Stephanie Sparks, who was best known for co-hosting the Golf Channel’s Big Break reality series, died on April 13 at the age of 50. A cause of death has not been disclosed.
Born in Wheeling, West Virginia, Sparks emerged as an exceptional amateur golf player, securing victory at the esteemed North and South Women’s Amateur at Pinehurst in 1992. The following year, she continued her winning streak at the Women’s Western Amateur, Women’s Eastern Amateur and the West Virginia State Amateur.
Sparks represented the U.S. in the 1994 Curtis Cup team and earned recognition as an All-America selection at Duke University. Her professional career was short-lived, with her chronic back pain being the reason she had to step away from the sport after only one season on the LGPA in 2000.
She ultimately found her new calling on television, working as the host of multiple shows at Golf Channel, including Big Break, Golf with Style! and Playing Lessons with the Pros. Sparks also did some on-camera reporting at golf tournaments.
The on-air personality even played the role of three-time U.S. Women’s Amateur champion Alexa Stirling in the 2004 hit-movie Bobby Jones: Stroke of Genius, where she starred opposite Jim Caviezel.
Sparks’ Big Break co-host, Tom Abbott, took to X (formerly known as Twitter) to share his condolences after hearing about Sparks’ death.
“I’m shocked and saddened by the death of Stephanie Sparks,” he wrote. “Many of you will remember Steph as the host of #BigBreak– we worked together on 7 seasons. Lots of fond memories of those times, Steph was a crucial part of the Big Break success story. My thoughts go out to her family.”
I’m shocked and saddened by the death of Stephanie Sparks. Many of you will remember Steph as the host of #BigBreak – we worked together on 7 seasons. Lots of fond memories of those times, Steph was a crucial part of the Big Break success story. My thoughts go out to her family. pic.twitter.com/3vND4ingyI
— Tom Abbott (@TomAbbottGC) April 20, 2024
According to Sparks’ obituary, for the last several years of her life she was an advocate for hospice care and supported Libby’s Legacy Breast Cancer Foundation and the Barber Fund in Orlando.
A private family service will be held in Elm Grove, West Virginia, at Kepner Funeral Home. She is survived by her parents, her sister, and their six children.