Golf Channel's Big Break Series Heads to The Greenbrier for 18th Season

Winner to Receive Exemption to 2013 Greenbrier Classic on the PGA TOUR Big Break Greenbrier to Premiere Oct. 2

(ORLANDO, Fla.) - Golf Channel's popular Big Break reality competition series returns for its 18th season this fall at The Greenbrier resort in West Virginia - the historic retreat known as "America's Resort" - providing the opportunity for the winner to compete alongside the PGA TOUR's best at The Greenbrier Classic in July 2013.

Big Break Greenbrier, produced at The Greenbrier in June and scheduled to premiere Oct. 2, will feature a cast of 12 male professional golfers competing against each other in an attempt to make their lifelong dreams of playing alongside the world's top golfers a reality. The ultimate winner will receive an exemption to The Greenbrier Classic in July 2013, cash and other prizes.

Big Break Greenbrier will unfold on the resort's four golf courses: The Old White TPC Course - home to The Greenbrier Classic; The Greenbrier Course - a Jack Nicklaus design and home to the 1979 Ryder Cup and the 1994 Solheim Cup; The Meadows Course - a Dick Wilson and Bob Cupp design that is often referred to as the most scenic of The Greenbrier courses; and The Snead Course - the private residents' course and a Tom Fazio design that showcases a remarkable test of strategic tee shots, precision approaches and undulating fast greens. During the series, the competitors will reside in two deluxe, 3,000-square-foot timber-framed homes in The Greenbrier Sporting Club luxury residential community, located 3,300 feet atop Greenbrier Mountain.

"We are excited about hosting our newest Big Break season at The Greenbrier and offering the winner the opportunity to compete in the 2013 Greenbrier Classic," said Tom Knapp, Golf Channel senior vice president of programming. "Big Break is one of the longest-running series on television and one of our most important original series franchises, and we strive to give our competitors tough tests on the golf course while showcasing a picturesque location. We accomplished both with Big Break Greenbrier."

The Big Break show concept pits highly skilled golfers against each other in a variety of challenges that test their physical skills and mental toughness. During Big Break Greenbrier, one contestant will be eliminated each week, with the last player standing awarded his Big Break, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to compete on the PGA TOUR at The Greenbrier Classic in July 2013.

Past Big Break champions have won tournament exemptions to compete on some of the world's top professional circuits, including the PGA TOUR, Champions Tour, European Tour, LPGA Tour,Web.com Tour and Canadian Tour. Tommy "Two Gloves" Gainey, Big Break VII: Reunion champion and PGA TOUR professional, caught the world's attention in 2011 with three top-five finishes, and Big Break Ireland champion Mark Murphy made the cut in both of his 2012 events on the European Tour he received as a result of winning the series (Trophee Hassan II and The Irish Open).

Several other past Big Break competitors are currently competing on the world's top tours, including Matt Every (PGA TOUR), James Nitties (Web.com Tour), Kim Welch and Sara Brown (Ladies European Tour); and Gerina Piller, 2011 Solheim Cup team member Ryann O'Toole and 2009 U.S. Solheim Cup Team member Kristy McPherson (LPGA Tour).

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