Big Break Disney

[NEWFinNB]

I agree that Mike's reactions were inappropriate but in the end, he deserved to win. At least he didn't conduct himself like Blake.

I just finished watching some of the previous episodes before the final and Blake's behaviour is sickening. I wish he had gotten off the show earlier which would have made the next # of shows easier to watch. This guy is an amateur in every sense of the word and does not have a future in professional golf. My favorite Blake comment after a poor shot - "Get your lips off my ball, man." What the hell?? These reactions are not because of passion for the game - they are because these guys have not grown up. I knew Kevin did not have the game to win but Blake's continued comments about how he did not deserve to stay on the show made me root for him until the final.

[dummyisdumb]

I was actually very disappointed with Kevin in the finale, not because he played bad but because really he was less classy than usual. Him screaming at the ball got annoying. I really appreciated how Tony kept his composure.

Also, nobody really pointed this out, but I think the Golf Channel really did a good job with this finale. Every other two-man one hour finale has really been weak but they showed the whole match here. ++

[JetFan1983]

Agreed 100%. Two shot lead and the dummy takes driver. Live by the sword, die by the sword. Tony did.

+1 on this. Tony tried to be a badass when he didn't have to and he paid the price.

[flopdarock]

wow what a finish... i mean wowww... tony gave that away...
some of these guys have self esteem/confidence issues...
erdman did makes some pretty good recoveries after some terrible shots tho

[NormH3]

Is it me (maybe I misunderstood) But mike said after the 8th hole... there is still 11 holes to play. Which for me meant playoff..it kind of blew the suspense away for me...for at least the 19th hole.

I watched the first hour tonight. He made that comment after the 7th and before they played the 8th.

[Clubswinger21]

Havent posted in awhile. Just wanted to say i thought what Mike under pressuredid just showed his poise even though he wasnt feeling confindent in his swing. To watch what he did under pressure was some pretty amazing stuff. Well deserved, i think he showed he was the better player.. apparently he's got natonwide tour experience and it showed. Definetely made for the best Big Break finale ive seen. BTW Kevin might be the black sheep but i thought his play through out the BB tournament was consistent if not the most consistent, to those who say he didnt deserve to be there i say, yeah he's got a squierelly swing and hes a bit of a goof but he impressed me as much as Gipper and Tony. That one dude who kept losing it needs a golf psychologist asap. His names not worth remembering.

[kevink2]

Live by the sword, die by the sword.

+1000

[mtsalmela80]

If somehow Mike ended up winning the event he is going to play there next year, does that automatically get him a PGA card?

I thought I heard or read somewhere that if you are invited to play an event under any circumstances, and are not already a card carrier, but win, you get your card...

[NormH3]

If somehow Mike ended up winning the event he is going to play there next year, does that automatically get him a PGA card?

I believe so. He basically has a sponsers exemption for next years Miricle network. If he wins, I believe he gets a card for 2011. If he doesn't win in 2011, he would have to go to Q school to keep the card for 2012.

Hopefully I got that right.

[Where's the Cart Girl?]

agreed. there was no possible way in hell mike could go birdie-birdie with that cold putter.

Haha. My sentiments exactly.

I'm not saying driver was the smart play, I'm saying that he probably had more confidence under the circumstances in hitting driver and ending things on that hole. I understand that if the hole plays 330 he can probably go 6-iron, wedge - and perhaps he should have - but that still likely leaves him a longer putt than if he puts a driver to short pitch shot range and we've all seen that his putter is not his strength. He knows his strengths more than any of us do and I'm hesitant to just chaulk it up to bad decision, ego, inexperience, etc.. I think he knew he needed birdie and he chose to put the burden on his driver over his putter.

[iacas]

I believe so. He basically has a sponsers exemption for next years Miricle network. If he wins, I believe he gets a card for 2011. If he doesn't win in 2011, he would have to go to Q school to keep the card for 2012.

