ORLANDO, Fla. -- Self-doubt stinks. It is especially foul on Big Break Prince Edward Island when elimination can be just one shot, or a negative thought, away. Just ask Eugene Smith (Glen Ridge, N.J), whose shaky mental game led to elimination after losing the episode's final challenge to Derek Gillespie (Oshawa, Ontario, Canada) and Gerina Mendoza (Dallas, Texas).
The three competitors played for the right to advance to the series' eighth episode in a challenge that featured each competitor holing out from three short-game locations surrounding the fourth green at Mill River Golf Resort in Prince Edward Island, Canada. The competitor taking the most strokes on the three locations was eliminated.
Gillespie took an early lead with a two from the first location while Mendoza and Smith took three shots. It was at the next location, a 35-yard flop shot over a bunker, that Smith took five shots and his "mental midget" persona surfaced when he called himself horrible and pathetic.
"I wasn't helping my confidence level," admitted Smith.
Fellow contestant Aaron Wright (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) said that it was as bad as it could be as far as a professional's mental game goes.
After two locations, Gillespie all but had secured advancing while Mendoza had a one-stoke advantage over Smith. Facing a greenside bunker shot, Smith left himself a putt inside 10 feet to potentially force a playoff, which he missed. He then watched while Mendoza tap in for the three.
"I need to learn to calm myself down and not be so negative," Smith understated. "I like this game too much. It drives me insane, but I like it."
Elimination by Episode:
Show 1: Robert Read
Show 2: William Thompson
Show 3: Kim Kouwabunpat
Show 4: Caroline Larsson
Show 5: Nicole Sikora
Show 6: Brian Skatell
Show 7: Eugene Smith
The five remaining contestants will compete for $100,000 that can provide the winner a means to finance their dream of playing on a Tour for an entire year. Past Big Break champions won tournament exemptions to compete on some of the world's top professional circuits, such as the PGA TOUR, Champions Tour, European Tour, LPGA Tour, Nationwide Tour and Canadian Tour. Former Big Breakers Tommy Gainey and James Nitties compete on the PGA TOUR in 2009 while four previous female contestants currently play on the LPGA Tour, including Kristy McPherson, who finished tied for second at the Kraft Nabisco Championship earlier this year.
Adding insight to Big Break Prince Edward Island as co-hosts are former PGA TOUR professional Charlie Rymer and Golf Digest Senior Editor Stina Sternberg.
Shot at Mill River Golf Course in Prince Edward Island, it marks the first time a Canadian location has hosted Big Break. Located in the Gulf of St. Lawrence on Canada's east coast, Prince Edward Island boasts more than 32 courses that span from one end of the Island to the other. One of Canada's top golf destinations, Prince Edward Island offers other recreational activities, including kayaking and cycling.
The eighth episode of Big Break Prince Edward Island will air Monday at 9 p.m. ET.
For more information, please contact Mark Mitchell (407-355-4063/ mmitchell@golfchannel.com ) or GolfChannel.com/bigbreak
