Stateline, NV -- "I believe in the human touch, which cultivates sympathy with my fellow men and mutual helpfulness and brings happiness for all." That's the third-to-last line in the Auburn Creed. During these tough financial times for the country and the world, Charles Barkley has sympathy and empathy for anyone who is putting money on his performance on the golf course.
As Sir Charles revealed while speaking to the media at the 2026 American Century Championship on the first day of the tournament -- which continues on NBC, the NBC Sports Network, and Peacock today and tomorrow (July 11-12) -- he wants to do right by those who believe in him.
“I played well,” Barkley said after placing 62nd in the 90-person field on Friday, with Caesars having set his line on one of the tourney's most popular prop bets at a 63.5-place finish. "I’m having a blast. I want people to win that money. I think I’m a better player this year. I’m getting better at golf.”
Barkley has 7,500-to-1 odds to win this tournament, which are the longest in the field. As legendary Atlanta Braves ace John Smoltz told reporters on Thursday, though, Barkley has gotten significantly better over the years and deserves more respect than being written off for his former hitch-afflicted swing.
"He's come so far," Smoltz told reporters ahead of the tournament. "I played with Charles 20 years ago. And where he is at now -- motivated, lost weight, looks great -- every year he's got a bar that he's trying to raise."
While Barkley didn't get much support from those trying their luck with the sportsbooks, he has support from one of the top golfers in the field. Smoltz finished the day tied for sixth with fellow ex-MLB pitcher Derek Lowe.
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Barkley's game has long been one of the main stories of the American Century Championship. There's a vested interest in watching Barkley get better on the green from around the sports world. That's a lot of pressure that he could wilt under.
Hell, he could take the attitude of NBA stars like Kevin Durant, who have told bettors on social media that he doesn't care about their bets. Or, ipso facto, their money. Life would go on if he did that, since many athletes openly tell fans that they don't care what they think or what they put their money on.
Luckily, Barkley took the high road here. It cannot be stressed enough that Barkley could simply not care about the people; he could say as much publicly, and it wouldn't even register as a big deal. That's not what he's doing. You have to love that.
Barkley, a Leeds native and a proud AU alum who went on to become a Hall of Famer during his NBA career, lives by the Auburn Creed. If you believe in his hard work, he believes in you and your support in him back.
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