Big Break Marathons Extended Through End of June; Viewership Success
Big Break Myrtle Beach and Big Break The Palm Beaches Launch on GOLFPASS Today, 21 Seasons Now Available
ORLANDO, Fla. (June 5, 2020) – GOLF Channel continues its “Big Break Monday” marathons with an encore presentation of Big Break Mexico, the series’ 19th season featuring a cast of six female and six male aspiring professional golfers, filmed at IBEROSTAR Playa Paraiso Golf & Spa Resort in Riviera Maya, Mexico.
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GOLF Channel also announced today that due to the marathons’ viewership success it is extending the Monday encore presentations through the end of June. Big Break Myrtle Beach (22nd season) will air on Monday, June 22, followed by Big Break Ka’anapali, (9th season) will air Monday, June 29.
Since the marathons began on Monday, March 30 (nine marathons to-date):
- 27% increase in Monday total-day viewership compared to Mondays in February, 2020.
- 79% increase in Monday total-day viewership with ages 25-54 compared to Mondays in February, 2020.
Initially premiering in 2013, Big Break Mexico will air in its entirety on Monday from 6 a.m.-6 p.m. ET, with a primetime encore of the final two episodes from 8-10 p.m. ET. The 11-episode season featured the cast of 12 professional golfers competing as three mixed-gender teams in a variety of skills challenges per episode, with the ultimate goal of knocking the others out of the competition. In a format twist for this particular season, eliminations did not take place during each episode. Losing teams at the end of early episodes earned “strikes,” with a surprise elimination showdown taking place during the course of the season. The season eventually shifted to single eliminations, with the last person standing – male or female – being crowned Big Break Mexico champion. The players competed for a sponsor exemption to either the PGA TOUR’s OHL Classic at Mayakoba or the LPGA Tour’s Lorena Ochoa Invitational and more than $100,000 in cash and prizes.
The finale featured an 18-hole championship match between Taylor Collins and Matthew Galloway. Taking place at IBEROSTAR Playa Paraiso Golf Club, the match never included a lead larger than two holes. On the 18th hole, Collins closed out the match with a five-foot putt for par to win the match 2-up. The finale will air from 5-6 p.m. ET and 9-10 p.m. ET on Monday.
Collins, who competed on the Symetra Tour following her Big Break victory, is currently a teaching professional at Coral Ridge Country Club in Ft. Lauderdale. Galloway is a full-time caddie on the LPGA Tour, having caddied for Ryann O’Toole, Michelle Wie and is currently on the bag for Angel Yin.
Members of the cast, as well as host Tom Abbott, are scheduled to engage on Twitter throughout the day on Monday using #BigBreak. Abbott also is scheduled to join Morning Drive on Monday at 9 a.m. ET to discuss the season.
The cast of Big Break Mexico include:
Lindsey (Bergeron) Dweck
Taylor Collins (winner)
Matthew Galloway (runner-up)
McKenzie (Jackson) Lyng
Stefanie (Kenoyer) Del Greco
Liebelei Lawrence
Brent Long
Chad Schulze
Jason Seymour
Emily (Talley) Hoye
Rob West
Jay Woodson
TWENTY-ONE BIG BREAK SEASONS NOW AVAILABLE ON GOLFPASS: Big Break Myrtle Beach and Big Break The Palm Beaches launch today on GOLFPASS, golf’s only comprehensive digital membership that offers everything golfers love about the game, to bring the total number of series on GOLFPASS to 21. Each week, full Big Break seasons are launching on GOLFPASS, with seasons currently available including Big Break I; Big Break II: Las Vegas; Big Break III: Ladies Only; Big Break IV: USA vs. Europe; Big Break V: Hawaii; Big Break VI: Trump National; Big Break VII: Reunion; Big Break Mesquite, Big Break Sandals Resorts, Big Break Ka’anapali, Big Break Prince Edward Island, Big Break X: Michigan, Big Break Dominican Republic, Big Break Indian Wells, Big Break Ireland, Big Break Atlantis, Big Break Greenbrier, Big Break Mexico, Big Break Florida, Big Break Myrtle Beach and Big Break The Palm Beaches.
The Big Break series concept, which was at the forefront of the reality competition craze started by Survivor in the late 1990’s, features professional golfers competing in skills challenges that test their physical abilities and mental toughness, finding themselves in situations when these words from legendary golfer Ben Hogan were never proven more true: “The most important shot in golf is the next one.” On Big Break, the competitors must perform or be eliminated.
Champions from each season of Big Break received his or her “Big Break,” exemption(s) to compete on the world’s top professional tours.Big Break provided break-out opportunities for current tour professionals, including Wesley Bryan, Matt Every, Tony Finau, Tommy Gainey, Kristy McPherson, Ryann O’Toole, Piller, Jackie Stoelting and Richy Werenski.
The series also featured other memorable characters like Sara Brown (Big Break Sandals Resorts), Mark Farnham (Big Break I), Eddie Gardino (Big Break IV: USA vs Europe), Andrew Giuliani (Big Break Dominican Republic), Mark Murphy (Big Break Ireland), Chad Pfeifer (Big Break The Palm Beaches), Anthony Rodriguez (Big Break VIII: Mesquite) and Bri Vega (Big Break VI: Trump National), among many others.
GOLF Channel Upcoming “Big Break Mondays” Programming Schedule
Monday, June 8 Big Break Mexico
Monday, June 22 Big Break Myrtle Beach
Monday, June 29 Big Break Ka’anapali
GOLFPASS Big Break Programming:
Available to Stream Now:
Big Break I
Big Break II: Las Vegas
Big Break III: Ladies Only
Big Break IV: USA vs Europe
Big Break V: Hawaii
Big Break VI: Trump National
Big Break VII: Reunion
Big Break Mesquite
Big Break Prince Edward Island
Big Break X: Michigan
Big Break Ka’anapali
Big Break Sandals Resorts
Big Break Dominican Republic
Big Break Indian Wells
Big Break Ireland
Big Break Atlantis
Big Break Greenbrier
Big Break Mexico
Big Break Florida
Big Break Myrtle Beach
Big Break The Palm Beaches
-NBC Sports Group-
Media contacts:
Jeremy Friedman
GOLF Channel Communications
407-721-9752
Jeremy.Friedman@GolfChannel.com
Dan Higgins
GOLF Channel / GOLFPASS Communications
407-496-8107
Dan.Higgins@GolfChannel.com
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Jeremy Friedman
Senior Manager, Public Relations
7580 Golf Channel Drive
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Tel: 407-355-4058
Cell: 407-721-9752