Here’s how Mardy Fish and Joe Pavelski responded to being deemed the Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa of celebrity golf

Here’s how Mardy Fish and Joe Pavelski responded to being deemed the Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa of celebrity golf originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Stateline, NV – The top two leaders after two rounds of the 2026 American Century Championship, former tennis star Mardy Fish and U.S. Hockey Hall of Famer Joe Pavelski, traded the lead in the celebrity golf tournament this weekend. After round one, Pavelski held a lead with 29 points. After round two, Fish had 52 points.

*The tournament uses a modified Stableford scoring system that rewards points for eagles (6), birdies (3), and pars (1). Bogeys are worth 0 points, and double bogeys or worse are minus-2 points. Players pick up their ball once they reach double bogey.*

During Saturday’s press conference, I asked the last two ACC winners (Fish in 2024, Pavelski in 2025) what they thought about their budding Mark McGwire-Sammy Sosa-esque competitive rivalry in celebrity golf.

Neither wanted to say that’s what their head-to-head competition has become. Fish gave credit to the rest of the field – which includes golf legend Annika Sorenstam right behind the two with 47 points, one behind Pavelski – but sounded like he was always watching Pavelski’s score, just as McGwire and Sosa would’ve in 1998. Pavelski thought my analogy was a funny one, but also gave a thoughtful answer.

Mardy Fish on the Sosa-McGwire comparison

“There are too many good players for that. We haven't -- it's not like it's been back and forth, back and forth. Look, there are a lot of awesome players. There are a lot of players that, more so now than I feel like in the last few years, certainly that you sort of look at when you're done with your round. I try not to look at the scoreboard too much in the first couple of rounds because it doesn't really matter,” Fish said.

“But there are more guys and gals that you'll look up and see how they're playing this year, it seems like, than maybe any other year. But probably the first one that I'll look to see how he played, if I'm not in his group, is Joe. And just to see if we're still in striking distance, because he's a phenomenal player. His game suits this golf course so well. It will be fun tomorrow for sure.”

Joe Pavelski on the Sosa-McGwire comparison

“Yeah, I mean, it is a funny analogy. The best home run hitters ever, just about. And you and me. Trying to break par. He made the perfect comment as far as like round's over and I'm checking to see what Mardy did,” Pavelski said.

“Tomorrow we're going to be kind of keeping an eye on Steph, making sure he's not going off. There are some good players out there, and you can see it. You can get it going out there. If you get confidence with that putter, you're going to get plenty of looks, if you're hitting it well. There's a lot that can happen tomorrow.”

Here’s where you can catch the last round of the 2026 ACC

The 2026 American Century Championship’s conclusion airs on NBC, the NBC Sports Network, and Peacock on Sunday.