{"id":56035,"date":"2025-07-11T05:32:15","date_gmt":"2025-07-11T05:32:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/56035\/"},"modified":"2025-07-11T05:32:15","modified_gmt":"2025-07-11T05:32:15","slug":"49ers-george-kittle-is-enjoying-his-golf-debut-eagerly-awaiting-training-camp","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/56035\/","title":{"rendered":"49ers\u2019 George Kittle is enjoying his golf debut, eagerly awaiting training camp"},"content":{"rendered":"

STATELINE, Nev. \u2014 George Kittle smiled as he walked down the fairway Thursday morning at the American Century Championship and admitted that \u201cmy anxiety is higher than ever.\u201d<\/p>\n

It is the San Francisco 49ers tight end\u2019s first appearance at the celebrity golf tournament at Edgewood Resort in Lake Tahoe, and Thursday\u2019s scramble was a good chance to get comfortable before the tournament starts.<\/p>\n

Chugging a beer with some fans docked on the shore alongside the 17th hole \u2014 Kittle began his round at hole No. 13 in the shotgun format \u2014 also helped to loosen him up. After he nailed a nice approach shot and sank a birdie putt on No. 16, one observer commented that Kittle was a lot better than he thought.<\/p>\n

\u201cI am not this good. I am just having a great day so far,\u201d Kittle, a 15-handicap, said, smiling. \u201cI just swing really hard and get out of the way in the driver\u2019s box.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kittle jumped in the lake at 6 a.m. to wake himself up and get ready for his 7:45 tee time. While his only goal on the course this weekend is to finish ahead of Charles Barkley, he also hopes to tackle WWE nemesis The Miz when he sees him \u2014 and he teased a possible Taylor Swift appearance<\/a> (Travis Kelce is also playing in the event).<\/p>\n

\u201cShe probably wouldn\u2019t be able to walk around,\u201d due to the crowds, Kittle said. \u201cShe would probably be in a helicopter.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n

Followed George Kittle for five holes this morning. He was having a pretty good day at the @ACChampionship<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/XUYMGotSPx<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Vic Tafur (@VicTafur) July 10, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Kittle is listed as a 250-to-1 long shot at casinos in town to win the tournament, but he is much higher on the 49ers\u2019 chances this year. The 49ers, coming off a 6-11 season, have 20-1 odds to win the Super Bowl, per BetMGM. Kittle is not looking too far ahead, and he is just fired up to get training camp going when veterans report on July 22.<\/p>\n

\u201cI am excited that the boys are healthy going into training camp, and I am excited to see our new defense,\u201d Kittle said. \u201cI love the defensive linemen that we drafted and am excited to go against (Robert) Saleh again.\u201d<\/p>\n

Saleh was the Niners\u2019 defensive coordinator from 2017 to 2020 before leaving to be the head coach of the New York Jets for three years, and now he is back.<\/p>\n

\u201cKyle (Shanahan) and Saleh do a really good job of putting guys in position to play really, really well,\u201d Kittle said.<\/p>\n

Shanahan has to replace receiver Deebo Samuel and guard Aaron Banks on offense, but Kittle is confident in the young receivers and linemen.<\/p>\n

\u201cDeebo will always be amazing and Aaron played really well for us, but I am excited about Ben Bartch because I love him as a guy,\u201d Kittle said. \u201cI am just looking forward to guys taking advantage of the opportunities \u2014 because there are a lot of them. We have a lot of weapons on offense \u2014 we even have one at left tackle in Trent Williams \u2014 and we should still be able to score points.\u201d<\/p>\n

A big reason for that is the return to health of running back Christian McCaffrey, who missed the first eight games last season with an Achilles injury and then the last five games with a knee injury.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen you have, in my opinion, the best running back in the league, it makes your offense click a little bit better,\u201d Kittle said. \u201cI might be biased, though.\u201d<\/p>\n

McCaffrey will definitely make life easier for quarterback Brock Purdy, and Kittle can\u2019t wait to see the next chapter of Purdy\u2019s movie-like career.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor a guy who was the last pick in the draft, to go from that to being one of the highest-paid players<\/a> in the NFL, I am just so happy for him and proud of him,\u201d Kittle said. \u201cAnd he is someone who worked his ass off this offseason. \u2026 I know he is working right now while I am golfing, so he is going to do just fine and I am really excited to just play football with him on Sundays.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

George Kittle is enjoying his first appearance at the American Century Championships in Tahoe. (Eakin Howard \/ Getty Images)<\/p>\n

This Sunday, Kittle will be stalking the course like he was on Thursday with his favorite, loud Nike Sasquatch driver, wearing a big smile as always. He took to golf more in recent years when he realized how many hours it gave him and his dad, sharing a cart, to catch up and reconnect.<\/p>\n

\u201cI thoroughly enjoy golf,\u201d he said. \u201cI thoroughly enjoy having an excuse to be outside for four days for multiple hours and I just like hanging out with the boys. It\u2019s fantastic. All the interactions you get, all the people you get to meet.\u201d<\/p>\n

Plus, the chance to talk a little more football before training camp opens.<\/p>\n

(Top photo: Eakin Howard \/ Getty Images)<\/p>\n