Justin Gaethje didn’t exactly deliver a knockout performance in a golf tournament this past weekend.
The former interim UFC lightweight champion finished 56th at the American Century Championship in Lake Tahoe, Nev., a celebrity competition featuring a variety of athletes, movie and television personalities, and influencers.
Across the Friday-Sunday tournament, Gaethje was paired up with the likes of golf content creator Hally Leadbetter (who finished 20th), World Series champions Kevin Millar (tied for 13th), Gary Sheffield (tied for 53rd), and Chase Utley (tied for 53rd).
The tournament was contested under a modified Stableford scoring system, which awards (or deducts) points depending on hole result (i.e. bogey, par, birdie, eagle, etc.) rather than the traditional stroke count. Gaethje was in the middle of the pack of the tournament finishing Round 1 tied for 56th, Round 2 tied for 50th, and then closing out at 56th on Sunday.
It wasn’t all bad news for Gaethje as he can proudly boast finishing higher than a number of high-profile athletes including NFL greats Emmitt Smith, Mike Vrabel, and Charles Woodson, NBA Hall of Famer and noted golf enthusiast Charles Barkley, and comedians Ray Romano, Colin Jost, and Larry The Cable Guy.
The tournament champion was 18-season NHL veteran Joe Pavelski, who finished well ahead of the pack with 73 points. In second places was Atlanta Braves legend John Smoltz with 64.
Gaethje, 36, has had plenty of time for other sporting pursuits as he awaits his next fight booking. Since defeating Rafael Fiziev at UFC 313 this past March, “The Highlight” has insisted he should be next in line to fight for the UFC lightweight title.
