Jordan and Kukoc Team Up for Victory Once Again

LAS VEGAS, April 4, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- This weekend, Michael Jordan and Toni Kukoc relived the glory days as victorious teammates, but this time it was on the course – not the court. Jordan and Kukoc walked away as champs of the 10th Annual Michael Jordan Celebrity Invitational (MJCI) held at the exclusive Shadow Creek and hosted by ARIA Resort & Casino. This marked the Las Vegas debut for the celebrated golf event.  

Jordan and Kukoc finished nine under par over the course of the two-day tournament and each took home $20,000 for the charity of their choice. Jordan chose to donate his winnings to Cats Care, the NBA's Charlotte Bobcats' charity arm; while Kukoc chose the James R. Jordan Foundation. The dynamic duo of Drew Brees and Wayne Gretzky finished second at four under par, winning $15,000 each for the Brees Dream Foundation and the Wayne Gretzky Foundation, respectively. Third place in the tournament went to Mario Lemieux and Mike Piazza who finished three under. Lemieux is donating his $12,500 in winnings to the Mario Lemieux Foundation, Piazza to St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Miami. See below for final scores from the weekend's celebrity-only tournament.

Giving back to the community is the primary objective of the MJCI, which has raised more than $5 million for charity since its inception in 2001. Proceeds from this year's tournament benefitted the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Nevada Cancer Institute, James R. Jordan Foundation and Cats Care, as well as the participating celebrities' charities of choice.

Stars who attended MJCI's four days of golf and celebrity events included Michael Jordan, Marcus Allen, Flex Alexander, Anthony Anderson, Derek Anderson, Gabriel Aubry*, Brian Baumgartner, Jerome Bettis, Drew Brees, Brandi Chastain, Chris Chelios, Roger Clemens, Larry David, Richard Dent, Abe Elam*, Shannon Elizabeth*, Julius Erving, Michael Finley, Jamie Foxx*, Dwight Freeney, Janet Jones-Gretzky, Wayne Gretzky, Ken Griffey, Jr., Bill Guthridge, Penny Hardaway, Hill Harper, Kevin Hart*, Hollywood Henderson, Brett Hull, Toby Keith, Toni Kukoc, Spike Lee*, Mario Lemieux, Kenny Lofton, Greg Maddux, Danny Masterson, Chi McBride, Christina Milian*, Paul O'Neill, Michael Pena, Mike Piazza, James Pickens, Jr., Maury Povich, Salli Richardson, Stuart Scott, Bruce Smith, John Smoltz, Alan Thicke, Winky Wright, Boyz II Men* (Nathan Morris, Shawn Stockman, Wanya Morris) and Jabbawockeez*. (*non-golfer)

The Celebrity-Amateur tournament, which paired one celebrity with four amateur participants, took place Thursday, March 31 and Friday, April 1. The MJCI two-person, 36-hole scramble format tournament, including only competing celebrities, took place Saturday, April 2 and Sunday, April 3.

About Shadow Creek

Perennially ranked among Golf Week magazine's Top 10 courses, Shadow Creek's special environment is normally reserved solely for guests of MGM Resorts International. Located in the midst of the Nevada desert, the Tom Fazio-designed Shadow Creek makes golfers feel they've been transported to another world with its natural beauty, rolling terrain, glistening brooks and ponds, spectacular waterfalls, lush gardens and mature trees. Visit www.shadowcreek.com for more information.

About ARIA Resort & Casino

The centerpiece of CityCenter, ARIA features an unprecedented combination of striking architecture, sustainable design, high-end service and spectacular amenities. From Viva ELVIS™ by Cirque du Soleil, celebrating the life and legacy of Elvis Presley to unique culinary offerings from the world's most talented chefs, innovative nightlife and spa offerings, ARIA embodies the excitement and vitality of Las Vegas.  Guests of the resort also enjoy the most technologically advanced guestrooms and premium meeting and convention space. Combined with CityCenter's unparalleled amenities including the luxurious shopping at Crystals and a first-of-its-kind public Fine Art Collection, ARIA introduces a new generation of resort experiences, unlike anything Las Vegas, and more remarkably the world, has ever seen.  For more information about ARIA, please visit www.arialasvegas.com.

SOURCE ARIA Resort & Casino