For decades, Charles Barkley’s golf swing has been the punchline of countless jokes. But this past weekend at the American Century Championship in Lake Tahoe, the NBA Hall of Famer flipped the script, delivering one of the most electrifying moments of the tournament with a stunning hole-out eagle from 88 yards.
Playing the par-4 second hole at Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course, Barkley launched a wedge shot that landed on the back of the green, spun backward, and dropped straight into the cup.
🚨⛳️🦅 #WATCH Charles Barkley holes out for eagle at the American Century Championship 🫨
— NUCLR GOLF (@NUCLRGOLF) July 11, 2025
The crowd erupted in disbelief and celebration as Barkley raised his arms in triumph.
“The crowd was going crazy. It was unbelievable,” he told NBC Sports. “I’ve been working so hard on my game… I’m really happy with today. Extremely happy”.
The shot marked the first eagle of Barkley’s career in the event and helped him post an 81, his lowest score in 30 years of competing at the celebrity tournament. He finished the first round tied for 24th out of 90 participants, a dramatic improvement from past years where he routinely placed near the bottom.
Barkley credited his longtime swing coach Stan Utley for the turnaround.
“He changed the entire dynamic of my golfing life,” Barkley said. “I’m not going to play great all the time, but I’m going to play pretty good. And I can get it around”.
Though Barkley stumbled in the final two rounds and finished 69th overall, the eagle and his career-best round were enough to silence critics and thrill fans. Even fellow competitors like Steph Curry and Joe Pavelski. who ultimately won the tournament, took notice of Barkley’s improved game.
