ORLANDO, Fla. -- Sporting a bold style of play to match a colorful wardrobe, Kevan Maxwell doesn't back down. It was his aggressive nature, though, that led to elimination from Big Break Disney Golf.
Maxwell's demise came at the hands of Kevin Erdman and Sean Kalin in an elimination challenge where the trio hit from three locations, all of which offered risk/reward scenarios that tested both course management and shot-making ability. The player recording the most strokes was eliminated.
The first location demanded contestants hit a 155-yard shot from the left rough and over water with a tree in the player's sightline of the hole. Instead of playing safely to the right of the green or short to the fairway, Maxwell chose to go over the tree with hopes of hitting the green to apply pressure on his opponents. The bold plan backfired when his ball clipped the tree and landed in the water fronting the green. Maxwell posted a five, one more than Erdman and Kalin.
"I just caught it thin," Maxwell said of his effort. "If I pull it off, it changes the story for the other guys. If you fail, you fail. You just can't be afraid to fail."
Playing aggressively on the remaining two locations while his opponents took the safe route, Maxwell was not able to make up ground and became the third player from the 12-man field eliminated from the 10-week series.
Elimination by Episode:
Show 1: Ed Moses
Show 2: Andreas Huber
Show 3: Kevan Maxwell
The golf landscape is populated by players like Maxwell who posses the talent but not the means to pursue a professional career. Working at Kiawah Island Golf Resort by day and delivering pizza at night leaves him neither the time nor money to compete and develop his game. What he does have is a passion that seemingly has no expiration date.
"Anybody who knows me knows golf is what I want to do, and it is my heart's desire," said Maxwell. "I love to practice as much as I love to play. I know I could make it if I had more time to put into the game. When my time comes, I will be able to do it. I have to go back home and go to work to make some money to pay bills and play in tournaments."
Big Break Disney Golf premiered with a field of 12 men - collectively the most talented cast in series history, but individually at different stages in their careers - battling for the opportunity to play professional golf at the highest level.
Shot mainly at both the Magnolia and Palm Courses at Walt Disney World Resort near Orlando, Fla., the winner of the series will receive an exemption to compete in the 2010 Children's Miracle Network Classic. The series marks the first time that a Big Break winner will compete in a TOUR event on the same course in which the series was filmed.
Utilizing unique venues at Walt Disney World Resort, Big Break Disney Golf's challenges also will take place at Main Street U.S.A., Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex and the Walt Disney World Speedway. Intertwined into several episodes will be cameos by TOUR players and memorable moments from the Children's Miracle Network Classic.
In addition to the tournament exemption, the winner will earn cash and prizes with a potential value of more than $50,000 that includes entry fees paid to compete in the 2010 PGA TOUR Qualifying Tournament from SkyCaddie, a $10,000 shopping spree at Dick's Sporting Goods, free golf for a year courtesy of GolfNow.com, and an endorsement contract from Adams Golf including $10,000 cash.
GOLF CHANNEL's Vince Cellini and Stephanie Sparks reprise their roles as co-hosts to add insight to the series.
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 currently compete on the PGA TOUR while four previous female contestants currently play on the LPGA Tour, including Kristy McPherson, a member of the 2009 U.S. Solheim Cup Team.
The fourth episode of Big Break Disney Golf will air Tuesday at 10 p.m.
For more information, please contact Mark Mitchell (407-355-4063/ mmitchell@golfchannel.com ) or GolfChannel.com/bigbreak
