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David Gunas
catches his “Big Break” Cleveland Tour veteran to appear on popular Golf Channel reality show August 18, 2004 By Dominic Dastoli David Gunas, The Cleveland Golf Tour’s version of Peter Jacobsen, appears to have caught his big break. No, he has not inked a deal with Cleveland Golf Company to play their equipment, at least not yet anyway. He has, however, caught a different “Big Break.” The Golf Channel recently announced that Gunas, along with several other contestants, has been selected to star on the “Big Break 2,” a reality golf show which pits golfers against one another in a series of unique competitions. The original “Big Break” series was a huge success with Justin Peters of Pembroke, MA capturing the overall competition to win a handful of exemptions on the Canadian Golf Tour. A similar prize is expected to be given out to this year’s winner. Competition was fierce for a starring role on this Golf Channel reality show sequel as over 70,000 applications were mailed in from across the country. Applicants were asked to give their dream foursome and sum up the game of golf 300 words or less. Following this initial screening procedure, finalists were then told to report to a regional site for an interview. Three weeks later, Gunas found a television crew from the Golf Channel standing behind him just as he teed it up at Farmington Country Club with Stephen and Bruce Worley, two good friends who have been long time sponsors of his career. They were innocently looking for some footage for an interview, or so he was told. Just before he was about to strike his tee shot, one of the producers said Gunas had a phone call. The executive director of the Golf Channel was on the other end, and after some small chit chat, he broke the news to Gunas very casually. “By the way, you’re on the ‘Big Break’,” he said. Gunas could not believe they had held out with the news for so long. “You knew for the last three weeks and you didn’t tell me,” he shouted. Having turned professional in 1989, Gunas has done and seen it all in the world of competitive golf while playing on over 20 professional tours and recording seven hole in ones, with his most recent ace coming just this past week in the final round of the Atkinson Open. Despite all the success, he is grateful for everything that has come his way. “We are lucky to pursue a golf career,” he said. “But there is always someone behind you helping along the way.” Gunas himself might not have racked up over 25 wins as a professional were it not for the generosity of organizations such as the Greater Hartford Physical Therapy Center that have helped provide him with financial security and the luxury of being able to focus exclusively on improving his game. Despite a consistent reporitoire of one liners and a standup routine that accompanies him to every tournament, Gunas is approaching his role on the “Big Break” with a surprisingly serious agenda. Mainly, he wants “to let the golfing public know that there are a lot of other players out there who can compete on the PGA Tour level.” He feels that there are hundreds of professional golfers across the country that have as much talent as anyone who regularly appears on Sportscenter. Gunas is quick to mention the increasingly competitive Cleveland Golf Tour when assessing the level of talent that continues to go unnoticed by the majority of the public. “There are 20 players out here who, if you gave them their Nationwide or PGA Tour cards, they’d keep them.”
Regardless of how he performs on the “Big Break,” Gunas is
guaranteed to be that one person who will always make everyone
laugh with a witty zinger or wise remark, just like always.
Fortunately enough for anyone who will never have the privilege
of meeting David Gunas, a camera will be on him at all times.
To view Gunas’ bio or to obtain further information about the show, visit www.thegolfchannel.com. |
