Los Angeles (AFP) – Scotland’s Martin Laird holds a one-point lead after the first round of the Barracuda Championship, an unusual event featuring the Modified Stableford scoring system.
Laird made eight birdies (each worth two points) and one bogey (for a loss of one point) to finish at 15 at Montreux Golf and Country Club in Reno, Nevada.
Gary Woodland, Australia’s Greg Chalmers and Colombia’s Camilo Villegas are tied for second at 14.
The 7,472-yard course features seven lakes and four waterfalls in the foothills of the snow-capped Sierra Nevada mountains.
But its date on this year’s Olympic-compressed calendar puts it opposite the World Golf Championships tournament in Akron, Ohio, where most of the world’s top-ranked players are competing. As a result, 63rd-rated American Patton Kizzire is the highest-ranked player in the field.
Because next week’s scheduled Greenbrier Classic was called off due to flooding near the host course in West Virginia, the British Open spot that would have been up for grabs there is instead at stake in Reno.
The top player not already qualified for the British Open among the top five finishers at the tournament will book himself a place at Royal Troon for the third major of the year starting July 14.
Instead of a score related to par, players this week will receive five points for an eagle, two for each birdie, zero for pars, minus-one for bogeys and minus-three for double bogeys.
Colt Knost, Zac Blair, Brendan Steele and Jay McLuen share fifth place at 13.
Tied for ninth at 12 are Steve Marino and Jeff Overton.
J.J. Henry, the defending champion, made four bogeys and just one birdie, leaving him tied for 14th at minus-2.
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