'Big Break The Palm Beaches' Winner, Golfers
Big Break The Palm Beaches was the 23rd installment of the Golf Channel competition series The Big Break, in which golfers competed in skills challenges and golf matches, with golfer(s) eliminated each week. Big Break The Palm Beaches aired in 2015, with the series premiere on February 2, 2015.
The series was taped in Palm Beach County, Florida, where there are multiple municipalities that incorporate "Palm Beach" in their names (hence the series name). The PGA National Resort & Spa, in Palm Beach Gardens, served as the host facility, with four of its courses used during the taping.
The champion of Big Break The Palm Beaches earned a spot in the field at the 2015 Barbasol Championship on the PGA Tour, plus $60,000 cash along with other prizes.
The television announcers for the series were Tom Abbott and Melanie Collins.
'Big Break The Palm Beaches' Cast Members
The golfers on Big Break The Palm Beaches numbered 12, and it was an all-male cast. The ages, residences and accomplishments listed are those at the time the series aired in 2015:- George Bryan, 27, Chapin, S.C.: 3-time All-American at South Carolina, part of Bryan Brothers trick-shot team
- Wesley Bryan, 24, Augusta Ga./Chapin, S.C.: Played college golf at South Carolina, part of Bryan Brothers trick-shot team
- Brandon Hartzell, 27, Charleston, S.C./St. Paul, Minn.: Delta State University golfer, mini-tour player
- Justin Martinson, 26, Savannah, Ga./Avondale, Pa.: Delaware Amateur champ, Delaware Open champ, mini-tour player
- Clay Myers, 24, Orlando, Fla./Memphis, Tenn.: Multiple college wins at Jackson State, appeared in golf commercials, caddied for Cheyenne Woods
- Tyler Neff, 30, Knoxville, Tenn.: Mini-tour player, played college golf at Tennessee-Chattanooga
- Chad Pfeifer, 33, Scottsdale, Ariz.: Iraq veteran, took up golf during rehab after leg amputated
- Zach Portemont, 25, Birmingham, Ala.: Mini-tour player, played college golf at Troy U.
- Robert Rohanna, 28, Naples, Fla./Waynesburg, Pa.: Had Web.com Tour status, played on PGA Tour Latinoamerica
- Tommy Schaff, 39, Savannah, Ga.: Turned pro in 2002 and won 25 times on mini-tours
- Kyle Scott, 28, Atlanta, Ga./Johannesburg, South Africa: Conditional status on Web.com Tour, college roommate of fellow contestant Richy Werenski
- Richy Werenski, 23, Bluffton, S.C./South Hadley, Mass.: Won three of his first five professional starts after college career at Georgia Tech
Winner of 'Big Break The Palm Beaches'
Richy Werenski (pictured at top) was the champion of Big Break The Palm Beaches. It came down to Werenski and Justin Martinson playing the 18-hole championship match in the series' final episode. That match was played on the Champion Course (home of "the Bear Trap") at PGA National.And after falling behind during the middle part of the match, Werenski finally won it on the par-3 17th hole, the final hole of the Bear Trap. Werenski hit his tee shot to seven feet, then sank his birdie putt to close out a 2-and-1 victory.
How Werenski fared in his PGA Tour exemption: As series winner, Werenski got to play in the 2015 Barbasol Championship on the PGA Tour. Werenski shot 73-68 to make the cut, then closed with rounds of 72 and 71. He finished tied for 72nd place at even-par 284.
Where is Richy Werenski now? He has gone on to win on the Web.com Tour, and, beginning in 2017, earn PGA Tour membership.
