Presenting Sponsor Intel Corporation Will Webcast "Hootie and Friends" Concert
March 1, 2007, North Myrtle Beach, S.C. – Hootie & the Blowfish and Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday announced earlier today that the 2007 Monday After the Masters Celebrity Pro-Am Golf Tournament will be held Monday, April 9 at the Dye Club at Barefoot Resort & Golf in North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. This is the fifth year that the Grand Strand has played host to the event with all ticket proceeds benefiting the South Carolina Junior Golf Foundation and the Hootie & the Blowfish Foundation, which supports the educational needs of children in South Carolina.
The tournament announced that Intel Corporation has joined Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday as a co-presenting sponsor of the event. Golf Holiday has been involved in all four of the Monday After the Masters tournaments held on the Grand Strand. In their inaugural year of sponsorship, Intel will not only contribute generous financial support but will also air an edited version of this year’s "Hootie and Friends" concert on www.intelentertainment.com and www.intel.com, and also on the official tournament site, www.hootiegolf.com, all at a later date. Monday’s post-golf concert from the House of Blues has featured legendary performances from Hootie & the Blowfish and their musical guests. The concert has enjoyed tremendous popularity over the past 13 years with the list of past performers including Meatloaf, Branford Marsalis, Jason Mraz, Josh Kelley, Sister Hazel and Edwin McCain. The concert has drawn many other celebrities to the stage including John Daly, Samuel L. Jackson and ESPN’s Stuart Scott and Dan Patrick. Ticket sales have been limited in the past but with the assistance of Intel, the web cast will bring the once-in-a-lifetime concert to a much larger audience.
Intel Corporation’s technology developments in recent years has made it much easier for consumers to enjoy entertainment on their preferred computing devices. Intel® Viivâ?¢ technology, for example, connects the PC to the TV, and enables consumers to simplify, share and control their sports, games, music and movies with the energy-efficient performance delivered by the Intel® Coreâ?¢ 2 Duo processor. The technology is widely supported by a number of PC and consumer electronics manufacturers, as well as content and service providers. Intel Centrino mobile technology is a set of integrated computing technologies, also featuring the Intel® Coreâ?¢ 2 Duo processor, is designed to power wireless laptops and make it simple for people to enjoy mobile computing and entertainment. Additional information about Intel is available at www.intel.com/pressroom.
"Intel has worked very hard in recent years to deliver consumers worldwide a great, high-quality entertainment experience via the PC," said CJ Bruno, Intel’s Director of Americas Marketing. "The web cast of a great concert such as the "Hootie and Friends" event is an awesome example of the type of high-definition entertainment PC users today can enjoy on PC, laptop or TV."
Band members Darius Rucker and Jim "Soni" Sonefeld, tournament director Paul Graham, Bill Golden, vice president and director of marketing of Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday and Pat Weis from Intel Corporation were present at today’s press conference at the House of Blues to announce details about the 2007 Tournament, disclose the celebrities and professional golfers scheduled to participate and answer questions from the media.
"We are looking forward to the 2007 Monday After the Masters Tournament and our fifth anniversary of hosting the tournament in Myrtle Beach," said Rucker. "We’re pleased to announce a deal with Intel Corporation to be a co-presenting sponsor of the 2007 tournament. Intel, the world leader in silicon innovation, develops technologies, products and initiatives to continually advance how people work and live. I’m looking forward to having new celebrities Jason Sehorn, Lucas Black, two-time US Open Champion, Andy North and Bob Hope champion, Charley Hoffman join us along with seeing old friends John Daly, Edwin McCain, J.B. Holmes-who helped our team win the title in 2006, Josh Kelley and USC’s head coach Steve Spurrier."
"The tournament started back in 1994 as an opportunity for our friends and fans to get together but the tournament is really about helping raise more money for South Carolina educational charities," said Sonefeld. "Last year, we set a record with $450,000 in donations and that’s why we’re all here today. We would like to thank Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday for their support and help during these four years. They’ve helped take our tournament to a new level and we feel like we’ve found a permanent home for the event here on the Grand Strand."
The field for the 13th annual Monday After the Masters also includes musicians from many different genres including jazz saxophonist Branford Marsalis; R&B singer Javier; pop rock performer Edwin McCain; Alter Bridge drummer Scott Phillips and country singers Steve Azar, Johnny Lee and Jake Owen; Other celebrities participating in the 2007 Tournament include ESPN host Stuart Scott, Gary Valentine of "King of Queens", Kevin Sorbo of TV’s "Hercules" and "Andromeda", actor Anthony Anderson from "The Departed", Lucas Black of "Friday Night Lights" and "Jarhead" and TV personality Mitch Laurance.
