Tommy Gainey gets big break in golf
with huge heart
The theme song to the Tommy Gainey story could be “Take this job and shove it”, as the former factory worker has scratched and clawed his way to the PGA-Tour.
We first got to know Tommy “Two-Gloves” Gainey from his appearance on the The Big Break IV on the Golf Channel, followed by his winning the co-ed version on Big Break VII. Before that it was all baseball for Gainey and that is where the concept of “Two-Gloves” came from, with his golf grip the same as his old baseball grip.
After attending Central Carolina Technical College, Tommy worked in the A.O. Smith factory wrapping insulation on water heaters. “It’s as bad as it sounds, itching and scratching, we do about 1400 in an 8-hour shift, all I’d want to do is go home take a shower and a nap.”
In 1997, things would change. At age 27, Gainey borrowed $500 for the entry fee for a Tear Drop Tour event, took two days of sick leave and won the event for a check of $15,000 -- pretty good for a guy happy to be making $14 per hour.
He had dreamed since he was a little kid of playing golf on TV and making a lot of money, thinking “That would be cool.”
Tommy Gainey had become a mini-tour legend with his unique swing and the two-gloves, winning several events on the Tar Heel Tour, the Hooters Tour and others. In fact he became good friends with Masters Champion Zack Johnson and they played together often.
After his Big Break victory in 2006, Tommy played in the first stage of tour-school, but missed by a shot after opening with an 80. Tommy said recently in a phone interview that he felt good about making that comeback.
In winning the Big Break, his partner on the program was Bri, an attractive young woman that was a good player. There was a lot of emotion shown on the program that came back to haunt Tommy. His long-time girlfriend Rachel saw the show, heard the rumors, and next came the tears. Tommy and Rachel are still together, but Tommy has heard from Bri. “Let me set this straight, I love Rachel and that is it, there is nothing to the other stories about Bri and Me.”
This year it was different, as he made it to the final stage and seemed a shoe-in, but a 77 in the last round made it a bit too close. “The pressure got to me, the nightmare feeling is just what they say about Q-School.” Gainey would hold it together and end up T-19 for a $25,000 pay day and exempt status. With his notoriety, he’ll likely get to play as many events as he wants.
For 2008, Tommy lists as his goals: to play solid golf, play a practice round with Tiger Woods and secure his tour card and to get back to the Wachovia Championship where he Monday-qualified, but missed the cut. “I want to learn from Tiger, he’s a freak of nature, heads and shoulders above everybody else.”
When asked the most important call he has received recently, it was from his Father, a 14 handicap who got Tommy started at golf. His family works hard, with his father helping to raise grandchildren and his mother working 10-12 hours a day.
Tommy has talent, a huge heart, lots of game and he may just have the attitude to succeed.
