Can't help but root for Big Break Kaanapali's Susan Choi

I’ve never been much of a Big Break fan. Reality shows don’t do much for me and the Golf Channel’s version was never in much danger of changing my mind. I once ran into David Gunas Jr. - the barefoot-golfing supposedly funny Big Break II contestant - at Torrey Pines and didn’t recognize him at all (though most of the cart kids did).

When Gunas handed me a business card showing his travel agent business, I must admit I wondered what kind of big break he’d actually gotten too.

The latest edition Big Break Kaanapali intrigues me though. It helps that it took place in Kaanapali - a resort area in Maui I’ve recently been too, the most commercial resort area in Maui albeit, but it’s still Maui. It helps a lot more that it’s an all-female cast packed with babes. How packed? Ladies European Tour pinup girl Sophie Sandolo is at best the eighth or ninth best looking woman on the show (and it’s probably closer to 10th best).

Granted no one besides our own wacky weird William K. Wolfrum would think Sandolo was that hot if wasn’t for her desperately-seeking-attention, in-the-buff calendars, but her as No. 9 is still noteworthy. They also had these babes playing in a lot of Hawaii rain - this after having them jump into the pool in last week’s debut episode.

Still, none of that is why I’ll be following Big Break Kaanapali.

No, what’s hooked me is the story of Susan Choi, the only amateur who made the 12-woman field filled with mini tour players, a sometimes LPGA Tour player and regular Euro Tour competitor Sandolo. Choi is the type of tale you almost never hear in golf, a poor kid who didn’t get into the game early, never had a fancy celebrity swing coach and just worked, worked and worked to give herself a chance.

It’s still a longshot chance, but it’s amazing the 23-year-old Choi even has that.

The daughter of Korean immigrants, Choi’s always faced serious money obstacles. To the point where repo men became involved.

She landed an academic financial aid package to attend Wellesley - land of Hillary Clinton - and somehow turned that into a pro golf vision. Forget being the complete opposite of hype machine over substance Michelle Wie. Choi is the opposite of even LPGA players who had to work to gain public recognition. No one ever saw Paula Creamer talent in her growing up or made sure she was given special coaching. Heck, no one even ever saw Johanna Waldh talent in her.

Talk to Choi or watch her on Big Break and you’ll be struck by her real joy in golf though. If we all played the game with that attitude, you’d have a much more open, available sport. You wouldn’t need all those reminders that golf is supposed to be fun.

For the full-length story on Big Break Kaanapali, including the real lowdown on Kaanapali and more on Choi, click here.