Travis Kelce has thrust himself into the mainstream spotlight in recent years with his high-profile relationship with Taylor Swift.
And he’s also emerged in the world of golf. He has played in high-profile celebrity matches, and he’s recently been travelling with the PGA Tour at the WM Phoenix Open and the Pebble Beach Pro-Am.
The Kansas City Chiefs’ tight end made waves last week in Phoenix after an incredible shot on the famous 16th hole at TPC Scottsdale, where he made a birdie in front of a packed stadium. And this week, he was front and center again at Pebble Beach.
He’s surprised the tour pros with his game. Brooks Koepka was full of praise for Kelce at the Phoenix Open, and he impressed Keith Mitchell this week with his golf. Mitchell also plays frequently with Josh Allen, and he compared their games.
Keith Mitchell compares Josh Allen and Travis Kelce’s golf game
After playing with Kelce at Pebble Beach, Mitchell broke down Kelce’s golf game. He told reporters after the round: “Travis is the man. We had a lot of fun. He hits it really far, really far. I clubbed him too much on 16, he hit it through the fairway. I should have definitely pulled it back.
“And I think he was beating me through five or six holes yesterday gross, so I was a little skeptical of his handicap. But he played a little – unfortunately, he didn’t play as well today, but awesome guy, great player.”
Kelce is relatively new to the game and has a 10 handicap. Meanwhile, Josh Allen is known as an incredibly strong golfer, and once took on Phil Mickelson and Jon Rahm on YouTube.
Unfortunately, Allen suffered an injury in the NFL playoffs which ruled him out of this Pro-Am, and Mitchell was asked if he felt like he was cheating on the Buffalo Bills quarterback with Kelce.
He said, “A little bit. I mean, Bills-Chiefs is a big rivalry. I think Travis has stolen a lot of games from them. But we did — Josh, you know, 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.”
Kelce and Allen are fierce rivals on the NFL field, and Mitchell compared their games on the course:
“Similar in terms of score. Travis might have a little bit on him in speed. Josh has the ability to hit it that far, but we’re trying to get him to use – trying to get him to swing his driver like he throws a football, and it’s taking a little bit of time.”
Surprisingly it seems Kelce has the edge with his power over the gunslinging MVP, Allen. It’s definitely a one-on-one match we’d love to see once Allen is healthy!
What Travis Kelce said to Keith Mitchell after his near-hole-in-one at Pebble Beach
The seventh hole at Pebble Beach is on the short list of iconic par threes on the planet. It’s up there with the 12th at Augusta National, and really has no other rivals.
And Mitchell almost had a moment that he’d remember forever on this hole, coming mere centimeters from holing out.
Mitchell was devastated that he did not make the shot: “I can’t believe it didn’t go in. We were talking about the grand slam of hole-in-ones. We think it would be 7 at Pebble, 17 at Sawgrass, 16 at Phoenix, and 12 at Augusta.
“I have zero of them, but it would be — that would probably be the pinnacle of hole-in-ones. I wonder if anybody’s got four. I know Shane Lowry has two of them, just heard that fun fact. But yeah, seven would be an absolute dream, and to come that close.”
However, what Kelce told Mitchell afterwards made him relieved that he didn’t make it. Mitchell continued, “Travis said he’d tackle me if it went in, so maybe it was a good thing it didn’t go in.”
With Kelce watching on, the celebration was sure to be wild. It was cruel how close he came, but after making the cut he will have another two attempts at an ace.