Photo by Isaiah Vazquez/Getty Images
Celebrity golf is wild. The American Century Championship showed how popular it is with the help of Travis Kelce and his brother.
Taylor Swift took over the NFL when she began dating her boyfriend Travis Kelce last year, but now he and his brother Jason have taken over golf for her.
The Kelce brothers were easily two of the most sought-after athletes to watch at The American Century Championship in Lake Tahoe.
Neither was close to winning, but the fans did not care. They wanted to see the Kelce brothers up close.
I saw this craziness firsthand.
Travis Mathew and Travis Mathew Women’s invited me as a guest to Lake Tahoe to get some content. I am so glad I did because it opened my eyes to another facet of golf that people can enjoy.
The brand flew me to Lake Tahoe and gave me some clothing at the event. They hooked me up and made sure I looked fashionable, which we all know is the way to my heart.
As one of the biggest sponsors of the American Century Championship, it was an excellent opportunity to be part of team TM for a few days.
They had a giant bus with a lookout stage on top and a store on the inside for fans to purchase the latest Travis Mathew line. The brand also had a basketball hoop for celebrities to stop and shoot at to win giant gold chains.
Miles Teller, Aaron Rodriguez, Tony Romo, The Miz, Kelce, and many others stopped to interact with the fans and shoot some hoops. It was the place to be if someone wanted an up-close interaction with one of the players.
That bus allowed me to accomplish one of the goals I set for the week — getting Travis Kelce to wave at me. Saturday afternoon, the Kecle brothers waited to tee off on the 18th, and I got my chance. He looked up, and I waved. Kelce saw me, made eye contact, smiled at me and TRAVIS KELCE waved back. I will never forget that moment.
It was probably something that I’m sure many fans got to experience because either they were fans of his or Taylor Swift fans. Regardless, I immediately understood their impact on sports in general, even golf more specifically.
American Century Championship’s love for Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift
There were grown men with friendship bracelets on their wrists. Little girls wore their best ‘22’ outfits and followed the Kelce Brothers around the course. I lost count of the number of Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles jerseys I saw.
Some fans made a Swift/Kelce 2024 presidential flag that earned some attention.
Photo by Isaiah Vazquez/Getty Images
Everyone wanted a photo with them and wanted to be acknowledged. The number of fans who followed them all over the golf course was mind-blowing. They easily had the most people, and it was not close.
When they came from 17 to 18, it got so packed. Fans had to catch a glimpse of this duo.
It was not just the fans either. The tournament found ways to incorporate Swift into the event.
The 17th hole played multiple Swift songs to get Kelce’s reaction. When those songs came on, the crowd sang along and got so into it. Growing the game through Swift and Kelce is precisely what it felt like.
He played the part and had many sweet moments expressing his love for Swift. The young man is smitten with his girlfriend.
If there was a chance for a fan to mention Swift to Kelce, they did, and more often than not, he gave a witty response.
We all know the pop star affected football since she began dating Kelce, but after this weekend, it popped up in golf, too — at least in the celebrity tournament.
Travis Mathew’s bus was at the center of the action, which allowed me to see the tournament differently. Observing the fans from the top of the bus was great for someone who likes to see how people enjoy golf tournaments.
However, it was also interesting to see how they acted for each celebrity. Some got more cheers than others, but when those Kelce men showed up, it felt like every patron on the property was around.
Growing the game?
They are growing the game without even realizing it. Would this love be the same if Kelce did not date Swift? Possibly, but the amount of Swift-related items people wore with their Kelce gear leads me to believe it would not be as much.
Can it seem far-fetched to insinuate that Swift is growing the game of golf? Sure, maybe the fans in Lake Tahoe just happened to be both Swift and Kelce fans, or it is a movement taking over its second sport.
The American Century Championship is a phenomenal event at a breathtaking location. Everyone should experience that trip at some point because it is fantastic. I understand why so many people love this tournament and return every year.
Maybe next year, Swift showed up with the Kelce brothers — now that would cause a commotion.
I would not have seen the impact of the Kelce’s if it weren’t for Travis Mathew’s team. They provided me with an opportunity I would not have had without them. Make sure to check out the social content produced from this event.
Savannah Leigh Richardson is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. For more golf coverage, follow us @_PlayingThrough on all major social platforms. You can also follow her on Twitter @SportsGirlSL and Instagram @golf_girl_sl.
