It's easy to overlook the abilities of the golfers taking part in the Golf Channel's Big Break reality series. While an endless string of closest-to-the-pin challenges look fun, they don't really give the viewer a decent idea of what to expect from the competitors in a serious stroke-play event.
While the show is still a few weeks from completion, one of the remaining competitors is making a serious run at this year's U.S. Open.
The USGA recently reported that one of the contestants from the current season, set in Prince Edward Island, Eugene Smith, recently advanced to sectional qualifying with an impressive performance.
Monday May 18, Smith shot a rather "routine," as he described it, 2-under 68 during local qualifying at Haworth Country Club in northern New Jersey. Smith's score, the only score recorded under par for the day, was good enough to best everyone in the 57-player field and earn him medalist honors.
Smith now advances to the 36-hole sectional qualifying portion of U.S. Open qualifying. He'll play again June 8 at Tumble Creek Club in Roslyn, Washington.
When asked about the possibility of playing in the Open at Bethpage Black, Smith said, "That would be amazing. We played a college event (at Bethpage), and it's just a great course.
Smith played college golf for Seton Hall. He was named the university's athlete of the year in 2001, his senior year.
A good showing by Smith would be another step in adding some genuine legitimacy to the Golf Channel Show. Another past contestant, James Nitties, is playing well on the PGA Tour this year. He has two top 20 finishes in a row on the current Texas Swing, and finished fourth earlier this year at the FBR Open in Arizona.
After Monday's episode of Big Break, Smith was still alive for the $100,000 grand prize and he experienced the highlight of his Prince Edward Island trip - a big hug from fellow female contestant Blair O'Neal, who I'm a dedicated fan of.
at Tuesday, 02 June 2009 00:01by Renaldo Thompson