The last time we saw 49ers quarterback Alex Smith on a golf course, he was caddying for coach Jim Harbaugh.
Then, Harbaugh spent some time watching Peyton Manning on the practice range, and Smith wondered if that would be his permanent job.
Smith said Thursday the 49ers flirtation with Manning (or not, depending how diabolical you are) would serve as motivation for him this season.
Smith said there were no hard feelings with Harbaugh, but admitted it was “a little awkward,” via Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee.
“Certainly there are a lot of forms of motivation,” Smith said. “I guess that’s there a little bit as far as motivation.”
Smith will be playing later this month in the American Century Championship in Lake Tahoe, one of a handful of quarterbacks on hand.
Tony Romo, Carson Palmer and Aaron Rodgers will be there, giving Smith a chance to measure himself with other golfers in the only way appropriate.