Soon after, Gainey was part of the fourth installment of the "Big Break" and billed as a "small-town golfer hailing from small-town USA."
That "Big Break" featured a team is U.S. golfers against a group of Europeans at historic St. Andrews' in Scotland.
Gainey, with his baseball grip and unusual swing, looked like an easy mark to some of the classically trained players.
"When they saw him with the swing, the two gloves, there was a little bit of laughing," said Dan Higgins, the Golf Channel spokesman who was at St. Andrews with Gainey.
Then they saw Gainey's long drives and accurate irons.
Gainey loved the experience, and his demeanor and game were transformed by the pressure that comes from having each shot dissected on TV.
He says those lessons helped him get through second-stage qualifying when he struggled down the stretch. He needed birdies on his final two holes to guarantee his first trip to the final stage and got them. "It was one of my proudest moments," he said.
But it's Gainey's sincerity and forthrightness that endeared him to "Big Break" fans. Higgins said his appeal was a big reason Gainey was invited back for the show's reunion edition, a competition Gainey won.
Higgins admits he didn't see a PGA Tour player when Gainey first showed up. But after the competition, "I, at least personally, saw a transformation," Higgins said. "He began picking things up and taking things seriously."
So seriously, Gainey sounds like he's ready to challenge the game's best right away. If he gets the chance, he said he'll do his best to beat the best in the world.
"I've got nothing against Tiger Woods," Gainey said, sitting in his golf cart. "But I'm tired of Tiger winning every tournament."
Gainey shrugs off those who knock his swing, which has a flatter takeaway than most. The important thing, say Gainey and PGA member Chamberlin, is that Gainey's back on plane when it's time to strike the ball.
If you think Gainey will change should he have tour success, forget it.
He'll keep his recently purchased home in Camden, no matter his fortunes, to stay near his family. He'd rather practice by playing a round than spend his time on the range. If Gainey's swing goes sideway, he'll call up younger brother Allen for advice. "No one knows my game better than him," he said.
Ask a question and Gainey will give a straight answer.
"No matter what happens, I'll never change," Gainey says. "I was raised to respect others and treat others the way I want to be treated. Tommy Gainey is a good ol' country boy who likes everybody."
