Travis Kelce and Jason Kelce are no strangers to high-pressure situations on the football field, but their latest venture into golf turned out to be a much different kind of challenge - one laced with beer, side bets, and a surprise visit from a wild bear.
The Kelce brothers participated in the opening round of the American Century Championship at Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course, a celebrity-stacked event known for its laid-back energy and unpredictable moments.
But what was already a competitive round of golf got a lot more intense thanks to a daring agreement the brothers made the night before.
Jason Kelce revealed their strategy before teeing off on Friday. "Travis and I always have the side bets going for sure," he said.
"I think right now, the bet today we talked about last night is every three putt, you got to shotgun a beer. So once you miss that first one, if you're left with a four or five footer, it's gonna be a little nerve wracking standing over that thing."
Given the added pressure-and the added beer - it's no surprise neither brother managed to climb the leaderboard. After day one, Travis was sitting in 62nd place, while Jason found himself in 83rd out of 90 participants. The erratic play could easily be chalked up to a combination of nerves, shaky putting, and maybe just a few too many shotgun beers.
A bear-y surprising appearance
If the three-putt shotgun rule wasn't wild enough, the brothers also found themselves in a much more serious situation during the round. While preparing to tee off on the 16th hole, play was abruptly halted when a black bear was spotted just behind the tee box.
The bear was behind a fence but close enough to fans that tournament officials briefly stopped play for safety. Spectators quickly pulled out their phones to capture the moment.
This frightening encounter happened just days after another bear, located only miles away, was euthanized following an attack on a camper. The Kelce brothers didn't appear rattled and continued with their round once the situation was under control, but the incident served as a stark reminder that the beauty of Lake Tahoe comes with real wilderness risks.
Despite the distractions and less-than-stellar play, Jason maintained that the event was all about enjoyment, not competition. "That's what it's all about," he said. "That's why everybody is here. Everybody's here to just have a good time. All these people are here mostly to have a good time.
"There's a handful of guys that actually expect to win this thing, but we all know who they are, and that's great. We're all here for the vibes."
Taylor Swift absence disappoints fans
And the vibes were strong - even without a sighting of Taylor Swift, who many hoped would show up to support her boyfriend Travis. While fans of the pop star crowded the course in hopes of catching a glimpse, she was nowhere to be seen during the first round.
Meanwhile, Joe Pavelski, Vinny Del Negro, Steph Curry, and Taylor Twellman led the way on the scoreboard, proving that some celebrities came ready to compete while others, like the Kelce brothers, came to entertain.
From shotgunning beers on the green to stalling tee-offs due to bears, the Kelce brothers delivered an unforgettable day at Lake Tahoe - even if it didn't land them near the top of the leaderboard.
