Vinny Del Negro celebrates with his caddie after winning the American Century Golf Championship on Sunday in Stateline, Nev.

STATELINE, Nev. — Vinny Del Negro became the first basketball player to win the American Century Championship, rallying for an emotional victory four days after his father died.

Del Negro, the 54-year-old former NBA player and coach making his 20th appearance in the celebrity tournament, choked back tears after the victory thinking about father Vincent. He died Wednesday in hospice at age 85.

“I lost my father this Wednesday, and I wanted to play well for him,” Del Negro said. “I thought of him the whole time — every fairway, every shot. What he would tell me? ‘Toughen up. Hit the shot. You’re either good enough or not. Just hit it.; And I stuck to my game plan.”

Del Negro birdied the par-5 18th in regulation to force a playoff with John Smoltz and won with another birdie on the hole in a playoff.

Del Negro had a 20-point round at Edgewood Tahoe in the modified Stableford scoring event to match Smoltz (18) with a three-day total of 69.

Del Negro had two birdies and two bogeys for an even-par 72 in conventional scoring. Smoltz had four birdies and eight bogeys in a 76.

“I put myself in really bad spots,” Smoltz said. “The only thing I could say is I grinded out the ability to get to the last hole because I had some very plugged lies, and I didn’t play the type of golf you’ve got to play with a two-point lead.”

With Del Negro in the middle of the fairway on the first extra hole, Smoltz hit a low drive behind large trees in the right rough. The 54-year-old Hall of Fame pitcher tried to hit a high draw between and over the trees with an 8-iron from 200 yards, but smacked a limb and hit his third into the water left of the green.

Del Negro was just off the front edge of the green in two, left his third 12 feet short and made the birdie putt. He earned $125,000.

Tony Romo was third with 66 points after a 24-point day. The former Dallas Cowboys quarterback who was a two-time winner of the event had previous round scores of 20 and 22. World Golf Hall of Famer Annika Sorenstam had an 18-point round to finish fourth at 64.

Charles Barkley tied for 76th among the 87 finishers at minus-28. He wagered $100,000 at 5-to-1 odds that he would finish in the top 70.

Del Nego had rounds of 23-26-20 with Smoltz at 25-26-18.

Whitehouse native and Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (4-8-3) tied for 50th with Notre Dame football coach Brian Kelly (3-12-0). Both scored 15 points.

Actor Jack Wagner, a two-time winner, finished fifth with 61 points, followed by a sixth-place finisher Dallas Stars’ Joe Pacelski with 60 points Rounding out the top 10 were defending champion Mardy Fish (58), former Dallas Star Mike Modano (57), Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry (56) and former Buffalo Bills defensive tackle Kyle Wiliams (52).

Others of note were: 24, Aaron Rodgers, 34 points; 29, Roger Clemens, 28; 66, Travis Kelce, minus 11; and 75, Emmitt Smith, minus 27.