From the sports world, former NFL stars Dwight Clark, Jim McMahon, Sterling Sharpe, and George Rogers will participate. Former New York Met Kevin Elster and 1992 National League Rookie of the Year Eric Karros will represent Major League Baseball.
The professional golf field is once again loaded with talent including Woody Austin, Ricky Barnes, Rich Breem, Lee Elder, Robert Gamez, Charlie Hoffman, Billy Kratzert, Mark Lye, Troy Matteson, Jim McGovern and LPGA golfer Erica Blasberg. Many golfers with South Carolina connections like Kyle Thompson and D.J. Trahan will join the band as well. More celebrities and athletes will be announced as the April 9th date draws closer.
"We are excited to celebrate the fifth anniversary of the Monday after the Masters Celebrity Pro-Am Golf Tournament in Myrtle Beach," said Golden. "The Monday after the Masters Tournament has meant so much to the Grand Strand and we are proud to partner with an event that helps fund the state’s junior golf program and bring national media attention to the Myrtle Beach area."
Monday After the Masters tickets go on sale Saturday, March 3rd at 10:00 a.m. at the House of Blues, the Barefoot Resort & Golf pro shops and all Ticketmaster outlets. Tickets are $10 with children 12 years of age and younger admitted free.
Last year, the tournament recorded its first sell-out with more than 6,000 tickets sold to fans who packed The Dye Club at Barefoot Resort & Golf to see their favorite celebrities, athletes and musicians compete in the 12th annual Monday After the Masters Tournament in North Myrtle Beach, S.C.
Over the past 12 years, the tournament has donated more than $3 million to the South Carolina Junior Golf Foundation and the Hootie & the Blowfish Foundation, which supports the educational needs of South Carolina. A record $450,000 was raised at the 12th annual Monday After the Masters and those donations were distributed in December to the Hootie & the Blowfish Foundation, the South Carolina Junior Golf Association, the Special Olympics of South Carolina, the First Tee Program of Myrtle Beach and Spartanburg, Junior Achievement of Coastal South Carolina and Fairway Outreach.
About the Hootie & the Blowfish Monday After the Masters Celebrity Golf Tournament
Widely considered as one of the most popular celebrity pro-ams in the country, the Hootie & the Blowfish Monday After the Masters Celebrity Pro-Am Golf Tournament attracts thousands of people who enjoy the music of the two-time Grammy award winners as well as the friendly competition between the band and their celebrity and PGA professional friends. Over the past 12 years, the Monday After the Masters has donated more than three million dollars to the South Carolina Junior Golf Foundation and the Hootie and the Blowfish Foundation, which supports the educational needs of South Carolina. In the past, the tournament has attracted many big-name PGA professionals including Tiger Woods, Arnold Palmer, David Duval, Craig Stadler, Fred Couples and John Daly, as well as several with South Carolina connections – Jay Haas, Jonathan Byrd, Charles Warren, Brett Quigley, D.J. Trahan and Kyle Thompson.
Past celebrities include Samuel L. Jackson, Kevin Sorbo, Anthony Anderson, Meat Loaf, Branford Marsalis, Sister Hazel, Edwin McCain, Dan Marino, Brett Favre, Grant Fuhr, Lou Holtz, Steve Spurrier, former South Carolina governor Jim Hodges, members of Creed, Bernie Kosar, ESPN’s Dan Patrick, Stuart Scott and Mike Tirico.
About Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday
Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday is a non-profit trade association of 77 championship golf courses, 80 golf package providers and five golf schools in the Myrtle Beach, South Carolina area. Founded in 1967, the organization has been and continues to be the driving force behind the growth of the Myrtle Beach area golf market. In addition to hosting the Hootie and the Blowfish Monday After The Masters Celebrity Pro-Am Golf Tournament each April, Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday also manages the PGA TOUR Superstore World Amateur Handicap Championship – the world’s largest single amateur golf tournament, Golf Holiday also hosts the Summer Family Golf Tournaments, the Spring and Fall Palmetto High School Golf Championships, the Veterans Golf Classic and the FDNY 9-11 Memorial Golf Outing. For more information, please call Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday at 1-800-833-8798 or visit www.golfholiday.com.
Low-Resolution Photo Attached – High Resolution Photo available by emailing charden@brandonadvertising.com
Photo Caption: Hootie & the Blowfish bandmembers Darius Rucker (left) and Jim "Soni" Sonefeld (right) welcome co-presenting sponsors Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday (Bill Golden-middle left) and Intel Corporation (Pat Weis – middle right).
Contact:
Cheryl Harden or Erin Barrett, Brandon Advertising and Public Relations, (843) 916-2000
charden@brandonadvertising.com; ebarrett@brandonadvertising.com;
or Susan Graham, Fishco Management, (803) 254-6977 susan@hootie.com
or visit www.HootieGolf.com