LIVESTRONG® Global Cancer Campaign Shares Center Stage with Celebrities and Athletes at American Century Championship

SOUTH SHORE, LAKE TAHOE, Nev.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The green and blue hues that dominate the color palette of the Lake Tahoe area will be joined by streaks of LIVESTRONG^® yellow at the 20^th annual American Century Championship, July 14-19 at Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course. With the Lance Armstrong Foundation (LAF) designated the official tournament charity for the fourth year in a row, the 2009 championship will help build awareness of the LIVESTRONG Global Cancer Campaign, while raising funds for the LAF.

“The American Century Championship has a long history of supporting important causes. That effort goes to the next level in 2009 as we celebrate our 20th anniversary by encouraging everyone to join in the fight against cancer.”

The global fight against cancer will share the spotlight with the most recognizable and star-studded field in celebrity golf. Returning players include Michael Jordan, Dan Marino, Charles Barkley, Tony Romo, Ben Roethlisberger, Ray Romano, Mario Lemieux, Lawrence Taylor, Dale Jarrett and Jerry Rice. They’ll be joined by tournament newcomers Matt Cassel, Ozzie Smith, Matt Leinart and Wade Phillips.

Annually, the leaderboard includes the likes of Jordan, Elway, Romo and Taylor along with previous champions like Lemieux and Rick Rhoden, who has started more than 30 PGA Champions Tour events since he turned 50 years old.

“We’re grateful to American Century Investments and NBC for their strong commitment to the Lance Armstrong Foundation as we bring the fight against cancer to the world stage through the LIVESTRONG Global Cancer Campaign,” said Doug Ulman, president and CEO of the LAF. “As the American Century Championship reaches the 20-year milestone, we’re hoping the tournament’s millions of long-time television viewers and thousands of on-site attendees will be inspired to join the LIVESTRONG army in the battle against an epidemic that claims eight million lives each year, including 560,000 people in the United States.”

The LIVESTRONG Global Cancer Campaign seeks to end the stigma associated with cancer and turn cancer victims into survivors; build an international grassroots movement that will take cancer from isolation to collaboration; and work with world leaders to transform cancer from obscurity to priority. The Campaign coincides with LAF founder Lance Armstrong’s return to cycling and will culminate with an international cancer summit in Dublin, Ireland, August 24-26.

“Collaborating with the Lance Armstrong Foundation on the 2009 tournament is a natural fit for American Century Investments, given the fact that more than 40 percent of our company profits go to fund research for the prevention and cure of gene-based diseases such as cancer,” said Jonathan Thomas, president and CEO of American Century Investments. “We’re pleased to continue the American Century Championship’s 20-year tradition of supporting worthy causes.”

American Century Investments founder Jim Stowers, Jr. and his wife, Virginia, are both cancer survivors who have committed a significant portion of their personal wealth to establish the Stowers Institute for Medical Research. The Institute conducts basic research on fundamental processes of cellular life in order to identify more effective means of preventing, treating and curing disease.

The Stowers family’s and Lance Armstrong’s valiant fight against cancer inspired American Century Investments to create the LIVESTRONG^® Portfolios, a series of tobacco-free, target-date asset allocation funds that provide investors with a convenient way to control their retirement savings. The management company of American Century Investments has made a multi-year, multi-million dollar commitment to support the Lance Armstrong Foundation.

“The Lance Armstrong Foundation will be a primary focus of the tournament this year,” said Jon Miller, executive vice president of NBC Sports. “The American Century Championship has a long history of supporting important causes. That effort goes to the next level in 2009 as we celebrate our 20^th anniversary by encouraging everyone to join in the fight against cancer.”

The 54-hole American Century Championship has been played at Edgewood Tahoe’s 6,707-yard lakeside course since its inception in 1990. Defending champion Rhoden counts 2008 as his seventh win. Past champions include Chris Chandler, Jack Wagner, Billy Joe Tolliver, Lemieux and Mark Rypien. Rhoden’s toughest competition may come from four-time winner Dan Quinn, who fell just one point shy of capturing his 5th title.

The American Century Championship will award $600,000 in prize money, with $125,000 to the winner. Scoring is based on a modified Stableford format with 10 points for a double eagle, 8 for a hole-in-one, 6 for eagle, 3 for birdie, 1 for par, 0 for bogey, and minus 2 for double-bogey or higher.

Tickets are available in advance and daily at the gate. Prices are $15 each day for the Lake Tahoe Celebrity-Amateur on Tuesday, July 14, the practice round on Wednesday, July 15, and for the American Century Celebrity-Am on Thursday, July 16 and $25 for each day of the Friday through Sunday tournament, July 17, 18 and 19. A Season Pass for $60 provides admission for all six days of the event. Children 10 and under are free with a paid adult. For tournament tickets, information and lodging packages, visit: www.tahoecelebritygolf.com.

NBC Sports will televise the second and final rounds of the tournament live on Saturday, July 18 from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. PT/ 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. ET and Sunday, July 19 from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. PT/ 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. ET. The opening round will be televised on ESPN2 on Friday, July 17.

About American Century Investments

American Century Investments is a leading privately held investment management firm, committed to delivering superior investment performance and building long-term client relationships since 1958. Serving investment professionals, institutions, corporations and individual investors, American Century Investments offers a variety of actively managed investment disciplines through an array of products including mutual funds, institutional separate accounts, commingled trusts and sub-advisory accounts. In 2009, American Century Investments was named Lipper’s Best Mutual Fund Company* in the United States.

The company's 1,300 employees serve clients from offices in New York; London; Hong Kong; Mountain View, Calif. and Kansas City, Mo. James E. Stowers Jr. founded the company and serves as co-chairman of the board. Jonathan S. Thomas is president and chief executive officer and Enrique Chang is chief investment officer. For more information, visit www.americancentury.com.

About the Lance Armstrong Foundation

The Lance Armstrong Foundation fights for the more than 28 million people around the world living with cancer today. The LAF believes there can be -- and should be -- life after cancer for more people. That’s why the LAF kicks in at the moment of diagnosis, giving people the resources and support they need to fight cancer head-on. They find innovative ways to raise awareness, fund research and end the stigma about cancer that many survivors face. The LAF connects people and communities to drive social change, and they call for state, national and world leaders to help fight this disease. Anyone anywhere can join the LAF’s fight against cancer. For more information, visit www.LIVESTRONG.org.

*The Lipper Best Large Mutual Fund Company Award annually recognizes the top fund family having at least five equity, five bond, and three mixed-asset funds. Thirty-four fund groups were considered. The award is based on risk-adjusted, consistent returns compared to peers for the 3-year period ended December 31, 2008. No other time periods were rated. Although Lipper makes reasonable efforts to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the data, the accuracy is not guaranteed by Lipper.

Due to market conditions, returns for many funds are negative. Visit americancentury.com for current performance information. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

Mutual fund investing involves market risk. Investment return and fund share value will fluctuate and it is possible to lose money by investing. Before investing, carefully consider a fund's investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses. Call 1-800-345-6488 for a prospectus containing this and other information. Read it carefully.

American Century Investment Services, Inc., has entered into an agreement with the Lance Armstrong Foundation for rights to use the LIVESTRONG name.

Target Maturity Funds are designed for people who plan to retire during or near a specific year. These funds use a strategy that reallocates equity exposure to a higher percentage of fixed investments over time. As a result, the funds become more conservative over time as you approach retirement. It’s important to remember that no strategy can assure a profit or prevent a loss in a declining market.