Mac Meissner Takes 1-Point Lead at Barracuda Championship

Mac Meissner shot a bogey-free plus-16 on Friday to take a one-point lead over JJ Spaun into the weekend of the PGA Tour’s Barracuda Championship in Truckee, California.

The 25-year-old Meissner, who had played in just four Tour events before this season and has yet to win on Tour, started on the back nine of Tahoe Mountain Club’s Old Greenwood Course. He opened with back-to-back birdies for a par and two more birdies. He added another on the 16th hole, then birdied Nos. 4, 7 and 9 on the front nine to finish with a two-round total of plus-26.

The Barracuda Championship uses a Modified Stableford scoring format that encourages risk-taking. Birdies are worth two points, eagles are worth five and albatrosses are worth eight. Any par is worth zero points, while bogeys are worth minus-1 point and double bogey or worse is worth minus-3.

“(The Modified Stableford format) allows you to be a little more aggressive because birdies are worth more than a bogey that hurts you,” Meissner said. “I’ve definitely been a little more aggressive on tucked pins than I normally would be on a Friday or on the weekend.”

The Barracuda is the Tour’s alternative event, alongside the Open Championship.

“I’m at a point where I don’t have much to lose and a lot more to gain if I play well,” Meissner added. “If I don’t make the playoffs, I have the fall season, but if I have a nice push here at the end and make the playoffs, then all the better.”

As for Spaun, the 33-year-old had a slightly more adventurous day trying to keep up with the leader. Spaun started on the front nine and got off to a great start with three consecutive birdies and four birdies on his first five holes. But then came a bogey on No. 7 as part of five consecutive holes without a birdie. He then alternated birdies and pars from holes 10 through 16 and closed with three consecutive pars.

He finished with a plus-13 after shooting plus-12 on Thursday, putting him at plus-25 for the tournament so far.

“Yeah, it’s been a good week so far,” said Spaun, who won the 2022 Valero Texas Open for his only Tour victory to date. “I kept the ball in front of me a little bit, not too many mistakes. I made a lot of good putts when I needed to. I just stayed out of trouble a little bit, and I’ve putted together some good points the last couple of days.”

Canadian Taylor Pendrith (plus-12 on Friday) and Americans Sean O’Hair (plus-16) and Chan Kim (plus-15) are tied for third place with a total of plus-24.

Round 1 leader Ben Silverman of Canada struggled mightily on Friday, bogging down five holes before birdieing the 15th for his only plus hole of the day. He finished the day at minus-3, putting him at plus-16 for the tournament, just three points above the cut line.

–Field Level Media