playing the rowdy hole No. 17 during the tournament.
“I plan on getting a hole-in-one. You can write that down,” he said.
He also looks forward to the trash-talking and exchanging barbs with his competitors during the ACC.
“It’s always trash-talking, are you kidding me. That’s all I do. All I do is talk, my gums just go,” he said, only slightly exaggerating.
He has been in the WWE for 18 years and said performing in front of those crowds should help his nerves at Edgewood.
“Every time I go out I get nervous, but that’s where my adrenaline comes in,” he said. “I feed off the nerves.”
He is proud to boast that the WWE does not have an offseason and he is out performing year-round, while pointing out that every other sport does have an off-season.
His wife Maryse is also in the entertainment field, and they have rented a house for the week of the ACC to show their daughters Lake Tahoe.
Jim Krajewski covers high school and youth sports for the Reno Gazette Journal. Follow him on Twitter @RGJPreps.