Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry takes a swing Thursday during practice at the American Century Championship celebrity golf tournament at Edgewood Tahoe Resort in Stateline, Nevada. Jeff Beyer American Century Championship
Not very much makes George Kittle nervous these days, but he’s feeling it this week.
The San Francisco 49ers tight end has played in two Super Bowls and has become one of the NFL’s biggest personalities after coming into the league as a relative unknown fifth-round draft pick out of Iowa.
But Kittle’s nerves are kicking in as he tees off at the American Century Championship celebrity golf tournament near South Lake Tahoe beginning Friday through Sunday. Specifically, he said he’s getting used to patrons watching him play golf while being in range to get drilled with an errant shot.
“I’m not a professional golfer,” Kittle said after his practice round Thursday, “and some of the places that people line up here while I’m on the tee boxes is crazy to me. ... The nerves are definitely there.”
It’s what makes the tournament at Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course unique. The field of 90 players includes some of the best athletes and biggest celebrities in the country dabbling in their hobbies. They might not dominate on the course in the same way they do on the football field, baseball diamond, basketball court or in front of the camera.
And it’s an opportunity to fans to get up close to their favorites than they might in a 70,000-person stadium or 20,000-seat arena.
The good part about the fans lining the golf course, Kittle said, was they can distract him from overthinking his golf game. He began playing regularly two years ago when All-Pro teammate Christian McCaffrey gifted him a set of PXG clubs.
“I’m talking to fans and they’re telling me, ‘hey, it’s your time to hit.’ So I didn’t really have any time to think about it, which probably helped me out a lot,” he said. “If it keep it in play, I’m a pretty good golfer.”
Kittle will be joined by his close friend and teammate, 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk, who is playing for the second time after making his debut last summer, and is expecting lower scores this year.
“Man, it’s like your second year with the team,” Juszczyk said. “There’s just so much more comfortability. You know who everybody is. You know what to expect, and it really does make things a lot easier.”
The Sacramento Kings are represented by guard Zach LaVine, who plays left-handed despite playing basketball right handed.
Returning this year is 2023 champion Stephen Curry, who missed last summer’s tournament while preparing for his starring role for Team USA in the Paris Olympics. Curry is a betting favorite along with former tennis star Mardy Fish, who won last summer.
Curry’s win two years ago was highlighted by his hole-in-one on the Par 3 seventh hole, before winning it with an eagle on the Par 5 18th to cap the tournament.
The tournament uses Stableford scoring, which rewards pars, birdies and eagles, and doesn’t penalize for bogies (double bogies, or worse, lose points), making it friendlier for amateur golfers.
“You got to go low,” Curry said. “You gotta attack some flags, you gotta make some putts. It’s the best version of golf. You got to be aggressive. You feel like you’re always in it. That’s the fun part.”
Tickets remain available on the tournament’s website for $50 for Friday and $56.62 for Saturday and Sunday. Grounds passes for all days are sold out.