TRUCKEE, Calif. — Ryan Gerard had seven birdies in a bogey-free second round Friday to take a four-point lead over Patrick Rodgers in the Barracuda Championship.
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.
“Really just making sure that I’m hitting the proper shots to the proper sides and not getting overly aggressive,” Gerard said. “I know this is a format where guys like to go out and kind of pin their ears back. But just been trying to pick my spots and play to my strengths.”
Gerard had 30 points after the 14-point day on the Tahoe Mountain Club’s par-71 Old Greenwood layout. The 23-year-old former North Carolina player has special temporary membership on the PGA Tour.
“I played really solid all day. I’ve been hitting it great,” Gerard said. “I think I’ve hit 16 or 17 greens both rounds. So, feel really comfortable at the altitude getting the distances to the right spot where I want them.”
Rodgers scored 11 points Friday.
“I’m doing a good job of making a lot of birdies, which is fun,” Rodgers said. “I really enjoy this format. I feel like it frees me up. It’s fun to play aggressive. It’s fun to not worry about making mistakes, really try to attack a golf course.”
Vincent Norrman, the tour rookie from Sweden who won a playoff Sunday in the Barbasol Championship for his first tour title, was third with 23 points. He eagled the par-5 12th in a 12-point round.
Beau Hossler followed with 22 after a five-point day. Zecheng Dou and Sean Crocker had 21. Dou had a 16-point round, and Crocker scored 10 points.
First-round leader S.Y. Noh lost five points a day after making three eagles and scoring a tournament-record 23 points. He had two double bogeys and a bogey on the last five holes in his morning round.
Defending champion Chez Reavie got to 15 points with an eight-point day.
Brandt Snedeker missed the cut on the number with 10 points. The nine-time tour winner played on a sponsor exemption.
Geoff Ogilvy also failed to advance, finishing two days with four points. He won the 2014 title for his last professional victory.