Sergio Garcia dazzled at Augusta National this past weekend, but for Hootie & the Blowfish, the Monday after the Masters is the golfing day they truly love and look forward to. That's because they've hosted the Monday After the Masters (MAM) Celebrity Pro-Am every year since 1994.
The event has grown exponentially in size and exposure since its first year.
"The first year, Dan Marino was our big celebrity guest, and he came and said, 'Next year, man, it would be cool if you guys had some grass on the course,'" Darius Rucker said on CBS Sports Radio's Tiki and Tierney, laughing. "So it started out really, really small and really just kept growing."
The event is now in its 23rd year.
"We moved it around," Rucker said. "We moved it to Columbia for a while, we moved it to Charleston for a while and then Myrtle Beach called us and said, 'We can do all these great things for you,' and they came through with everything they said."
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, is considered one of the best golfing destinations in the world. MAM, which is being held at Barefoot Resort & Golf at The Dye Club in North Myrtle Beach, includes numerous celebrities, including Mike Golic, Dan Patrick, Marcus Allen, Rick Barry and Tajh Boyd.
MAM has generated millions of dollars for children's educational programs, as well as South Carolina's junior golf program.
Rucker, a Charleston native, is an avid Gamecocks fan but also enjoys golf. He watched the Masters with keen interest this past weekend.
"I was pulling for Rickie," he said, referring to Rickie Fowler. "I was pulling for (Jordan) Spieth, too. I got to hang out with those guys at the Ryder Cup, and I was shocked. They didn't bring it on Sunday."
Hootie & the Blowfish still perform several shows a year.
"We still play a lot of shows," Rucker said. "We play about four or five shows a year. When the time's right, we'll know it. It's probably going to be sooner than later, but we'll do it again once."
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