PEBBLE BEACH – Celebrities have always had a place at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, featured and celebrated going back to the days of Bing Crosby, the godfather of this tournament. On Friday, one certain celebrity was nowhere near this place and still caused a stir.
With star NFL tight end Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs making his debut, Pebble Beach Golf Links was considerably more alive on a Friday morning, anticipation coursing through the property.
Is she here? Have you seen her?
The gallery swelled around the group of Kelce and his partner Keith Mitchell, who were playing with Mackenzie Hughes and former San Francisco and Kansas City quarterback Alex Smith. Kelce, a seven-time All-Pro and three-time Super Bowl champion, is a big deal on his own. But the fact that he is engaged to someone named Taylor Swift, pop music’s tour de force, well, that was worth buying a ticket.
Steve John, tournament director and CEO of the Monterey Peninsula Foundation, said that the event sold $60,000 worth of tickets in the first 12 hours after it was announced that Kelce would play in the pro-am event. Another $20,000 worth was gobbled up on Thursday as Swift’s devoted fans—“Swifties”—hoped to catch a glimpse of her.
But it was not to be. They had to settle for watching her fiancé, a decent golfer who carries a 10 handicap and was making his second appearance in as many weeks at a PGA Tour event after playing in the Wednesday pro-am at the WM Phoenix Open.
“I don’t think I’ve ever played in front of that many people,” said Smith, who now serves as an NFL analyst on ESPN.
“I mean, it's not unusual to play with an athlete or a celebrity,” Hughes said, “but all we heard outside the ropes is, 'Is she here or not?' Well, I can only imagine if she was, because, it was busy without her, with her, I think it would have literally been out of hand.”
Mitchell is a bit more used to the extra scrutiny in this event. In years past he has been paired with another NFL standout, Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen. He felt a bit funny about it. “A little bit. I mean, Bills-Chiefs is a big rivalry,” he said. “I think Travis has stolen a lot of games from them. Josh, obviously wishes he was here. I think he's healing right now, I think he had an injury, but all in all we had a great time with Travis.
“It was normal inside the ropes,” Mitchell added. “It's always nice having people cheering for you and rooting for you even if it's just for your group. It just brings the energy up and makes you feel a little bit of juice even if you're not near the lead.”
Mitchell shot five-under 67 at Pebble to complete 36 holes in three-under 141, while Hughes had 71 for 137. The Mitchell-Kelce team combined for 11 under, tied for 33rd place in a field of 80 pros and amateurs. Hughes and Smith combined for 15 under to end up T-7.
Kelce, who declined interview requests, struggled a bit in the second round amid the hoopla after starting strong on Thursday at Spyglass Hill. “I think he was beating me through five or six holes yesterday gross, so I was a little skeptical of his handicap,” Mitchell noted.
The finish on the famed par-5 18th hole was especially painful—in more ways than one—as Kelce put two tee balls in the ocean before getting a third drive in play. Then he sliced his sixth shot into the gallery, beaning a female spectator, Edenne Flinn from nearby Salinas, Calif. He waded into the crowd to check on her and did not complete the hole. He signed autographs afterward and chatted with some young fans.
“He was amazing. He was, you know, high-fiving a bunch of kids and taking pictures,” Mitchell said. “He handled it like an absolute pro.”
Even if all the extra attention is still new to him as Taylor Swift’s significant other, Kelce was cool.
“He even said it. He's like, ‘You know, it hasn't always been this way,’” said Hughes, who sheepishly admitted to being a fan of some of Swift’s music. “But since … they're dating or they're now engaged, he's like, ‘My life's changed a little bit.’ So, even for him to say that, that's pretty telling. He's already a pretty big star. But to say your life's changed. … But it was it was great. The vibe was awesome, and I thought he was great to be with and just a great, great personality.”
John, the tournament director, no doubt will want to have him back. Good for the box office and charity. "Swifties" will have to wait in breathless anticipation to see if Kelce comes back with his popular better half.