Brian Baumgartner Reveals How His Friendship With Baker Mayfield Blossomed From a ‘Dumb Espresso Martini Moment’

For celebrities, the American Century Celebrity Golf Tournament (ACC) is a much-anticipated annual event. The tournament is held at the beautiful Edgewood Tahoe Resort and draws a wide range of celebrities year after year. Brian Baumgartner, for instance, has been attending it for 18 years. But… it was last year’s tournament that served up something new, a funny, cocktail-fueled friendship with Baker Mayfield.

When we say a wide range of celebs show at the ACC tournament, we mean anyone from professional athletes to entertainers. Some of the most popular names seen over the years have been Stephen Curry, Aaron Rodgers, Ray Romano, and Tony Romo. It’s a great opportunity for them to chill and network.

In fact, that’s exactly what keeps Baumgartner coming back year after year. He knows he’s not the most skilled golfer in the world and has never expected to win the event. But the people he meets each time keep bringing him back.

“It’s unbelievable… The people that I have met there, that’s what keeps bringing me back,” Baumgartner shared on The Rich Eisen Show.

Perhaps no better example of this is a story from last year’s tournament. Baumgartner recalled a day when it was already thundering, and the course was expecting lightning. By then, he had finished his round, so he wanted to get out of the resort and beat traffic before the horn blew to cancel the event for the day.

But Baumgartner wanted a drink first, so he laid out his plan to Dylan Dreyer of the Today Show. 

“I say, ‘Let’s get into the lodge, let’s get an espresso martini, and get ahead of the group. And we thought we were the only ones in there. In the back of the room, I hear, ‘I’m in!’ We turn around, look in the back, it’s Baker Mayfield,” Baumgartner recalled. 

For a guy who’s been known to party, it was right on brand for Mayfield. But Baumgartner had never met the QB before, outside of exchanging casual hellos in passing. So, it must have been surprising to hear Mayfield’s voice out of nowhere. 

Before he knew it, though, Baumgartner and Mayfield became best buddies. 

“We went in, had an espresso martini, or two, and hung out the rest of the week. And texting during the season this year, like really had a real friendship born out of this dumb moment there where we just wanted to have an espresso martini. To me, that story is what the event is.”

It’s a funny turn of events that ended up starting a nice friendship. It’s awesome that the actor and QB text each other during the football season. Baumgartner should consider himself lucky to have that kind of access to an NFL star.

This year, the ACC tournament features some familiar and fresh faces attending the event. They play in a Stableford format, which differs from traditional golf scoring. In 2024, former tennis player Mardy Fish won with a score of 83. Behind him were hockey star Joe Pavelski with 79 and former women’s professional golfer Annika Sorenstam with 68. Baumgartner carded a -19, while Baker posted a -26.

So, no matter the skill level, it seems like everyone still has fun and enjoys attending the tournament. They can’t card anything higher than a double bogey. After that, they pick up and move to the next hole.

Some celebs take it super seriously and go for the cup, while others, like Baumgartner and Mayfield, prefer to hang out, meet new people, play golf, and have some drinks. Honestly, it sounds like a great time.