Big Break Mexico Follow-Up

Back in August, I wrote about the victory of 23 year old Taylor Collins on Golf Channel's "Big Break Mexico":

http://grandstander.blogspot.com/2013/08/the-big-break-mexico-champion.html

Among the cash and prizes that Ms. Collins received was an exemption into the LPGA's Lorena Ochoa Invitational.  Well, that tournament took place this past weekend, and here is how Taylor's Big Break turned out for her.

In a field of 36 golfers, Taylor Collins, sadly, finished in 35th and last place (one golfer withdrew after the second round).  Over the four rounds, she shot 74-77-76-73 - 300, which was twelve shots over par, seven shots behind the golfers just ahead off her, and twenty-eight shots behind winner Lexi Thompson.  For her efforts, Collins cashed a check for $7,250.

This is not to make light of Taylor Collins' performance, but, rather, to point out the world of difference between those golfers who regularly compete on the PGA and LPGA Tours and those golfers who scuff around on the fringes of professional tournament golf and compete on "The Big Break".

Taylor Collins is a terrific golfer by almost anybody's standards, and she seemed like a pleasant young woman when you watched her on the show.  I wish her well in pursuit of her dream, but it looks like she has a steep mountain to climb.

The current iteration of the show, Big Break NFL, will grant exemptions into professional tournaments in 2014 to both a male and female golfer, and The Grandstander will follow up on those performances as well.

By the way, to my knowledge, only one Big Break winner, Tommy Gainey, has managed to make a go of it in golf's big leagues.  He won once on the PGA Tour in 2012, and in 2013 he played in 28 events, made 14 cuts, had one top ten finish, and earned $520,000.  He's making a living, but he's hardly a household name.