A win gets you a two-year exemption (calendar years).

http://www.pgatour.com/players/pgatour-exempt/ That page currently renders like crap for some reason, but here's the relevant part:

Source: PGA Tour Exemptions Winners of PGA TOUR co-sponsored or approved events (except team events) within the last two calendar years, or during the current year; winners receive an additional year of exemption for each additional win, up to five years

I'm not sure if that's from the date of your win or "2010 and 2011" - which would suck for people who win at the end of the year.

[iacas]

A win gets you a two-year exemption (calendar years).

BTW, there's not a chance in heck Mike wins.

He'll be lucky to make the cut. They weren't even playing the back tees.

[MSDOGS1976]

This was the first big break I watched none of the shows. I have usually kept up with the shows through the highlights and then watch the last one. But I am completely burned out. It's always the same old thing. Have one or two obnoxious characters that everyone wants to see lose. But I guess it will keep rolling along.

[Nyper]

I see a lot of people ripping at Tony for pulling driver on that hole instead of hitting a shorter iron down the middle.

The impression I got from the show is that Tony and Gipper both just need to mature in to their ability a little bit. I think they're both young (Tony is now 20 and Gipper is now 19 - they may have been younger when it was filmed) and just get carried away thinking their best play is to just smash the ball as far as they can with the smallest club possible. Granted, most of the time they CAN smash the heck out of the ball.. but that's not always the right play.

As they get older, more experienced, and more mature, they may become a couple of seriously tough golfers.

As far as Mike.. I think being hot headed is just his nature (and his brother's). I don't like to see him throw clubs or smash them in to the fairway, but he seems like a pretty good guy and I found myself pulling for him.

[youngskip40]

This big break wasn't to give a pro golfer the chance to become a pro golfer. It is giving a pro the break to play in a PGA Tour event as well as provide him with some of the goodies along the way. You have to keep in mind that since you are a Pro Golfer you aren't instantly making millions, that is only a very small percentage of all of the Pro Golfers out there...particularly the touring ones.

No, I agree with that. It's just tough because where do you draw the line for who gets to be a contestant on the show? The guy clearly already has a contract with a major sponsor, he has played on the Nationwide Tour (20 rounds according to pgatour.com -- assuming he didn't make the cut, that's 10 tournaments), and I doubt that he has any huge money problems that would derail his plans to pay for Monday qualifiers, Q-school, equipment, etc.

In my opinion, everyone they casted for the show is a good candidate except for Mike, Tony & Gipper. They were among the more exciting players, and I do understand this is all about TV ratings so it makes sense that they would be on there... I personally would just enjoy the show more if it were more about the underdog. I contest that what's keeping Tony/Gipper/Mike from having a status on the PGA or Nationwide tours has nothing to do with these prizes. In other words, they already have the time and money to play and practice as much as they want and dedicate their lives to trying to make it as a pro golfer. I think the other guys have a big disadvantage, therefore the result of them winning Big Break would have a more drastic effect on their prospects of becoming tour players. Just my opinion.

[FHopper]

I would like to see a show with only course maintenance/proshop people.

[youngskip40]

Adams sponsors Big Break. Many of the eliminated contestants (Gipper, for example) were wearing Adams hats, too, and they all used Adams staff bags. Also, I think I recall from coverage of the PEI Big Break that they were offered their pick of Adams clubs, too, if they chose to use them. Lots of people in that show were playing the 2009 Speedline (just like Mike was gaming the 9032LS in this season).

Yeah, I know. But I believe the other guys were wearing Big Break hats that also said Adams golf on them. Mike was the only one wearing just a straight Adams Golf hat.

Even if it was true that the players could choose any of Adams' clubs to play during the show, no player in their right mind would go into a competition with that much at stake and switch equipment without having practiced with it extensively first.

[NormH3]

I would like to see a show with only course maintenance/proshop people.

or 52 year old high handicapped IT managers