Gerard and Hoey lead the Barracuda Championship after key birdies

In the Barracuda Championship, the only PGA Tour event that uses the modified Stableford scoring system, Ryan Gerard and Rico Hoey share the lead after an exciting day. Gerard achieved a spectacular birdie on the final hole thanks to a 20-foot shot, thus securing his position at the top of the leaderboard. “I made a great shot and was lucky that the ball went into the hole,” commented Gerard. “It’s something very special. A fantastic way to finish. I hope it bodes well for tomorrow.” In this scoring system, players get eight points for a double eagle, five for an eagle, and two for a birdie. One point is subtracted for a bogey and three for a double bogey. In windy conditions at the Tahoe Mountain Club, Gerard scored 12 points in his round, while Hoey achieved four birdies in the last six holes, accumulating eight points. Both players, who have yet to win on the PGA Tour, have a total of 34 points, one more than Erik van Rooyen, winner in 2021.

You just have to keep believing in myself and see what happens.

Rico Hoey

Gerard has been playing for six consecutive weeks, a streak that began with the U.S. Open and took him to Scotland last week. “I love this golf course. I love playing in this area. I like playing golf,” said Gerard. “So I arrived at 2:30 in the morning on Tuesday.” The 25-year-old player, a former student at the University of North Carolina, finished fifth in the event two years ago. In April, he achieved ninth and second place in consecutive events in Texas. Hoey, 29, led the second round. Born in the Philippines, he grew up in California and played at the University of Southern California.

I struggled at first, but then I caught fire on the back nine, so it was good to finish that way. I was just praying for the putter to get hot because it was so cold.

Rico Hoey

Van Rooyen, from South Africa, made an eagle on the third par-5 hole, adding eight points to his round. Tom Vaillant, from France, was two points away, with 32, after a nine-point day.

Just hold on as long as I can and try to avoid mistakes. Keep the ball in the right place and be patient.

Tom Vaillant

Hayden Springer and Vince Whaley combined for 29 points. Ben Martin, first-round leader with 16 points, had his second scoreless round and dropped to 55th place. The tournament, which is played simultaneously with the British Open, is co-sanctioned by the DP World Tour. The winner earns a spot in the PGA Championship, but not in the Masters.