49ers’ George Kittle is immediate crowd favorite in ACC celebrity golf debut

STATELINE, Nev. — A giddy George Kittle signed a slew of No. 85 jerseys that 49ers’ fans wore in the gallery. He posed for pictures, threw autographed footballs to beachcombers on the 17th-hole shoreline, drank a few beverages, and simply became an instant fan favorite.

This was his grand entrance to the American Century Championship celebrity golf tournament.

But first, he started a picturesque, sunny day at Lake Tahoe in pure Kittle fashion: “Oh my gosh, I was in the water this morning at 6. It was great.”

He’d never played Edgewood Tahoe Golf Resort until Thursday’s pro-am, and his hunched-over putting stance paid off with three birdies.

Kittle will tee off in Friday’s first round at 8:45 a.m. with NFL alumni Larry Fitzgerald Jr. and Dwight Freeney, while 49ers teammate Kyle Juszczyk goes off the back nine at 8:43 a.m. with Jerome Bettis and Marcus Allen.

After the tournament concludes Sunday, Kittle will fly back to his Nashville-area home for a five-day refueling before a return flight to California for his ninth training camp with the 49ers; July 22 is when all veterans must report.

Kittle revealed Thursday that he’s spent multiple days working with quarterback Brock Purdy, who purchased a riverfront home some 15 minutes from Kittle’s house in Tennessee. Aside from running routes three days a week, Kittle has hosted Purdy at his workout barn to replicate the 49ers’ strength program.

Kittle is the most prolific tight end in 49ers history and trails only Jerry Rice and Terrell Owens for most receptions and receiving yards; Kittle’s 538 receptions are 55 shy of passing Owens for the No. 2 spot behind Rice (1,281).

“I’m excited that the boys are healthy going into training camp, and I’m excited to see our new defense,” Kittle said. “Actually, I’m excited to go against (defensive coordinator Robert) Saleh again. That will be really fun.”

Fellow golfer and 49ers legend Jerry Rice harbors concerns, however.

“I just feel like we added on too many pieces. The reason why I say that is these guys are young guys,” Rice said. “Super Bowl 60 is going to be here in San Francisco (at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara). I would have preferred to sort of leave everything like last year, add on to that, and have a chance for this coming year.

“A lot of young guys. Now can Kyle Shanahan pull it together and can these guys jell? We have to wait and see. But there’s this big question mark if it’s going to work,” Rice added. “I’m always going to go Niners no matter what. But we’re bringing in so many young players. It’s going to take a while for that team to gel. If it doesn’t happen this year, then maybe the next couple of years.”

Last season saw an injury-ravaged 49ers team make a 6-11 plummet off the NFC throne, followed by this offseason’s exodus of over 20 players. Only a few of the departures were on offense, though, including wide receiver Deebo Samuel (traded to Washington) and guard Aaron Banks (signed with Green Bay).

Said Kittle: “Deebo’s Deebo and will always be amazing. Aaron Banks played really, really well for us but I’m excited about Ben Bartch because I love him as a guy. I’m just looking forward to guys taking advantage of the opportunities because we lost some guys. I still feel like we should be able to score points.”

Kittle’s goal this weekend is to simply score better than Juszczyk, who noted: “I’m so stoked he’s here. Having my best friend out here is pretty cool.”

Juszczyk was not surprised to learn that Kittle enjoyed a few adult beverages fans handed to him on the course, adding: “We all know Goege and knew that was coming.”

“I’m not a professional golfer and some of the places people line up here when I’m on the tee box is just crazy to me. I had a great day off the tee box today but the nerves are definitely there,” Kittle said. “It was really fun, though, because every hole I’m talking to fans, and then they say, ‘Hey, it’s your turn to hit,’ so I didn’t have time to think about it which probably helped a lot.

“I was cooking today.”

The tournament’s marquee attraction is 2023 tournament champion Steph Curry, although Kittle hinted that fellow tight end Travis Kelce could upstage everyone if his girlfriend, Taylor Swift, makes a cameo like she did earlier this month at Tight End University that Kittle and Kelce hosted in Nashville.

“You never know what Travis can do,” Kittle said. “He’s an interesting cat and he is kind of a magician that pulls anything out of his sleeve.”

Just don’t expect Swift to show up in the gallery.

“Oh my goodness, she’ll probably be in a helicopter,” Kittle said with a laugh.

NOTE: The 49ers announced dates for 11 practices open to fans at training camp: July 23-25, July 27-29, Aug. 4-5, Aug. 7, and Aug. 11-12. Tickets become available July 15 for season-ticket holders and July 16 for the general public.