The Barracuda Championship retains its position as an alternate event although this year it takes place opposite the Open Championship.
For many years this event was played at Montreux Country Club in Nevada but in 2020 it relocated to the Tahoe Club in California.
It’s a Jack Nicklaus design and measures out as a 7,480-yard par 71. The length is shorter due to the course being at altitude and there are plenty of risk and reward holes.
Its big USP is the modified stableford scoring system. 8pts for albatross, 5pts for eagle, 2pts for birdie, 0 for par, -1 for bogey and -3 for double bogey or worse.
With more points awarded for a birdie than a bogey, it encourages attacking play.
Erik van Rooyen won with a record 50pts last year while the first edition saw Richy Werenski take the title with 39pts.
Werenski said last year: “The par 5s are all get-able. So that’s huge. You kind of have to make a couple out here. It makes it a lot easier.
“Last year, I made eagle on 16. I was kind of in contention, but one hole and then it’s like I’m right there. So you want to take advantage of the par 5s.”
As part of the strategic alliance between the PGA and DP World Tour, the top 50 available players from the latter are included.
Angles to consider
1/ Tournament format
Last year’s runner-up Andrew Putnam had won the event on a different course in 2018 while Richy Werenski also has a first (Montreux) and a second (Tahoe Club). They’re just two examples of players who seem to thrive under the scoring system wherever it’s played.
2/ Greens in Regulation
This was a key stat last year and perhaps not a surprise given that Nicklaus courses usually put a focus on approach play. The GIR rankings of the first five finishers were 3, 1, 2, 7, 3. In 2020, most of the top iron players on the week also finished in the top 10.
3/ Par Breakers
Making birdies and eagles is the name of the game in this event and the PGA Tour’s Par Breaker stat is a measure of both.
4/ Par 5 Scoring
As mentioned by Werenski, this is where you make your score. In 2020, the top three in that category finished first, second and third.
Selections
The above angles have been used to create a shortlist from which the following players are selected.
Andrew Putnam
The American, as mentioned, is an event specialist and was runner-up on this course last year when racking up 45pts. He’s hit over 72% of greens in regulation in his last two events and was 1st for Driving Accuracy at the John Deere. Hitting greens from the short grass is much easier.
Matthias Schwab
The Austrian finished third on his only start at this venue in 2020 so likes the course and format. His iron play is also trending in the right direction and he’s ranked in the top 25 for GIR in his last two events, the latest an encouraging tied 16th at the John Deere Classic where he poured in 20 birdies and an eagle. Schwab is 42nd in Par 5 Scoring this season.
Vince Whaley
If you want a birdie machine, look to Whaley. He’s 2nd in the field this week for Par Breakers and 15th overall in that chart, placing him above the likes of Jon Rahm, Jordan Spieth and Collin Morikawa. Whaley made the top five in last week’s Barbasol Championship and was ninth in this event last year with 36pts. He's 34th for Par 5 Scoring.
Tips 0-3; -6.00pts
1pt e.w. Andrew Putnam at 33/1 (Coral, Ladbrokes 1/5 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8) mc
