Derek’s Big Break
Article by Don Schwartz, WG Authentic / Visit Ford Wayne Gretzky Classic presented by Samsung
Canadian golfer Derek Gillespie has been waiting for his big break.
Little did the up-and-coming golfer know that his moment would come on a Golf Channel reality show and that the only thing standing between him and taking another step towards his ultimate goal of a PGA Tour card would be 99 yards.
Holding a slim lead on the last hole in the final showdown of the Big Break XI reality competition show, Gillespie’s SkyCaddie showed that he was 99 yards away from the pin and the $100,000 grand prize. For the lifelong hockey fan who wore the Wayne Gretzky 99 Silhouette Cap throughout the show’s taping, the symbolism was strong, though it didn’t dawn upon him until after the fact.
“I saw that I had 99 yards, but I just wanted to hit the green, get it in and scrape it in the hole and win it,” Gillespie said. “It was actually when I got to settle down and have something to eat, drink and do interviews that I was asked about having 99 yards and wearing the 99 hat. It was just kind of neat how everything worked out.”
The win was the crowning moment for The Big Break, which filmed its 11th season on Prince Edward Island. Each week featured skill contests between the contestants, with one of the original 12 – six men, six women – being eliminated after each episode. Though the competitors were all skilled in golf, show business was a different story.
“You were just worried about hitting your shots and trying to control your nerves in front of those cameras, because it can get pretty nerve racking when you see 25 cameras on you,” Gillespie said. “They literally follow your every move. To hit a touch shot, even from 100 yards, is pretty difficult when you’ve got all these distractions. But overall it was a pretty neat and different experience from what I’m used to, just playing golf.”
Also a distraction was the days immediately following the show’s taping, which actually ended last September. Contestants had to sign confidentiality papers prior to the taping, so Gillespie had to keep his life-altering victory a secret until the final episode aired.
“It was tough for the first couple of weeks, but as time went on it got easier because it had all sunk in for me that it was over and I was just trying to move on and think about what I need to do to get on the PGA Tour,” he said. “I’ve been asked so many times ‘Did you win? Did you win?’ But for me it was eight months ago. It wasn’t that big of a deal until the final episode aired recently and I was bombarded with phone calls, Facebook messages, e-mails and interviews. I’m pretty excited for it to be over so I can finally collect that money. But I’m looking forward to the opportunities it brings as well.”
One such opportunity is the chance to play in the upcoming Ford Wayne Gretzky Classic presented by Samsung. For the Oshawa native, the tournament poses double pressure – playing alongside some of hockey’s greats, while also having the chance to compete on the Nationwide Tour.
Not that Gillespie feels that pressure.
“You just try to do your own deal and do the best you can,” he said. “At the end of the day it’s a game and I’m going to have fun with whomever I’m playing with and chat it up. I do understand that it’s important and there’s a lot of money to be won and if I did win and that it could change my life – I’m halfway to the PGA Tour if that happens. I think I play my best golf when I’m relaxed out there and kind of chatting it up and having fun.”
Chances are good that Gillespie will once again be wearing the 99 silhouette somewhere on his attire when he tees off next week in Collingwood. While he makes his living on the greens, a bit of his heart is always on the ice.
“Wayne’s always been an idol of mine,” Gillespie said. “I’ve always looked up to him. I remember when I was a kid growing up in Oshawa that I couldn’t stay up long enough to watch the games out in Edmonton on the West Coast. So before my dad went to work he would always let me know who won before I went to school. This was in the Oilers’ heyday when they were winning all those cups and I was a young kid. He’s an icon in Canada. He’s a great person. He gives back. I couldn’t find somebody better to represent. He’s kind of the ultimate athlete in Canada.”
Given his recent big break, young golf fans may soon be tuning in to see how Gillespie did the previous day. Of course fans can also tune into the Golf Channel’s coverage of the Wayne Gretzky Classic, which tees off July 9 – 12. For more information on the Ford Wayne Gretzky Classic presented by Samsung, visit www.gretzky.com/golf.
Article by Don Schwartz, WG Authentic / Visit Ford Wayne Gretzky Classic presented by Samsung
Tags: canadian golfer derek gillespie, derek gillespie, Ford Wayne Gretzky Classic, The Big Break, the golf channel, wayne gretzky