TRUCKEE, Calif. — Patrick Rodgers scored eight points Saturday to take the third-round lead in the Barracuda Championship at Tahoe Mountain Club.
Co-sanctioned by the European tour, the tournament uses the Modified Stableford scoring system. Five points are awarded for eagle and two for birdie, while a point is deducted for bogey and three for double bogey.
“I’m loving the way that I’m driving it,” Rodgers said. “I’m giving myself tons of opportunities to score. A lot of birdie and eagle looks. In this format I’m going to have to do the same tomorrow.”
Winless on the PGA Tour, Rodgers, 31, rebounded from a double bogey on the par-4 10th with an eagle on the par-5 12th and birdies on the par-4 16th and 18th on the par-71 Old Greenwood layout.
“It was a day of resilience, for sure,” Rodgers said. “I shot myself in the foot more than once today, especially in this format. I missed a couple of really tiny putts on the front nine. … Then made a double on 10.”
Second-rounder leader Ryan Gerard was a point back after a three-point round. The 23-year-old former North Carolina player has special temporary membership on the PGA Tour.
“Just a lot of a grind out there today,” Gerard said. “Course got pretty tough, pretty firm. Greens got really bumpy toward the end, which is going to happen in the afternoon. So just really tried to stay patient, kept myself in it, even though I didn’t really have my best game or anything near it.”
Akshay Bhatia was third with 31 after a 17-point round.
“I think the golf course, the area, it’s perfect for this format,” Bhatia said. “You’re playing in altitude, you got drivable par 4s, you got short par 5s. So, it’s a great format to make a ton of birdies.”
Beau Hossler had an eight-point day to reach 30 points. Joel Dahmen was at 29 after a 16-point round.
