As former Naval Academy All-American Aaron Wright prepares to hit an iron shot in the Golf Channel’s “Big Break Prince Edward Island,” one of his competitors says in awe, “This guy can play.”
It’s not just Wright’s game that’s impressive. It’s his look — tall, broad shoulders, flat stomach, square jaw. It’s a look made for commanding troops, as Wright did as a Marine infantry officer in Afghanistan. It’s also a look made for television.
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In selecting competitors for it’s Big Break reality series, the Golf Channel is as aware of a pretty face as it is a pretty swing.
This is the tenth installment of the Big Break series. In this iteration, which began this week, six male and six female competitors square off elimination-style, one player leaving each week. At stake is a $100,000 first prize, other enticements, as well as exemptions into professional tour events.
The competitors range from the serious to the delusional, often in inverse proportion to the height of their cheekbones. Sound familiar?
Yes, this is American Idol for golfers, with a little “Survivor” and “The Bachelor” thrown in to rev up the snark factor.
In this week’s show, confident Brian Skatell, of Virginia Beach, is cast as this year’s prim donna. Another player from Virginia, Will Thompson of Bracey, a former Virginia State Golf Association Junior champion, is portrayed as the likeable country boy, his twang similar to that of Boo Weekley.
Wright has no such flaws. Depending on how long he survives, the show will undoubtedly play up his military background. His golf credentials are among the best on the show. He lost to Tiger Woods, 4 and 3, in the 1992 U.S. Junior Amateur quarterfinals. Since leaving the military in 2003, he has worked as a club pro in Orlando and played a season on the Hooters Tour, earning $14,689, not enough to sustain for another season.
Last year, however, Wright got into the nationwide Henrico Open and made the cut, giving him hope.
“For people playing the mini tours, it’s just not that easy to make it,” said Wright, who is married. “Money is one of the biggest reasons that people stop playing. It would really be good if I could win some cash.”
