The Big Break II

Infobox Television The Big Break
season_name = The Big Break II


caption =
first_aired = September 27, 2004
last_aired =
filming_started =
filming_completed =
num_episodes = 10
location = Stallion Mountain Country Club and Bali Hai Golf Club, Las Vegas, Nevada
hosts = Rick Smith; Lesley Swanson
tour_exemptions = Nationwide Tour
tournament_exemptions = 2005 Henrico County Open, 2005 LaSalle Bank Open, 2005 Lake Erie Charity Classic, 2005 Pete Dye West Virginia Classic
winner = Kip Henley III
website = http://www.thegolfchannel.com/core.aspx?page=23401
tour_status =
previous_season = The Big Break I
next_season =

"The Big Break II" first aired on September 27, 2004. The majority of the series was filmed at the Stallion Mountain Country Club in Las Vegas, though the matchplay final was held at Vegas' Bali Hai Golf Club. The winner of this edition picked up exemptions into four selected Nationwide Tour events in 2005 (all of which aired on The Golf Channel), a $10,000 cash prize, and a new Ford Five Hundred.

The second season's ten hopefuls were Don Donatello of Lake Mary, Florida; Jay McNair of Brandon, Florida; Kip Henley III of Crossville, Tennessee; Bart Lower of Ann Arbor, Michigan; David Gunas, Jr. of Amston, Connecticut; Sean Daly of San Luis Obispo, California; John Turk of Melbourne, Florida; Mike Foster, Jr. of Savannah, Georgia; Shelby Chrest of Olds, Alberta; and Scott Yancy III of Glen Carbon, Illinois. Smith returned to host, this time, joined by Lesley Swanson, whom, like Roberts, was dismissed as eye candy. Henley and Donatello were the final two, and their match needed two extra playoff holes, with Henley coming out on top. Lower got a nice prize, too. A viewer poll determined that of the eight previously eliminated contestants, Lower deserved another chance at his "big break," and with 37% of the vote, more than anyone else, Lower was invited to take part in "The Big Break IV", which he gladly accepted. As for Henley, he notes in this [http://www.thegolfchannel.com/core.aspx?page=15100&dv=7443333&select=15746 diary entry] that he has gained further awards since his victory. On April 27, 2005, Henley qualified for the PGA Tour's FedEx St. Jude Classic.

Henley's first Nationwide Tour event, the Henrico County Open, held from May 19 to 22, 2005, went well. He shot 2-under over the first two days. Darkness caused second round play to be suspended, so not everyone had finished yet, including a majority of the leaders, all eight of whom were tied at 9-under. While Henley's score was good, the projected cut at the time was 3-under. Kip's score, though, could have been better. Upon reaching the seventh green in the first round, Henley told his caddy, a friend of his, that he wanted to begin playing with a new ball at the eighth hole. At the seventh green, Henley marked his ball and tossed it to his caddy. His caddy, though, tossed Henley a new ball a hole too early, and Henley finished the hole with it, making birdie on his putt. Upon the realization that he had putted with the new ball, Henley called a penalty on himself, and had to add two strokes to his birdie at the seventh, making it a bogey. He ended up not making the cut after all.

As for the FedEx St. Jude Classic, Henley shot 9-over in the first round. He then shot 10-over in the second round, missing the cut by a long way.

The second season's webpage can be viewed [http://www.thegolfchannel.com/core.aspx?page=23401 here] . Henley himself has an official website: [http://www.kiphenley.com] . The second season has been released on DVD: [http://www.thegolfchannel.com/proshop/product.aspx?productId=208]