Local player soaks up Big Break
Waynesburg pro finishes in top 3 of reality TV show
Finally, after keeping it a secret for more than six months, Robert Rohanna can tell everyone:
He finished third on the Big Break Palm Beaches reality TV show on the Golf Channel.
“Not telling anybody is pretty tough,” said Rohanna, a Waynesburg native who plays on PGA Tour Latino America. “That’s all they want to talk about.”
Part of the requirement for appearing on Big Break is not being allowed to tell anyone what happened. The show, which was filmed in September at PGA National resort in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., aired for the past month on the Golf Channel and had its final episode last week.
Rohanna, 28, finished third after being ousted in a playoff by Justin Martinson, who eventually lost to the show’s winner, Richy Werenski. Werenski, 23, who played at Georgia Tech, gets an exemption into the PGA Tour’s Barbasol Classic in July, in addition to $80,000 in cash and prizes.
Rohanna thinks the experience will help his career.
“It’s really good for tournament golf because you have to perform under lots of pressure, lots of cameras,” Rohanna said. “Everything seems easy compared to what we did there. Sitting around and then hitting on cue is tough. It’s pretty difficult. You hurry up to wait for a long time until you hit.”
The show, though, brought instant fame to Rohanna, who was surprised at all the attention he received — and in the strangest places.
“I went to the Masters for the first time and I probably took 100 to 200 pictures with fans at Augusta,” said Rohanna, who was an academic All-American when he played at Penn State. “I wasn’t wearing any Big Break stuff. I was wearing a Penn State shirt and hat. I’m watching Rory McIlroy hit balls and I’m taking pictures with all these people. He’s probably wondering what’s going on over there? The exposure that way has been nuts.”
Staying 18
Wes Grable, golf professional at Westwood Golf Club, wants everyone to know: His 18-hole daily fee layout in West Mifflin will remain 18 holes, despite plans to build condos on the property.
Grable has leased the course from owner Mark Lattore, who wants to build condos on what is now the 10th hole at Westwood. To make up for the eventual loss of that hole, Grable is in the process of turning the 413-yard 16th hole into two holes — a 155-yard par-3 and a 500-yard par-5.
The latter is being accomplished by clearing nearly 300 yards of trees to the left of the bend in the fairway on No. 16 — turning what was a 90-degree dogleg into an arrow-hole using the existing 16th green. The new tee will be built just over the hill from No. 1 green.
Grable said the holes should be ready to play in approximately two months. However, he said it is possible the 10th hole could remain open longer than that until construction begins.
“We’re still playing the original 18 holes, but I want to be sure to let people know we’re going to have 18 holes here,” Grable said. “People come in and say, ‘I hear you’re going to be only a nine-hole course.’ It’s staying 18 holes, always and forever.”
Chip shots
So, after cracking down on corruption, drugs, gambling and prostitution, China is now going after another evil temptation: golf. The government wants to crack down on the sport because it believes golf is a bad influence like “fine liquor and tobacco, fancy cars and mansions.” An anti-corruption agency has even set up a hotline to report any civil servant who is caught playing golf during working hours, betting on golf, playing with people connected to work and traveling on golfrelated junkets. Said Chris Dufresne of the Los Angeles Times, “We have a name for that in the U.S. — Wednesday.”
•A television station in Savannah, Ga., not far from where the PGA Tour’s RBC Heritage Classic was being contested on Hilton Head Island, broke into network coverage of the event with a weather update right when Jim Furyk was standing over a potential winning birdie putt in a sudden-death playoff. A tornado warning was being instituted? A dangerous storm was fast approaching? No, fans missed Furyk’s dramatic moment because the station broke in to tell viewers a flash-flood watch had been cancelled. Apparently, they couldn’t wait another 30 seconds to tell people nothing was happening and all was clear?
• Albus Golf, based in Barcelona, Spain, has developed a golf ball for those players who are constantly hitting their shots into water. No, the ball doesn’t float and is easily retrievable. It biodegrades in the water and releases fish food that is built into the core. It’s called Eco-bioball and it’s intended for use on courses that are built along oceans or lakes, or have lots of water. Word of advice: Don’t leave it in the ball-washer too long.
Places to play
Looking for places to play when you’re on the road? So am I, and here are several courses you can access that are well worth the effort when traveling.
The Landing at Reynolds Plantation — Underwent a major renovation two years ago by the original architect, Bob Cupp. Located 75 minutes from Augusta, Ga., The Landing was known as Port Armour Golf Club when it was the first course built on Lake Oconee in 1986. Cupp has reshaped holes, repositioned bunkers and created some of the most magnificent par-4s at the resort, most especially No. 9.
• Aiken Golf Club — Located 45 minutes from Augusta in South Carolina, it’s a sporty layout with tricky greens and a great price, especially the twilight rate. It came highly recommended, and for good reason — it’s nicely maintained for a public course.
• Ambiente at Camelback — One of two courses at the Camelback resort in Scottsdale, Ariz., Ambiente is a true links-style layout in the desert. Holes 1-10 go out from the clubhouse and Nos. 11-18 turn around and come back, all framed by stunning mountain backdrops. As part of a $10 million renovation (that also included a name change), architects Jason Straka and Dana Frye (Olde Stonewall) took mostly flat land and built mounding and contours with slight elevation changes into the layout. Trees were removed to give better views of Camelback and Mummy mountains. It’s pricey in-season, but good.
Dissa and data
• The 29th annual Lanny Frattare Golf Classic is July 13 at St. Clair Country Club. The event, which benefits Familylinks, Inc., is 27 holes and includes dinner and silent auction. For information, go to www.familylinks.org.
• The 17th Gerry Dulac Parkway West Rotary Charity Classic is July 20 at Sewickley Heights GC. The tournament benefits rotary charities and McKees Rocks’ Focus on Renewal. Entry is $195 and includes continental breakfast, dinner, auction, photo and gift. Call 724947-1234.
• The U.S. Golf Junior Golf Camp, one of the largest summer camps in the country, has scheduled seven dates for its annual program at the Kiski School in Saltsburg: June 14, 21, and 28; July 5, 12, 19 and 26; and Aug. 2. The camp is open to juniors 9-18. Go to usgolfcamps.com.
• The Golf FORE! DePaul Outing is July 17 at Edgewood Country Club. The tournament benefits the DePaul School that teaches children who are deaf or hard of hearing how to listen and speak without sign language. Call 412-924-1012 or email kaylam@depaulhearingandspeech.org.