While all the attention is on the WGC Bridgestone and Firestone Country Club this week it should not be forgotten that there is a regular PGA Tour event too as the lesser lights get the chance to shine in the Barracuda Classic in Nevada.
This is much different to any other tournament on the PGA Tour in that it is the only one which uses the stableford scoring system that most day to day golfers will abide by. Greg Chalmers won the tournament 12 months ago and is back to defend the title.
Recent Winners
2016 – Greg Chalmers
2015 – JJ Henry
2014 – Geoff Ogilvy
2013 – Gary Woodland
2012 – JJ Henry
2011 – Scott Piercy
2010 – Matt Bettencourt
2009 – John Rollins
2008 – Parker McLachlin
2007 – Steve Flesch
The Scoring
Rather than use the regular scoring system we are on the stableford this week. That means every albatross is worth eight points, every eagle is worth five, two for a birdie and nothing for a par. Your player will lose a point for each bogey and lose three for a double bogey or worse.
The Course
Montreux Golf and Country Club in Reno is once again the venue for this tournament. It is a par 72 which measures 7,472 yards which makes it sound long but we are heavily at altitude this week so it doesn’t play anywhere near that long.
This is a pretty open track with decent sized greens and as you would expect with the scoring system in place we want players who can shoot a large number of birdies to propel their scores into the 40-45 range which is needed to compete this week.
The Field
Clearly the field this week was never going to be fantastic but there are some decent enough names around all looking for the FedEx Cup points and a big cheque to secure tour cards or make it into the first play-off event later in the month.
JJ Henry, Greg Chalmers and Geoff Ogilvy are three former champions back to try to win the title once again while Retief Goosen, Padraig Harrington and Angel Cabrera bring a major winning flavour to the tournament.
Market Leaders
A sign of how wide open the tournament is can be found at the head of the betting market where Ben Martin is a 25/1 favourite. You won’t get 25/1 the field very often. Robert Garrigus is next in the betting at 28/1 and then comes a raft of players on 33/1.
Kevin Tway, Ollie Schniederjans, Brandon Hagy and Smylie Kaufman are among the large group of players on that price with plenty more players on 35/1 and 40/1 heading into the week.
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Main Bets
I’ll fire the gun at a couple of players this week. I’m not breaking too many grounds of physics by taking a couple of players who belt it a long way and make a lot of birdies but that should be the route to success.
With that in mind Robert Garrigus is one man I like even at 28/1. He is in good nick after a top 10 and a top 5 finish in the last two weeks and he scored very well indeed in Canada last week so he should be in decent form. Garrigus has three top 15 finishes here in his last five outings so the course seems to suit him and as a result given his solid form coming in he looks an obvious first bet.
I backed Luke List last week without any success but he is worth taking again here. He sits twelfth in birdie average on the entire PGA Tour this season and on a course which shouldn’t yield too many bogeys that has to count for something. He hits it a long way and can take care of the par 5s which will also be important. At 33/1 he has plenty going for him.
Outsider
Just the one outsider interests me this week and that is only because of how good a putter he is. That is Chris Kirk. At his best he can lead this lot a merry dance and could do with the points to propel himself up the FedEx points list. He is just outside the top 30 on birdie average and while his recent form is not great he showed at the start of the season and at the Players that he can be competitive in bigger events than this so at 66/1 he is worth a poke here.
Tips
PLACED – Back R.Garrigus to win Barracuda Championship (e/w) for a 1/10 stake at 29.00 with Coral (1/5 1-7)
Back L.List to win Barracuda Championship (e/w) for a 1/10 stake at 34.00 with Coral (1/5 1-7)
Back C.Kirk to win Barracuda Championship (e/w) for a 0.5/10 stake at 67.00 with Coral (1/5 1-7)
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