Timberlake and Fallon shoot hoops, Travis Kelce gets a golden putter | Rogers Report

Hello, friends and happy Saturday from the Wynn Las Vegas! I write to you all as I await a chicken Caesar salad wrap and french fries in the nicest hotel I’ve ever stepped foot in.

I’m here for the 8AM Invitational, and the field is full of big-time celebrities. This may come as a surprise to you all, but I am actually not teeing it up in the event this weekend. Rather, players such as Justin Timberlake, Jimmy Fallon, Michelle Wie, JJ Watt, Michael Phelps, Gossip Girl’s very own Nate Archibald — er, I mean, Chase Crawford and Kathryn Newton make up the field. I served as a fly on the wall yesterday while I gathered social content for 8AM and GOLF, and now I’m here to tell you all what I observed!

The first tee

After breakfast, I headed over to the first tee to watch the first few groups tee off. The players arrived to a full bar and four Theraguns to get everyone loosened up for the day. Subpar’s finest Colt Knost and Drew Stoltz were announcing players on the tee, and spirits were very high.

I immediately noticed how well-dressed everyone was, particularly in the shoe category. Most of the players were sporting Nike Dunks or Air Jordans 4s. Travis Kelce had them in pink, Michael Phelps had them in blue, and Justin Timberlake had them in grey. I will be looking into purchasing a pair of my own the second I return to Boston. Justin Timberlake rocked Greyson’s Forbidden City Polo, which made quite a statement on the course in the best way possible.

The best spot to hang

I spent most of the afternoon over by the 10th tee, where players would hang out for a bit before starting up a new nine-hole match. There was a full Dewar’s bar, a snack shack, guys serving quesadillas and a lot of games. We had a beer pong table, corn hole and a flop shot wall that seemed nearly impossible. I’d be remiss not to mention my favorite thing at the turn: canned Gatorade. I hadn’t seen one in the flesh in years, but I had three within an hour on Friday afternoon.

The 10th tee is also where I learned that the girl gang of Michelle Wie, Kira Dixon and Kathryn Newton brought a ton of energy to the event. They were so energetic and fun to be around, as was Jimmy Fallon, who treats every single person like his best friend in the world. And shout out to Drew Stoltz who helped a few guys stretch at the turn.

Basketball on the golf course

Cabot had a half basketball court set up between the 17th green and 18th tee at the Wynn, which of course was a huge hit between the two holes.

No one was happier than Jimmy Fallon when he banked his first shot. Chandler Parsons scooped Fallon up for a little victory lap around the court.

Again, check out the golf shoes on these guys! Incredible.

19th hole hang

As play began to finish, I headed over to the 19th hole setup, which was filled with tables, chairs and couches galore. The only place I’ve seen more sunscreen than right there was when my very Irish family went on a week-long summer vacation in 2018.

All the sunscreen allowed me to avoid getting a burn in Vegas, as well as fully enjoy the buffalo cauliflower nachos, peach sorbet and Dewar’s lemon wedge cocktail in the sun. Music was playing and there was a giant yard pong set up (where you use a volleyball as a ping pong ball) as well as a 10-foot soccer dart game.

It was the perfect way for the players to relax after a day on the course.

Dewar’s 19th hole shootout

The golf portion of the day ended with the Dewar’s 19th hole shootout, where players took on a 65-yard shot over water for an opportunity to donate to a charity of their choice. Before the shootout got underway, Jimmy Fallon and Justin Timberlake presented Travis Kelce with a plaque and a gold Scotty Cameron putter after an incident last year resulted in Kelce’s putter being thrown into the lake. It was hilarious, and Kelce was psyched about the putter.

Back to the shootout itself. Caroline Wozniacki stuck it so close, but in the end, the only golf major champion in the field, Michelle Wie, ended up winning in the playoff round of five. It was insane to see her put it within 6 feet of the pin twice in a row without breaking a sweat, and Dewar’s donated $19,000 to the American Skin Association in Wie’s name for winning the shootout. My biggest takeaways from the day include the fact that Wozniacki is a really good player and Jimmy Fallon’s energy is contagious. I’m looking forward to seeing what the second day of the 8AM Invitational has in store.