PGA National to Host Golf Channel’s ‘Big Break’

Jack Nicklaus-Renovated Champion Course, Bear Trap Await Contestants

(PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla.) – PGA National Resort & Spa – home of the PGA TOUR Honda Classic and former Ryder Cup venue – will host the 23rd season of Golf Channel’s “Big Break,” premiering Feb. 2 (9 p.m. EST).

“Big Break The Palm Beaches, FL” will showcase the recent Jack Nicklaus renovation of The Champion Course. The most notable change is the strengthening of the 465-yard, par-4 14th hole – which leads into the feared Bear Trap. An all-male cast of 12 aspiring golf professionals will vie for more than $120,000 in cash and prizes, including an exemption to the PGA TOUR 2015 Barbasol Championship.

Few courses have a golf pedigree as storied as the Champion Course. Its vaunted resume includes hosting the 1983 Ryder Cup, 1987 PGA Championship, nearly two decades of the Senior PGA Championship and this year’s final stage of the Web.com Q-school. Last year it was the toughest layout on the PGA TOUR schedule (non-major venues) with an average per round score of 1.318 over par.

The lauded track is home to the aforementioned legendary “Bear Trap” (Nos. 15-17). The daunting trifecta continues to live up to its reputation as one of the most testing gauntlets in the sport. USA Today called The Bear Trap “one of the toughest stretches in golf.”

Produced in conjunction with Discover The Palm Beaches and Visit Florida, the series will showcase three additional layouts at PGA National during the 11 episodes:
· The Palmer – Named after its designer, Arnold Palmer, the course is a subtle nod to the game's Scottish roots and is a true risk / reward layout. Its 18th is one of the most scenic and picturesque par 5s on the property.
· The Fazio – A complete renovation of the resort’s Haig Course, The Fazio was modernized by Tom Fazio II and is a splendid shot maker’s design.
· The Squire – Named after Gene Sarazen and designed by George and Tom Fazio, The Squire is a test of accuracy and precision making it the most exacting of the courses at PGA National.

“It will be thrilling to watch the Big Break contestants battle each other as well as taking on the demanding Champion Course and mighty Bear Trap,” says Joel Paige, Vice President and Managing Director of PGA National. “Players vying to advance and viewers at home will see why we’re one of the world’s top golf destinations.”

The legendary destination is the only resort in Florida with five championship courses. It also has the unique distinction of being home to both the David Leadbetter Golf Academy and Dave Pelz Scoring Game School, along with offering a PGA TOUR-level fitting experience at the PGA National Club Fitting Lab.  At the off-site Estates Course, the resort additionally offers Every Ball Counts – the world’s first science-based, statistics-driven training system for golf improvement.

For more PGA National Resort & Spa information: www.pgaresort.com or call 561.627.2000.