Darren Riehl, Claire Rogers
Hello, friends, and happy Sunday from Las Vegas! I’m heading back to Boston today after a fun-filled few days at the 8AM Invitational at the Wynn.
I had the best time capturing social content of the star-studded field, hanging in the sun and laughing at every single thing that came out of Jimmy Fallon’s mouth. I’ve also decided that in addition to my quest for the best ice cream in the country, I’m also on a hunt for the best-iced latte. Caffe Teatro at the Wynn is currently in the lead, and I’m learning that it’s definitely time to broaden my horizons when I’m not traveling. There’s more to life than Starbucks!
Okay, back to the action from Saturday at the 8 AM Invitational. The first day was a huge success, so I had high hopes for day two. It did not disappoint.
Dewar’s 12th tee
My coworker, Darren, and I spent most of the day hanging out on the 12th tee, presented by Dewar’s, to watch players try to make a hole-in-one and win a 2023 Lamborghini. Spoiler alert: no one made an ace, but a lot of people put it close.
We also invited the celebs to take us through their outfits, because they were absolutely bringing it.
Playoff and awards ceremony
My favorite part of the entire weekend was the playoff and the awards ceremony. Somewhere in between the final putt dropping and heading back to my hotel room, things started to feel more like a comedy show than a golf tournament.
Jimmy Fallon’s sense of humor is an absolute gift, and it just so happened that he and JT walked away with the hardware at the Wynn. Fallon hung out with his trophies and a handful of 8AM folks long after most of the celebrities headed out.
All in all, it was an awesome event. I spent a lot of time at golf courses, but usually covering professional events. It was such a fun change of pace to watch some celebrities tee it up in a laid-back event that raised money for charity.