The Big Break IV

For those golfers out there... if you haven't watched the Golf Channel's Big Break series, you missed an excellent finale tonight and you are missing a great reality show.

Big Break IV, took a bit of a twist in that they put together 2 teams, 6 Americans and 6 Europeans and held their competition at the Carnoustie Golf links in Scotland.

The players battled team against team, then player against player in a daily elimination format of skills challenges and head to head play. The winner would get 2 European Tour event exemptions and a sponsorship from Bridgestone Golf.

It all came down to Guy Woodman, a young European vs Paul Holtby, an experienced teaching pro from the US. 18 holes of matchplay on the Championship course at Carnoustie would determine the winner of Big Break IV.

#1 Cup - 401 Par 4
Paul won the honors and hit a drive right down the middle. Guy led off with a 3-wood and put it right down the middle as well. Guy's second shot came up 20 yards short while Paul knocked a wedge to 20 ft. Guy putt his from the fringe, but came up 4 ft short. Paul was right on line but came up an inch short. Guy drained his putt to keep the match at all square.

#2 Gulley - 435 Par 4
Paul hooked his drive in the left weeds while Guy drove one right down the left side. Paul had a good lie and hit a heck of a golf shot to 15 ft. Guy left his 9 iron short of the green and had 45 feet. Guy lipped his putt out and settled for a par. Paul pushed his put to the right for a halve and the match stayed at all square

#3 Jockies Burn 337 Par 4
Paul hit a nice cut 3 wood dead center and Guy hit a 3 iron down the left side. Guy hit it on the front of the green and had 20 ft. Paul knocked a wedge stiff for a tap in birdie. Guy missed his putt and Paul went 1 up.

#4 Hillhocks 375 Par 4
Paul put a 3 wood down the left side of the fairway and Guy nailed a driver in the right light rough. Paul knocked a 4 iron fairly close. Guy knocked a 7 iron to 20 feet. Guy missed his putt left. Paul just left his 8 foot putt short and remained 1 up through 4.

#5 Brae 387 Par 4
Paul leaked his 3 wood to the right into a fairway bunker. Guy knocked a 2 iron right down the middle but it rolled into the burn. Paul hit out into the fairway sideways and left himself a wedge which he knocked to 8 ft. Guy took a drop and knocked his wedge to 6 feet. Paul left his putt just short for a bogey. Guy lipped his putt out on the left side for a bogey and Paul remained 1 up.

#6 Hogans Alley 520 Par 5
Paul's drive found the right light rough and Guy roped his drive right down the center. Paul layed up to 115 yds so he had a wedge in. Guy lost his second shot to the right into the thick rough. Paul put his 3rd shot to 20 feet. Guy hit a brilliant shot out of a horrible lie to within 6 feet. Paul lagged his to within a foot for an easy 5. Guy nailed his birdie to even the match at all square through 6.

#7 Plantation 394 Par 4
Guy had the honors for the first time, but left the door open by driving it into the right rough. Paul put his down the right side in the light rough. Guy ended up with a pretty good lie and knocked it on the green for a 25 footer. Paul's 6 iron came up a bit short into the wind and plugged in the greenside bunker. Paul came out nicely, but went 15 ft past leaving a bit of cheese on the cracker. Guy left his birdie putt 4 ft short. Paul left his putt 2 inches short and Guy had a 4 footer to win the whole. But the putt did a 180 around the hole and they left #7 all-square.

#8 Short 167 Par 3
Guy hit his 6 iron pin high just off the right edge of the green. Paul knocked his 6 iron to 15 ft. Guy lagged his putt to 3 inches for a par. But Paul nailed his birdie to go 1 up.

# 9 Railway 413 Par 4
Both Players absolutely crushed 300 yd drives right down the middle leaving wedges into the green. Paul pulled his to the left edge fringe and Guy left his 20 ft away. Paul's chip hit the pin and stayed out a foot. Guy just missed his putt to the right and 2 pars at #9 left Paul 1 up going into the back nine.

#10 South America 446 Par 4
On this long par 4, Paul drove in the bunker and had to pitch out sideways leaving himself a 230 yard 3rd shot. Guy sitting left himself right down the right side 130 yards out and in command of the hole until he hit a hosel rocket straight right. Ouch! Both bogeyed the hole leaving Paul 1 up.

#11 Dyke - 362 Par 4
Paul and Guy both hit 3 woods right down the pipe. Paul left his approach on the lower tier of the green. Guy got his on the upper tier, but was to the left 15 ft. Both 2 putted for par leaving Paul 1 up.

#12 Southward Ho - 479 Par 5
Paul and Guy both hit perfect drives right down the left side. Guy was first to hit and came up just short with a 5 iron. Paul also came up just short. Guy pitched first and knocked it stiff. Paul putted his right off the lip. Both made their short birdie putts leaving Paul 1 up.

#13 Whins - 161 Par 3
Paul hit a beautiful shot to 15 feet on the par 3 13th, Guy went over the green leaving a tough putt back up the hill and came up just short. Paul rolled in the birdie to go 2 up with 5 to play.

#14 Spectacles - 483 yd Par 5
Paul hit a beautiful drive right down the middle while Guy went in the left rough. Guy hit his second shot in the Greenside bunker while Paul hit his on the green, but 80 ft away. Guy chipped out to 10 ft but missed the putt. Paul went 9 ft past and missed the putt to halve the hole. Paul was still 2 up with 4 to play.

#15 Lucky Slap - 459 Par 4
Paul hit a 4 iron into the sand on the right and Guy hit 3 wood into the rough on the left. Paul blasted out and still had 230 to the green. Guy's 2nd shot went left into the gorse and he had to take an unplayable lie. He knocked his 4th shot to 15 ft. Paul's 3rd shot went over the green and his pitch back up left him with 20 ft for bogey. Guy had 15 ft for bogey. Paul rolled his in and Guy rolled his in for a brilliant halve leaving Paul 2 up with 3 left.

#16 Barry Burn - 245 Par 3
Paul still had the honors and hit it into the right greenside bunker. Guy knocked his just to the left of the green. Paul blasted out to 15 ft. Guy came up 12 feet short. Paul lagged to 6 inches for his bogey. Guy missed his put on the right side and Paul remained 2 up with 2 to go.

#17 Island - 433 Par 4
Paul played safe to the right while Guy nailed one right down the middle. Paul came up 40 yds short on his second shot. Guy put a 4 iron on the right side of the green. Paul hit a wedge to 3 feet forcing Guy to make his 50 foot putt to stay in the match and he came up just short. Paul pulled his 3 footer to the left and missed out on a chance to win Big Break IV outright. On to 18 with Paul still 1 up.

#18 Home - 444 Par 4
Guy crushed a drive right down the middle. Paul followed that up with an equal drive down the right side. Paul was a bit behind Guy and hit his shot a bit long and left and was just off the edge of the green with a pitch. Guy likewise was left and long, but could putt his. Paul chipped past the hole about 12 feet. Guy put his within 6 inches and Paul had a 12 footer to win Big Break IV on the 18th Green at Carnoustie. Paul drained it dead center to win the match 1-UP!

An outstanding match.

Keep an eye out for Big Break V Hawaii... Feb 2006... you'll thank me for it.