Before Darius Rucker was a breakout solo country music star, he was a part of one of the late 1990s’ and early 2000s’ most recognizable music groups: Hootie and the Blowfish. The band formed at the University of South Carolina in 1986 and once they had reached wide acclaim, they began hosting an annual charity golf tournament, initially in Columbia, South Carolina, the home of their alma mater. Their first Hootie and the Blowfish Monday After the Masters Celebrity Pro-Am took place in 1994.
One location change—to Myrtle Beach—and two decades later, the event is as strong as ever. The 2014 edition, held on April 14, will build on a great 2013 event, one that brought such professional golfers as Davis Love III, Boo Weekley, Chris DiMarco and Tommy “Two Gloves” Gainey to the Dye Club at Barefoot Resort along with such celebrities as Weather Channel personality Jim Cantore, sports stars Wayne Gretzky and Johnny Damon and entertainers Gary Valentine, Colt Ford and many others.
The headliner from the PGA Tour in 2013’s field, though, was Dustin Johnson, and he will return this year. He will be joined by fellow PGA Tour winners Woody Austin, Chris DiMarco, Ken Duke, Jim Furyk, Tommy Gainey, Robert Gamez and Brian Gay, as well as a slew of other pros, including LPGA Tour legend Nancy Lopez and Golf Channel personality Charlie Rymer.
The celebrity field is stacked once again as well. Athletes such as Marcus Allen, Rick Barry, Grant Fuhr and Sterling Sharpe will join musicians Steve Azar, Javier Colon, Branford Marsalis, Edwin McCain and others, including comedians Jackie Flynn and Larry The Cable Guy. Past participants like Jim Cantore and Jim McMahon will also be on hand.
The event includes more than 30 teams consisting of four amateur participants, one pro golfer and one celebrity in a scramble format. Less emphasis, however, is placed on the eventual winning team than is focused on having a great time and interacting with the thousands of fans who will be on hand to cheer on and collect autographs from the participating celebrities and professional golfers.
Fun and fellowship are not the only purposes for the Hootie and the Blowfish Monday After the Masters Celebrity Pro-Am; charity is also a major concern of those assembled. The main charitable organization that benefits from tournament proceeds is the Hootie & The Blowfish Foundation, which supports education initiatives in the state of South Carolina. In addition, some proceeds from the event redound to the South Carolina Junior Golf Foundation, which is run by the South Carolina Golf Association. In addition to golf, the foundation seeks to teach Palmetto State youth principles of general sportsmanship, integrity and character.
The 2014 Hootie and the Blowfish Monday After the Masters Celebrity Pro-Am in Myrtle Beach promises be a memorable one. For more information on the event, visit www.HootieGolf.com. To book a round at the host Dye Club at Barefoot Resort, look no further than myrtlebeachgolf.com.
(posted 3/20/14)